Target Hong Kong
A True Story of U.S. Navy Pilots at War
Steven K. Bailey, Osprey Publishing, 2024, 368 pages
Book Review published on: December 22, 2025
Target Hong Kong: A True Story of U.S. Navy Pilots at War by Stephen K. Bailey will engage a reader through its detailed pages. Published in Great Britain, the book weaves an intertwined tale of six American pilots and one British navy pilot before, during, and after the Battle of Hong Kong in December 1941; ominously, this was a day after the Japanese Empire attacked the U.S. Naval Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii. The book is well-written, flows well, and is easy to follow. As a young adult and still today, I loved to read James Michner’s epic history-based fictional novels like Centennial, Hawaii, or The Covenant. I enjoy those chronology-based tales. In addition, I am mesmerized when I allow vivid and detailed descriptions to take me away to another time and place. Bailey’s writing exhibits many of the same tendencies and style. This talent, coupled with the life and death subject matter and deep emotion, make Target Hong Kong an experience that will leave the reader truly thinking inside the story and desperately craving better outcomes for the characters for whom he or she has grown to care. Additionally, his stories are credible because of his past books and many his obvious hundreds if not thousands of hours of research into World War II.
Bailey is a master storyteller. In this book, he seamlessly moves from storyline to storyline, giving the reader enough to be motivated for the restart of each story, but not so much as to make the reader feel like it is an irritating TV commercial break. The author’s attention to detail is also enjoyable. His use of direct sources helps paint snapshots of stories of heroism on par with and evoked by the scenes in such movies as Saving Private Ryan. Stories about the Battle of Hong Kong ooze detail and place the reader in the cockpit, splashing in the sea, or withering away in a Japanese prison, while he also includes historically referenced background stories about the heroes’ families or historical figures such as Amelia Earhart or World War II generals and admirals. Because of the travesty behind this story, the author eloquently weaves references that evoke emotion and outline heroism; for example, the American submarine fleet was referred to as a “rescue league,” prisoners were tortured by locking a pole under their armpits, and finally, there were insincere efforts by the Japanese to make amends for the uncivilized actions. The author’s story resonates in the reader’s heart in the form of thankfulness to our heroes and disgust for their captors and adversaries.
The stories are brought to life even more because of the author’s vivid language and use of military slang. For example, phrased descriptions such as “caged prisoners,” “lethal cocktail,” and “veritable Swiss Army knife” paint ugly but true-to-life pictures, while World War II slang such as “turkeys,” “black sheep,” and “the quack” transport the reader to the times of the book and the lives of the participants. Additionally, the reader with a military background, such as myself and many of the targeted readership, is pleasantly surprised to see familiar modern concepts in a World War II setting. For me, these included “air superiority,” “blood chits,” “pre-strike briefings,” “AARs,” “the ready room,” “the center of gravity,” and many acronyms. Lastly, every now and then, the author lightens up the otherwise serious tone of the book with a comical reference such as ice cream as an item for barter.
This book is detailed and informative. To the wrong audience, it could be viewed as a tedious read. Readers not interested in the stories behind the newsreels of World War II may become bogged down or overwhelmed. However, I advise them to take a chance, and power through the first few chapters enough to understand that this is a story of heroes and that we would not be here without their heroic actions.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. Ted Johnson, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas