• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

REQUEST: Good aviation/military books

ryan1234

ryan1234

Well-Known Member
The Flying Greek - about Col. Steve Pisanos

http://www.amazon.com/Flying-Greek-Immigrant-Fighter-Resistance/dp/1597970786

great book and amazing story about trying to get from Greece as a kid by 'stowing away' to America without speaking English to learning to fly and wanting to become a fighter pilot.

Also - for some of you out there that have iphones, some great books including the above are available as podcasts in the form of lectures from the National Museum of the USAF. They're awesome for long airline flights or car rides.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/podcasts/index.asp

Some of them include:
Lt Col Dale Zelko's story of being shot down in the F-117
Constant Peg
100 missions up North
and about 50 other stories.
 
Catmando

Catmando

Keep your knots up.
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
Bio said:
Title: YANKEE AIR PIRATES
Author: CK McCusker
Comments: B-52 crews over North Vietnam in 1972. Based on real events, the author was a real BUF Navigator who flew the missions himself. Yankee Air Pirates reads like M*A*S*H and Catch 22.
Link: http://deedspublishing.com/YankeeAirPirates.html
Click to expand...
This sounds like a good read. Another one, perhaps more serious and technical, and well researched from both sides is The 11 Days of Christmas, covering most aspects of the Christmas 'downtown' raids to end the war.

As a sidenote, I flew MiG-CAP for the BUFs on the third, and worst night of the raids. Six B-52s were lost that night, along with a Navy A-6. I watched in horror as we witnessed a number of those shootdowns.

Related link
 
bunk22

bunk22

Super *********
pilot
Super Moderator
MIDNJAC said:
My mom randomly amazon'd it to me. Really good read.....have gotten about 3/4 of the way through it in just this weekend.
Click to expand...

Just read it and I agree, a good read. The combat action is a bit boring but it is what it is in Afghanistan.
 
FlyinRock

FlyinRock

Registered User
One of the best I've read on Nam from a grunt point of view is "Matterhorn" written by a Marine Navy Cross 2ndLt. Outstanding and a great guide to leadership for Jr officers.
 
Malo83

Malo83

Keep the Faith
PLOESTI:
The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1,August 1943
The Army Air Corps low level attack on the Ploesti oil fields of Romania
 
jmcquate

jmcquate

Well-Known Member
Contributor
Catmando said:
This sounds like a good read. Another one, perhaps more serious and technical, and well researched from both sides is The 11 Days of Christmas, covering most aspects of the Christmas 'downtown' raids to end the war.

As a sidenote, I flew MiG-CAP for the BUFs on the third, and worst night of the raids. Six B-52s were lost that night, along with a Navy A-6. I watched in horror as we witnessed a number of those shootdowns.



Related link
Click to expand...

Wasn’t there a near mutiny (right term for the USAF?) by the BUFF crews at Anderson after that night?
 
Cron

Cron

Yankee Uniform Tango
jmcquate said:
Wasn’t there a near mutiny (right term for the USAF?) by the BUFF crews at Anderson after that night?
Click to expand...

It's been a while since I read the book, but it actually goes over that. As I recall, the "mutiny" was more of less a rumor/myth that originated during the days of the raids themselves. The BUFF crews were unhappy to say the least (understandably so) with the shit-sandwich of a mission plan(s) the SAC "yes-men" of the day were handing them. This resulted in a metric ton of incredulity going around (understandably so), but all the crews did their duty regardless.

As much of a success Linebacker II was, it's frustrating to read how most (if not all) of the casualties sustained during the raids could have been avoided, had the right people spoke up and/or have been listened to.
 
coolhandlukesd

coolhandlukesd

n00b
How rare was it for an Air Force Brigadier General to get busted down to Colonel during the Vietnam war?

The reason I ask is My Great Uncle John Wollmers did that, he disagree with tactics the B-52 where being forced to use and their high losses (btw he was a bomber pilot during WWII) and raised a ruckus. I don't know what time frame during the Vietnam war this took place, But I wold like to know more about his incident.
btw he retired in the mid 70's and does not like to discuses his involvement in both wars, it something he try's to forget about.
 
BusyBee604

BusyBee604

St. Francis/Hugh Hefner Combo!
pilot
Super Moderator
Contributor
COL Olds

bunk22 said:
Just got the book and from what I've read so far, just outstanding. The book is Gen Robin Olds memoirs:

Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/03...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

I can't think of anyone who looks more the part than a leader and fighter pilot combined. Matter of fact, he didn't just look it, he was it.
Click to expand...

I am a combat veteran of both: Op Rolling Thunder '66/'67 and Op Linebacker '72. I totally agree with Bunk's assessment of (then) COL Olds as the "real McCoy" role model Fighter Pilot. I know that all my Squadronmates had great respect & admiration for this great man (despite the fact that he should have been a [Naval Aviator]!!! Back in the day, we always kept up with his exploits through Intel briefs.:pirate_12
BzB
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top