lamo130 Posted January 3, 2010 Posted January 3, 2010 Fellas, don't think anyone has mentioned it, but Gen Looney has a book out, it's called "Exceeding Expectations: Reflections on Leadership." Each chapter starts out with a leadership principle and then a story to go along with it dealing with something that happened during his career. It's an easy read and a very good one.
TreeA10 Posted January 5, 2010 Posted January 5, 2010 "Spitfires, Thunderbolts, and Warm Beer" is about an American in WWII who joins up with the RAF and flies with the RAF, then Eagle Squadrons, and then 8th AF.
Varmint Posted January 9, 2010 Posted January 9, 2010 "Where Men Win Glory" by Jon Krakauer. Very in-depth look at the life and death of Pat Tillman. A must read for any Pat Tillman or Krakauer fan.
Learjetter Posted January 9, 2010 Posted January 9, 2010 Tennozan: The Battle of Okinawa and the Atomic Bomb -George Feifer Outstanding historical account.
WheelsOff Posted January 9, 2010 Posted January 9, 2010 (edited) A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight -Robert Mrazek Awesome historical account of the Naval Air Group's (and specifically torpedo eight's) endeavors in the battles at Midway and Guadalcanal. A hard book to put down. Edited January 9, 2010 by dml02b
TacoJohn Posted March 19, 2010 Posted March 19, 2010 Alone: The Classic Polar Adventure by Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd This is the autobiography of Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Byrd is often associated with early aviation in Antarctica but he also performed a number of research expeditions. Byrd essentially writes about his 5 months in isolation during his second expedition to Antarctica in 1934. Byrd volunteered to operate a remote meteorological research station alone near the south pole. His story is incredible and I believe this to be the greatest solo adventure narrative ever written.
donkey Posted May 7, 2010 Posted May 7, 2010 **REVIVAL** Anyone read anything else good recently? Just found out my campus library has Once An Eagle. Needless to say, I'm excited to check it out. Should be a nice change of pace from my Dynamics textbook...
Guest Lockjaw25 Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 "Flying Blind," by Wing Commander Geoffrey Morley-Mower. Just finished it a few days ago. Covers flying biplanes over Waziristan just before WWII with the RAF. Also goes into some of the author's WWII career, which is apparently detailed in great depth in Messerschmit Roulette, his other book. Not only some great flying stories (and themes and names from the area which still resonate today), but the man's life was amazing. He managed to fly for the RAF with poor vision, hiding it for years, was then medically DQ'd, reinstated, had an exchange tour with the US, and eventually immigrated here and became a professor at JMU. I'm sad he's already passed away, and I'll never get to meet him; seems like quite the character.
brickhistory Posted May 9, 2010 Posted May 9, 2010 "Wings on my Sleeve," by Eric "Winkle" Brown. Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) pilot and famous test pilot. Flew a gazillion different types including many German ones during and immediately after WWII. One included the Me-163, not something for the faint of heart. He did a lot of other firsts - first jet carrier landing, a bizarre experiment the Brits tried with having a rubber flight deck and a jet with no landing gear (how'd that work out?!) The original is kinda old now, but it's in reprint as well.
chaft05 Posted May 10, 2010 Posted May 10, 2010 The best book in chuck town, the MQF Off topic I know, but funny. Back to the good books.
brickhistory Posted May 10, 2010 Posted May 10, 2010 In that case, may I recommend: South Carolina Driver's Manual Bazinga...
TreeA10 Posted May 25, 2010 Posted May 25, 2010 With all the discussion of illegal immigration and the law passed in Arizona, I picked up "Midnight on the Line, The Secret Life of the US-Mexico Border" by Tim Gaynor. It covers a wide gamut of topics. Illegals walking across the border, corruption by US border officials, drug smuggling, tunnels, Border Patrol on horseback, Predator, the Minutemen and terrorists linked to Hezbollah. The scale and scope of the problem is huge. On one end of the spectrum is poor individuals just trying to make a better life for themselves. On the other end is very organized, high tech, smuggling operations complete with advance scouts, decoys, and lots of cash.
bagasticks Posted May 25, 2010 Posted May 25, 2010 Didnt read through all 16 pages (so if they're already mentioned i apologize) but here are some to keep you busy on that 179 to the suck. . .in order of badassedness. . Thunderbolt! -Robert Johnson, 27 kills in the Jug with the Wolfpack, absolute favorite book. . Pak Six - G.I. Basel, -105 driver 1967, CGO perspective on flying hairy combat, awesome short read! Fighter Pilot - Robin Olds - self explanatory. . . .excellent read. Misty - Compilation of short stories from the Hun (FAC'ing it up). 100 Missions North - Ken Bell, -105 driver Phantom Over Vietnam - John Trotti, USMC F4 dude When Thunder Rolled / Palace Cobra - Ed Rasimus, -105's & Phantoms, both good reads Cheating Death - George Marret, Skyraiders & CSAR (read: huge f-ing stones) Chickenhawk - Robert Mason, UH1's Vietnam, read it cover to cover in a few days. . crazy s**t
BigFreddie Posted May 26, 2010 Posted May 26, 2010 I know this one is listed here, but Jimmy Doolittle's book " I could never be so lucky again" was awesome. Great flying stories and just a great read overall. The guy stopped flying on his own accord because he couldn't get enough hours every month to be "good" at it. 10,000 plus hours in the late 40s/early 50s. Just a badass who seemed to always be at the right place at the right time. BF
brickhistory Posted June 13, 2010 Posted June 13, 2010 (edited) I caught a news article where the last known survivor of Stalag Luft III died the other day. It reminded me of some great books about what became known as "The Great Escape." Some books on topic: "The Great Escape," by Paul Brickhill. GREAT read and what the great movie by the same name is based on. 33 Months as a POW in Stalag Luft III," by Albert Clark, a USAAF pilot shot down on his first mission in theater. He was flying with the Brits in a Spitfire. "The Longest Tunnel," by Alan Burgess. Edited June 13, 2010 by brickhistory
Royal Posted June 15, 2010 Posted June 15, 2010 I didn't see it posted yet, but if it has been, it's worth mentioning twice:The Maneuver Warfare Handbook. The information is priceless. Also, On Killing by Lt Col Dave Grossman. An interesting take on the psychological ramifications of combat.
AZwildcat Posted October 26, 2010 Posted October 26, 2010 Just picked up this book from an airport newstand...great read! https://www.anuncagedeagle.com/
B52gator Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Fellas, The book "Unbroken" is a MUST read. The book is about Louis Zamperini, a former Olympian who became a bombardier aboard a B-24. Crashed, spent 45 days floating on a raft in the pacific, and then spent two years of absolue hell in Jap (can I stil say that?) POW camps. I cannot even begin to fathom, what this man went through. Please check it out.
ClearedHot Posted January 2, 2011 Posted January 2, 2011 Just picked up this book from an airport newstand...great read! https://www.anuncagedeagle.com/ [/quote He was signing books in the concourse of the Pentagon the other day and I did not get one...regretting it now.
StoleIt Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer: B-17s over Germany Brian O'Neill Great read!
Vice Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 I'm reading Robin Old's book right now. I'm only into the first three chapters, but I think that it's one of the best things a 20 year old enlisted kid can read. Looks like I'm not the only dude that got busted for underage drinking.
HuggyU2 Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 Fellas, The book "Unbroken" is a MUST read. The book is about Louis Zamperini..., Being an airport bum, I stopped at Torrence-Zamperini Airport back in 2002 while driving thru LA. I'd never heard of Mr Zamperini before. They have a good museum/display dedicated to him. An amazing individual, who has qualities that we should all have. Great airport, too. Spent about 10 hours there... and ended up flying in a 1920-ish TravelAir for about an hour.
Skyclops Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 I knocked out George W's "Decision Points" over the past week. Great read! Nice to see things through his point-of-view and past the distortion of the media. Iraq and Afghan were pretty interesting, but I enjoyed other topics like AIDS and education which I wasn't as familiar with. Cool to see the process it took to reach the decisions he made, as well get a behind-the-scenes look at the oval office. I thought he did a good job of recognizing mistakes he made, what he could've done better, and in general debrief his presidency.
Fud Posted January 3, 2011 Posted January 3, 2011 I'm reading Robin Old's book right now. I'm only into the first three chapters, but I think that it's one of the best things a 20 year old enlisted kid can read. Looks like I'm not the only dude that got busted for underage drinking. Fantastic book! I am reading "Brute" by Robert Coram and it is a fantastic read. 1
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