Good military/aviation books

[Milchstrasse]

Not a combat/aviation book, but I think it fits here all the same.

Between Silk and Cynaide - A Code Maker's War 1941-1945 by Leo Marks

It's written by a rather young officer working inside Britian's code section that received, decrypted/encrypted, and sent important messages to men and women operating clandestinely in Nazi occupied parts of Europe. It's a bit of a long book, but it's a good read and well written.

If you're into clandestine operations, you'll enjoy it.

[Tone deaf]

Free kindle book, not sure for how long.

Savage Sky: Life and Death on a Bomber over Germany in 1944

https://www.amazon.com/Savage-Sky-Stackpole-Military-ebook/dp/B001U898LS/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

[ATIS]

That's the second recommendation I've heard in as many days. A German guy I flew with yesterday insisted I read this. Said it was amazing. Top of my list.

I'm reading it now, about 3/4 finished. Should be required reading for all.

[Rokke]

I'm reading it now, about 3/4 finished. Should be required reading for all.

Read it a few weeks ago. Absolutely excellent, giving perspective of the flying cultures on both sides of the war from beginning to end. Great flying stories and lessons on good and bad leadership.

On a related note, I am currently reading Fighting the Flying Circus, by Eddie Rickenbacker. I know it has been around for a while, but it is another good read with great flying stories and lessons in leadership.

[chem_teacher_flies85]

Anybody read 'Hill 488' by Ray Hildreth? I couldn't put it down and knocked it out in 4 days. First hand account of soldiers turning a no-win situation, into a survivable one through absolute courageous determination. Any other Vietnam suggestions? Thank you

[KState_Poke22]

Anybody read 'Hill 488' by Ray Hildreth? I couldn't put it down and knocked it out in 4 days. First hand account of soldiers turning a no-win situation, into a survivable one through absolute courageous determination. Any other Vietnam suggestions? Thank you

"We Were Soldiers Once...and Young" isa good one if you haven't read it. The movie is pretty good but the book is amazing.

[Guest LumberjackAxe]

"Wind, Sand, and Stars," by Antoine de Saint-Exupery (https://www.amazon.com/books/dp/0156027496) is a phenomenal read, and I think should be required reading for young twenty somethings. It is a philosophy book, but it revolves around his experiences flying the airmail routes in Africa and South America, and include a bunch of horror and survival stories.

But what I thought was most interesting was his disdain towards the muslims in the deserts of Africa. Even back then, they knew not to get caught by them if they went down in the desert; if they were, they were beheaded for being infidels.

And he spends a whole chapter about the queep from back then. There are a lot of parallels between the then and today with regards to flying and bullsh!t nonsense pilots have to put up with.

[Warrior]

Anyone read this one: "American Trophies: How American POWs Were Surrendered to North Korea, China, and Russia by Washington’s ‘Cynical Attitude"?

https://freebeacon.com/forgotten-war-forgotten-soldiers/

[Spur38]

In light of COL Bud Day's passing: "American Patriot" by Robert Coram, same guy who wrote "Boyd" is a must read! We owe it to him!

[brickhistory]

"Battle Ready" by Mark Donald.

Guy enlists in the Marines, becomes Force Recon, decides to be a medic, switches to Navy, becomes a SEAL, then decides to become a PA in the Navy, stays with special ops.

Suffers from PTSD. Who'da thought...

[CDAWG]

Has anyone read any books that are about or from the Nav/EWO side of the story. I enjoy books about all aspects of aircrew but can't remember running across any that cover this aspect.

[brickhistory]

Has anyone read any books that are about or from the Nav/EWO side of the story. I enjoy books about all aspects of aircrew but can't remember running across any that cover this aspect.

"We were Crewdogs" I-V

"Riding Rockets" mainly about his time as a Shuttle mission crew, but some about his RF-4C backseat time

"MAGNUM! The Wild Weasels in Desert Storm" has stories from both front and back seaters - note: I wrote this so mods can delete if too self-promoting

There are more; will edit/add as I remember them

[Breckey]

Flying from the Black Hole: The B-52 Navigator-Bombardiers of Vietnam

[JarheadBoom]

Any other Vietnam suggestions? Thank you

As noted here a couple times... Matterhorn, by Karl Marlantes. Technically fiction, but the author states it's pretty much a first-hand account of his Vietnam experiences.

One I'm a little hesitant to recommend is Sympathy For The Devil by Kent Anderson. Again, technically fiction, but supposed to be based on the author's Vietnam experiences as a Green Beret. Hopefully it's loosely based on those experiences; if you read it and make it through the ending, you'll understand both my "loosely based" hopes and my hesitation to recommend.

[Who?]

Has anyone read any books that are about or from the Nav/EWO side of the story. I enjoy books about all aspects of aircrew but can't remember running across any that cover this aspect.

"On Celestial Wings" by Edgar Whitcomb is another one, about the first class to graduate Army Air Corps Navigational School in 1940 and what happened to them in the war.

[brickhistory]

"Night Fighter" by C.F. Rawnsley and Bob Wright.

Rawnsley was the R/O, radio (for radar) observer (nav) to John Cunningham, a high scoring RAF night fighter ace in WWII, later test pilot for de Havilland. Often spoke to SOS and ACSC classes before he died.

Fantastic description of how being a pioneering WSO/nav worked as well as bringing radar into aerial warfighting. Have read these so many times through the years. And he writes in a (Brit) crew dog sort of way that keeps the reader interested in what could be a boring radar 101 briefing, as well as excellent combat narrative.

Started me on my illogical fascination on the topic.

[LockheedFix]

Has anyone read any books that are about or from the Nav/EWO side of the story. I enjoy books about all aspects of aircrew but can't remember running across any that cover this aspect.

"What Exactly Is It You Do Again?: C-130 Navigators in OIF"

Note: This is not a real book.

[10percenttruth]

"What Exactly Is It You Do In The AF Again, joe1234?: A novel of personnel intrigue, by Buddy Spike"

Note: This is not a real book.

FIFY

I'd read that

Edited August 3, 2013 by 10percenttruth

[hobbitcid]

"Gold Wings, Blue Sea: A Naval Aviator's Story" by Capt Rosario Rausa USNR.

Great read about an A-1 Skyraider Pilot's career from flight school to retirement. Lots of great anecdotes about flying the US's last radial engine tac air warplane and his follow on career as a TAR in the USNR (TAR is equivalent to AGR in the ANG).

[hobbitcid]

Excellent article on the book "The Great Escaper, the Life and Death of Roger Bushnell - Love, Betrayal, Big X and the Great Escape by Simon Pearson" a biography of Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, the leader of theGreat Escape

From the article the following quotes stand out:

"For all his charisma some found him arrogant, bad-tempered and self-centred."

OK, he was a fighter pilot. What did they expect Dr Phil?

"In the RAF's Fighter Command he could be an intolerant taskmaster to young recruits, one of them describing him as "rather unfriendly."

Wow, "rather unfriendly"... must have been a real douche - actually in the Brit venacular, being rather unfriendly means someone is a real pain in the a**

In his second escape attempt got as far as Prague where he had an affair with "attractive blonde Blazena Zeithammelova, whose family were in the Czech resistance."

Hmmm... I don't remember this being covered in RT at Fairchild. If it had I'd probably have listened better

could be a really good read

https://www.express.c...e-great-escaper

[armoredmoonman]

Yellow Green Beret vol 3 is free right now on Amazon Kindle

[nsplayr]

Shows $5.99 for me. All three volumes have always been free to borrow for Amazon Prime members.

[D_Vezencuando]

"Honored and Betrayed" Richard Secord - interesting narrative of the retired general's path from Vietnam spook to Iran Air Force advisor to Beltway Bandit. Just shy of 400 pages, but worth the read.

[SocialD]

Shows $5.99 for me. All three volumes have always been free to borrow for Amazon Prime members.

Ya it's back to standard price. Picked it up yesterday for free. A good read so far.

[Sketch]

Has anyone read Guardian Angel by SMSgt William Sine? I've been looking for good books pertaining to USAF Pararescue and so far the reviews I've read all highly praise it.