A riveting account of a modern fighter squadron at war and the exploits; triumphs; and traumas of its pilots.The Black Aces. Their courage; ferocity; and instincts made them legendary in military aviation. Flying F-14 Tomcats; they played as much a part in recent US operations in Kosovo as did any air squadron in the theater; air force or navy; and probably more. Because of its superior performance; sophisticated equipment and the two-man crews who took it upon themselves to do something extra; the Tomcat and its aviators distinguished themselves over and over.Forced to locate Serb fighters operating covertly in a mountainous land much like Afghanistan; with almost no help from ground spotters; VF-41 pilots and backseaters spearheaded new methods for the navy to pinpoint; identify; and destroy enemy troops and weapons. These were tasks that fighter crews had seldom had to do before. The Aces had to break rules and frequently go in harms way in order to be successful. And they performed so well that for the first time in aviation history; a fighter squadron - theirs - was awarded The Wade McClusky Trophy; the navy's premier bombing honor. The award; named for a World War II dive bomber pilot and post-WorldWar II admiral; had been won previously only by bombing squadrons.Robert Wilcox spent two weeks with The Black Aces aboard the aircraft carrier; USS Roosevelt and here provides a long-awaited; never-before-seen glimpse into the world of a modern navy fighter squadron. Wilcox takes readers into the cockpits as the pilots go out and attack targets while avoiding anti-aircraft weaponry. He takes us into the war room as they plan their strikes and into their cabins as they contemplate the danger they are facing. And the reader can't help but worry for these men as they head off into battle; can't help sitting on the edge of the seat as they try to land at night; in a rainstorm; with waves crashing against the ship; and can't help ducking with them as they dodge missile attacks. And in the end; it is impossible not to feel for these aviators as they question their own courage; or to cheer for them when they finally return safely.i3797Black Aces High is a story of fear and courage; mishap and success; fighting spirit and military innovation. It's a human story that goes behind the smiling; sunglass-wearing facade of aviators flashing a "V"; the sterile; slow motion target video that has become a staple of Pentagon briefings; and the rock 'n' roll cowboy image of fighter crews seen in themovies. Instead; it is a story that shows who these aviators really are and what they do beyond what we know; a story which probably will be repeated again and again as our carriers continue to be deployed in the new; 21 century war our nation is fighting.
#3177349 in Books 2000-12-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .93 x 7.90 x 10.06l; #File Name: 0312183682629 pages
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Enjoyed reading itBy SevenZeroSixEven though this was purchased for school; the book is well written with lots of pictures and information. Even if you were to purchase it for the historical content; you would find that it is informative and an interesting read none the less.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. History book that takes you on a journeyBy Glenn A. CarletonI read a little each night; and feel she is taking me on a journey that has continuity. Pictures and maps add great value. One of my favorite history books; I have learned a great deal; compliments other history reading I do. I intend to read it again; expect to have a solid framework from a West perspective.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Good review bookBy Power Ball PythonsI bought this to study for the Western Civilization II CLEP test. It was well worth it. It's somewhat compact but covers a lot detail of what I needed to know on the test. Also; not nearly as dry as some other history text books. It included lots of pictures and maps and little side paragraphs to help you get an idea of the how the current event you were reading about related to the other things going on in the world at the time. I learned a lot from this book; and also the previous book covering earlier history in Volume I. One other neat thing is that they have a link to a website where you can study this material and take chapter tests.
