best mil+aviation writers?

If you were going to name a couple of the greatest writers about
military aviation, who would they be?

I want personal recollections, not history. I'd like names that large
numbers of people would recognize.

Antoine de St Exupery? (Can't stand him, personally, but he seems
beloved)

Ernest Gahn? (or was he a civilian writer only?)

Personally, I think of Don Lopez (Into the Teeth of the Tiger) but I'm
not sure how well known he is to the general public.

Thanks for your input!


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

If you were going to name a couple of the greatest writers about
military aviation, who would they be?

I'd include Richard Bach--I can still remember reading, "Stranger to the
Ground", about a sortie in an F-84F, back while I was in high school. And
no, I have *never* read his trademark, "Jonathan Livingston Seagull"...

Brooks


I want personal recollections, not history. I'd like names that large
numbers of people would recognize.

Antoine de St Exupery? (Can't stand him, personally, but he seems
beloved)

Ernest Gahn? (or was he a civilian writer only?)

Personally, I think of Don Lopez (Into the Teeth of the Tiger) but I'm
not sure how well known he is to the general public.

Thanks for your input!


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

I collect books about the air war in Southeast Asia circa 1964 to 1975.
Here are my favorite works about that period:

When Thunder Rolled -- Ed Rasimus.
Anything by Jack Broughton.
IMHO, these are the definitive books about the F-105 mission during
Rolling Thunder. Ed disagrees with me, but I'll give an honorable mention
to the book by Gen. Bell as well.

Over the Beach -- Zalin Grant.
The Heart of a Man -- Frank Elkins.
Captain Hook -- Wynn Foster.
On Yankee Station -- John Nichols & Barrett Tillman
Flight of the Intruder -- Stephen Coonts.
Wilcox' book (forget the name) about the creation of Top Gun. Perhaps
Scream of Eagles?
Any novel by Gerry Carroll.
These are the best books about naval aviation in that peried. If you're a
naval aviation fan, you should should also seek out the Motorbooks
collection of articles from the Naval Safety Center's Approach magazine.
Every one is based on actual events, and they are terrific.

Clashes
The Eleven Days of Christmas
both by Marshal Michel
Definitive studies of the air-to-air war over NVN and the Linebacker II
campaign, respectively.

"Paul Michael Brown" wrote in message
news
I collect books about the air war in Southeast Asia circa 1964 to 1975.
Here are my favorite works about that period:

When Thunder Rolled -- Ed Rasimus.
Anything by Jack Broughton.
IMHO, these are the definitive books about the F-105 mission during
Rolling Thunder. Ed disagrees with me, but I'll give an honorable mention
to the book by Gen. Bell as well.

Over the Beach -- Zalin Grant.
The Heart of a Man -- Frank Elkins.
Captain Hook -- Wynn Foster.
On Yankee Station -- John Nichols & Barrett Tillman
Flight of the Intruder -- Stephen Coonts.
Wilcox' book (forget the name) about the creation of Top Gun. Perhaps
Scream of Eagles?
Any novel by Gerry Carroll.

Carrol claimed to be a Vietnam veteran who was shot down three times (just
ask Tom Clancy, who vouched for him in each of his three novels, including
the last one that was printed after his death). Nice story--if it were true.
Sadly, it is not. He was a navy helo pilot, but he never served in Vietnam.
Burkett and Whitley revealed the truth behind this sham Vietnam vet in
"Stolen Valor: How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of its Heroes and its
History" back in 1998. While I recall liking his books, learning the above
has left me unwilling to ever recommend them to anyone else.

Brooks

These are the best books about naval aviation in that peried. If you're a
naval aviation fan, you should should also seek out the Motorbooks
collection of articles from the Naval Safety Center's Approach magazine.
Every one is based on actual events, and they are terrific.

Clashes
The Eleven Days of Christmas
both by Marshal Michel
Definitive studies of the air-to-air war over NVN and the Linebacker II
campaign, respectively.

Paul Michael Brown wrote:

I collect books about the air war in Southeast Asia circa 1964 to 1975.
Here are my favorite works about that period:

When Thunder Rolled -- Ed Rasimus.
Anything by Jack Broughton.

I'll take "Going Downtown" over "Thud Ridge".

IMHO, these are the definitive books about the F-105 mission during
Rolling Thunder. Ed disagrees with me, but I'll give an honorable mention
to the book by Gen. Bell as well.

As would I. Gene Basel's "Pak Six" is okay, but less informative in the areas
of interest to me..

Over the Beach -- Zalin Grant.
The Heart of a Man -- Frank Elkins.
Captain Hook -- Wynn Foster.
On Yankee Station -- John Nichols & Barrett Tillman
Flight of the Intruder -- Stephen Coonts.
Wilcox' book (forget the name) about the creation of Top Gun. Perhaps
Scream of Eagles?
Any novel by Gerry Carroll.
These are the best books about naval aviation in that peried.

You've left out "Alpha Strike Vietnam," a chronological collection by year of
firsthand accounts. Kind of like "Fast Movers," but unlike most such
collections, this one concentrates on the attack pilots flying
A-1/A-4/A-6/A-7, irather than the fighters. Many of the navy attack types
mentioned in various books above were interviewed for the book. And I'd put
Tom Wilson's novels, or at least "Termite Hill", which like "Flight of the
Intruder" and most first novels by pilots is largely based on the experiences
of the author (with one presumes a considerable amount of "improvements" to
the story when it comes to the sexual escapades of one of the main characters,
Wilson's alter ego), on the list. Wilson was a Weasel Bear at Takhli late '66
- early '67. Linking up with that, Anthony Thornborough's non-fiction book
"Iron Hand: Smashing the Enemy's Air Defenses" is a must read on that subject,
even though it isn't just dedicated to Vietnam. it contains far better
descriptions of the various RWR, jammer and ARM capabilities of that era, with
photos showing the equipment and describing its operation than I've found
anywhere else.

Guy

After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police, Guy Alcala
confessed the following:

I'll take "Going Downtown" over "Thud Ridge".

I've read Thud Ridge at least 6 times, but Going Downtown only once. I
was put off with a minor detail, his description of an RF-101
shootdown in Nov 1964. He sorta kinda has the name right, Bert Walls
(IIRC) is actually Burt Waltz (currently residing near Hickam AFB)
and some of the cavalier attitude (IMO) he attributed to BW is not how
Burt remembers it.

Burt does blame his tactics, the target he got shotdown over had a
37mm site which was credited with downing an F-100 (William Martin
KIA) that was escorting an RF-101 three days prior. Just before
starting engines Burt was handed an additional target (this gunsite
road intersection) by his Det Commander George Hall. This target was
very close to Burt's last planned target, so the bad guys were given a
heads up. Instead of leaving the area and coming back in 10-15
minutes, Burt flew a wide arc above an undercast around the north side
to the east for an East-West photo run.

Burt flat out says he (obviously) didn't get far enough away and the
gunners lit him up as soon as he descended through the cloud deck. His
jet was engulfed in flames but ejected unscathed. His parachute
descent ended about 80-100' up in the trees. He damn near killed
himself when then locally modified personal lowering device (just a
long piece of rope) that he had poorly tied to a limb, gave way with
Burt about 75' above the ground.

Happy ending all around, an Air America helo rescued him. He even has
pictures of himself laying on the floor of the helo. It took over a
year to get back on flying status.

Alas I donated "Going Downtown," to my local library. Guy, unlike you
I buy lots of books, parting with them is almost unthinkable, no
qualms with GD.

As would I. Gene Basel's "Pak Six" is okay, but less informative in the areas
of interest to me..

I also like Al Lenski's "Magic 100."

You've left out "Alpha Strike Vietnam," a chronological collection by year of
firsthand accounts. Kind of like "Fast Movers," but unlike most such
collections, this one concentrates on the attack pilots flying
A-1/A-4/A-6/A-7, irather than the fighters.

I enjoyed ASV, couldn't finish FM (and yet I liked Sherwood's Korean
effort "Offiecers in flight Suits."). FM suffered the same fate as GD
and now resides in a local library.

I really enjoyed was George Marrett's "Cheating Death," combined with
Byron Hukee's http://skyraider.org/hook/ and Tilford's "The USAF
Search and Rescue in SEA," they make a good trio.

Linking up with that, Anthony Thornborough's non-fiction book
"Iron Hand: Smashing the Enemy's Air Defenses" is a must read...

Agree.

Juavt

Robey Price wrote:

After an exhausting session with Victoria's Secret Police, Guy Alcala
confessed the following:

I'll take "Going Downtown" over "Thud Ridge".

I've read Thud Ridge at least 6 times, but Going Downtown only once. I
was put off with a minor detail, his description of an RF-101
shootdown in Nov 1964. He sorta kinda has the name right, Bert Walls
(IIRC) is actually Burt Waltz (currently residing near Hickam AFB)
and some of the cavalier attitude (IMO) he attributed to BW is not how
Burt remembers it.

snip

Alas I donated "Going Downtown," to my local library. Guy, unlike you
I buy lots of books, parting with them is almost unthinkable, no
qualms with GD.

I'd be sleeping in the car with the books overflowing the house if I bought
everything I read. I confess to having problems with Broughton's idiosyncratic
spelling in "GD" ('Oerlicon,' indeed), and "Thud Ridge" is better writing, but I
know the story -- I'm after the technical stuff, and "GD" provides more of that
than "TR".

As would I. Gene Basel's "Pak Six" is okay, but less informative in the areas
of interest to me..

I also like Al Lenski's "Magic 100."

Haven't found that one yet.

You've left out "Alpha Strike Vietnam," a chronological collection by year of
firsthand accounts. Kind of like "Fast Movers," but unlike most such
collections, this one concentrates on the attack pilots flying
A-1/A-4/A-6/A-7, irather than the fighters.

I enjoyed ASV, couldn't finish FM (and yet I liked Sherwood's Korean
effort "Offiecers in flight Suits."). FM suffered the same fate as GD
and now resides in a local library.

I wasn't all that impressed by it either - ISTR that Sherwood lacked aviation
background, which tended to throw jarring notes into the book that would bring me
up[ short. But I got to read the short form of Ed's 105 tour before he wrote
"WTR," plus I though the chapter on Robin Olds was pretty good (for his
personality, if not the accuracy of the facts cited).

I really enjoyed was George Marrett's "Cheating Death," combined with
Byron Hukee's http://skyraider.org/hook/ and Tilford's "The USAF
Search and Rescue in SEA," they make a good trio.

Haven't read those, but I thought Tilford's "Setup: What the Air Force did in
Vietnam and Why" was excellent. Sort of "Clashes," several echelons up.

Guy

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

If you were going to name a couple of the greatest writers about
military aviation, who would they be?

I want personal recollections, not history. I'd like names that large
numbers of people would recognize.

For personal recollections: 'Chickenhawk' by Robert Mason is awe-inspiring.

It's about his year as a Heuy pilot in Vietnam ('66 I think) - don't know if
I'd classify him as one of the great writers, but it's very well written. If
you like the perfect balance between the historical and human sides of
military aviation/warfare it'll be the right book for you.


Antoine de St Exupery? (Can't stand him, personally, but he seems
beloved)

Ernest Gahn? (or was he a civilian writer only?)

Personally, I think of Don Lopez (Into the Teeth of the Tiger) but I'm
not sure how well known he is to the general public.

Thanks for your input!


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

"Jim Doyle" wrote in message
...

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

If you were going to name a couple of the greatest writers about
military aviation, who would they be?

I want personal recollections, not history. I'd like names that large
numbers of people would recognize.

For personal recollections: 'Chickenhawk' by Robert Mason is
awe-inspiring.

It's about his year as a Heuy pilot in Vietnam ('66 I think) - don't know
if
I'd classify him as one of the great writers, but it's very well written.
If
you like the perfect balance between the historical and human sides of
military aviation/warfare it'll be the right book for you.

My own recollection of that book, now grown hazy by the march of time, was
that it seemed to be more of a tome of excuses..."How I Ended Up Getting
Snagged for Smuggling Illegal Narcotics, and Why My Vietnam Experience Was
To Blame..." would have been a good second title. My brother was a Huey
pilot in that same war, and he did not hold that particular book in great
regard.

Brooks



Antoine de St Exupery? (Can't stand him, personally, but he seems
beloved)

Ernest Gahn? (or was he a civilian writer only?)

Personally, I think of Don Lopez (Into the Teeth of the Tiger) but I'm
not sure how well known he is to the general public.

Thanks for your input!


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
The Piper Cub Forum www.pipercubforum.com
Viva Bush! blog www.vivabush.org

"Kevin Brooks" wrote in message
...

"Jim Doyle" wrote in message
...

"Cub Driver" wrote in message
...

If you were going to name a couple of the greatest writers about
military aviation, who would they be?

I want personal recollections, not history. I'd like names that large
numbers of people would recognize.

For personal recollections: 'Chickenhawk' by Robert Mason is
awe-inspiring.

It's about his year as a Heuy pilot in Vietnam ('66 I think) - don't
know
if
I'd classify him as one of the great writers, but it's very well
written.
If
you like the perfect balance between the historical and human sides of
military aviation/warfare it'll be the right book for you.

My own recollection of that book, now grown hazy by the march of time, was
that it seemed to be more of a tome of excuses..."How I Ended Up Getting
Snagged for Smuggling Illegal Narcotics, and Why My Vietnam Experience Was
To Blame..." would have been a good second title. My brother was a Huey
pilot in that same war, and he did not hold that particular book in great
regard.

Brooks


It seemed to me very honest and frank which is why it struck a chord, but
obviously I wasn't there so can't say whether it is a fair representation.
Was it Mason blaming Vietnam for his subsequent troubles, or the account of
his time in Vietnam that your brother didn't like?

Jim