Jake Grafton

Jake Grafton is the novel's protagonist. An ace navy bomber pilot, he cuts a heroic figure at about six feet tall, with clear grey eyes and a prominent nose. He is a highly skilled and courageous pilot with quick reflexes and good judgment, but he has several other characteristics that prevent him from being a caricature. Jake has strong emotions and is attuned to them. He also thinks hard about what he does and the consequences of being a warrior. On several occasions in the book, he enters situations that fill him with fear, and he often suffers from shaky hands because of the stress of his job. When he considers how inconsequential many of the bombing targets are in the war, it fills him with rage, and if people annoy him with thoughtless remarks or boorish behavior, he is capable of striking back verbally or even...