5 comments about To Fly and Fight: Memoirs Of A Triple Ace (Warcraft).

1. As an avid reader of World War Two History. And being a Viet Nam Veteran; I found this book to be a most fascinating history; Of "Not Only the Man"; But his recollections of his life growing up oin Rural California in the 1930's & 1940's. His enlistment in the Army Air Corp; And his experiences in England during the war. This is "No dry" mundane slow reading military text book. Colonol Anderson, tells of his love for flying and his vivid discriptions of Europe during World War Two; Help the reader to picture what it was like for an average guy; Who has a love for flying and trying his best to stay alive in a extremly hostile environment. He does not dwell on the sadder aspects of war. But trys to explain how he learned to cope with these stressors; And still fullfill his dream of flying. He also go's to great lengths to discuss the other aircraft he had flown. His adventures in P-39's and T-6 Texans. I found his book to be non-judgemental; But very fair to all the persons good and bad that he had come to know in his life. He only briefly discusses his flying career during the Viet Nam Conflict. But then this book was not written with Viet Nam in mind solely. This book is about the man; His love of flying.

   I found this book to enlightning; refreshing; funny; sad; extrordinary; And written with a smooth tempo and hums along like the engine of a P-51 Mustang. The Book and the Man are unseperable. He takes you up in his Mustang with him through his rememberences. And brings you home to the runway just as a good pilot would do today. I would recommend this book to anyone who has not only an intrest in World War Two. But an intrest in a "Great Man" who lived an extrordinary life. Fighting for all of us; Flying for all of us. This man is a "TRUE"; American Hero.




2. I found "To Fly and Fight" to be an excellent biography of man who grew up with an intense love of flying, and who fulfilled his dreams. The book chronicles his growing up in the rural foothills of Northern California, and his growing love of flying. It gives a very personal accounts of his early days days with the Army Air Corps from training to activation in England. I enjoyed the accounts of his early friendships and escapades.

   The descriptions and events as a P-51 pilot flying in the ETO are first rate. The first chapter grabs hold of you and doesn't let go with his account of a high altitude duel with an ME-109. It is a classic. He describes many of his combat missions and describes his growing friendship with Chuck Yeager. The story of his final mission with Yeager is priceless.

   The book also includes some revealing sections about his tedious days as a recruiter and several stints with the Pentagon to heady days as a Test Pilot at Wright Field and later at Edwards. He also gives us some excellent insights into his days as a Squadron Leader flying F-86's in Korea and a Wing Commander flying F-105's from Okinawa and Thailand during the Vietnam Conflict.

   I had the opportunity recently to meet Col. Anderson and his lovely wife Ellie. We spent several hours together discussing his flying days. It was a real priviledge. He is truly a humble man but has that touch of steel of man who has lived through a lot. He is still a hearty and it's great to think of him still tearing up the skies at Air Shows flying the Old Crow along side Chuck Yeager.

   I highly recommend "To Fly and Fight" to all WWII aviation enthusiasts.

   ...




3. Although this book has a different feel to it than the book to which it will invariably be compared, namely Chuck Yeager's "YEAGER" autobiography, I must say it stands on its own feet without any apologies. In this book, Anderson details a life full of accomplishments and adventure.

   The chapters that focus on his World War II exploits are clearly the most interesting, although his post-war adventures (including missions in Vietnam) were entertaining in their own right. My only complaint is that he did not write more about this period of his life. It seemed that Yeager's book was a bit more balanced in that he covered his career from beginning to end with an even hand. Anderson (or his publisher) chose not to do so, and that is unfortunate, for I am sure there is much to be learned from this period of his remarkable life.

   Despite these minor shortcomings, this one is definitely worth a look. The beginning may be slow to some, but keep going. It is well worth it.




4. This is a well-written memoir which covers a great deal of World War Two combat flying and ranks among the best books on that theatre of war that I've read -- and believe me, I've read an awful lot of them. The writing style is simple yet evocative and we quickly move from the author's training days to the moment when he first meets an enemy plane in combat. What I particularly appreciated about the book was the focus on Anderson's family and the stresses they suffered and the continual reference to the brutality of war and the number of the author's flying colleagues who died. The World War Two reminiscences end about two-thirds of the way through the book and then we have to wade through perhaps too much about his post-war experiences as a test pilot, a desk-bound bureaucrat and then a commander in the Vietnam war. But do buy the book for the World Wat Two material alone, which is excellent.



5. When I first bought "To Fly and Fight", I expected a book mainly about World War II aviation. Instead, there was much more. Colonel Anderson has a great amount of experience in many aircraft since World War II, as well flying F-105s as the 355 TFW commander at Takhli RTAFB in Thailand in 1970. If you are a military aviation buff, this book is a must

2 comments about Born to Fly...the Hump: A WWII Memoir.

1. Born to Fly the Hump is an account of one pilot's experiences during the Allies attempt to supply the Chinese in their fight against the Japanese in World War 11. Severe thunder, lightning, hail and ice storms added to the day to day drama played out

   during the author's 96 missions over the "hump" [Himalaya Mountains]. Recommended reading to gain a more accurate insight into what many of our young men went througfh to preserve our freedom.




2. Born To Fly The Hump is an account of one pilot's experiences in the Allies attempt to supply the Chinese during World War11. The reader lives the day to day drama of taking off, flying, and landing through the author's 96 missions over the Hump {the Himalaya mountains}. Thunder,lightning, hail,ice,and other forces of nature adding to the tense drama facing these pilots on a daily basis. Recommended reading for a better appreciation of what many young men lived through so that our freedom could be preserved.

2 comments about All the Factors of Victory: Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves and the Origins of Carrier Airpower.

1. Admiral Reeves might at first seem an unlikely candidate to be considered the father of Naval Aviation. In 1890, when he entered the Naval Academy, the ships of the Navy were just completing the transiton to steel and coal begun in Civil war days. The airplane hadn't been invented. This was the beginning of the big-gun Navy that was to rule the thinking of the Admirals until Pearl Harbor.
   
   In time, Reeves advanced through the Navy ranks and in 1921 passed the Navy's 'Aircraft Observer' course to qualify him to lead aviators. He later commanded the 'air group' on America's first carrier, the 'Langley.' Here he increased the complement of aircraft from the original 8 to a staggering 14. When the new carriers, 'Lexington' and 'Saratoga' were completed, Admiral Reeves lead them in the famous 'raid' on the Panama Canal locks. He pioneered the tactics and philosophies that were to befollowed by his successors during World War II.
   
   Admiral Reeves is little known. He was not a writer, and left no books behind to crystalize his thinking. What he left behind was a Navy in better condition to fight World War II.



2. Thomas Wildenberg has done an invaluable service to U.S. naval history, and to the memory of an astonishing admiral by reconstructing the life and contributions of Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves.
   
   Reeves story is one of those true stories that is in many ways stranger than fiction. Seemingly at every significant point and involved with every significant development in the U.S. Navy (with a few notable exceptions) from the Spanish-American War to the verge of World War II, Admiral Reeves' contributions have shocking breadth.
   
   Reeves deserves much of the credit for the USS Oregon's remarkable machinery performance in rounding South America, and then in chasing down Cervera's cruisers in battle. His talent for mechanical engineering contributed to the revolution in American fire control after that war. He served as fleet ordnance officer twice, in a comparatively junior rank. He became a torpedo expert. He helped automate much of the back-breaking process of coaling. He commissioned the turbo-electric testbed collier Jupiter (a ship he would be associated with again under stranger circumstances). He commanded no less than three battleships (venerable Oregon, the second USS Maine, and dreadnought North Dakota) then went on to be the naval attache in Rome. Later he attended the Naval War College, where he proved a deadly tactician on the game floor.
   
   All of this would have made a full career and marked him for flag rank, but then Reeves did yet another remarkable thing: he volunteered for aviation duty. Taking control of the aviation squadrons of the fleet and the first U.S. carrier, the Langley (the collier Jupiter, after conversion), Reeves relentlessly expanded the envelope of what the ship, the planes, and the pilots were able to do. Remarkably, this was often over the protests of the supposedly forward-thinking original aviators. Reeves then served as the aviation expert on the delegation to the abortive 1927 Naval Arms Limitation talks in Geneva. Placed in charge of carrier aviation again as the big carriers Lexington and Saratoga entered the fleet, Reeves pioneered the operations of independent carrier task forces and launched a stunning raid on the Panama Canal that presaged later uses of carrier air power. Another author once noted that no other man contributed so much to the development of carrier air power in the Navy as Reeves, and Wildenberg proves that statement correct. Reeves formulated and provoked his men to answer the "Thousand and One Questions" necessary to achieve the feat.
   
   For many officers, those achievements alone would have made a career, and Reeves seemed headed for twilight on the General Board, where he again made valuable contributions before being tapped as the commander of the Battle Force, the Navy's prestigious core of battleships, and subsequently the highest operational command: Commander-In-Chief of the U.S. Fleet. In these roles his watchword was readiness, specifically for war, and he greatly advanced Navy preparedness, trimmed excess paperwork and implemented realistic exercises. He also exposed the unrealistic strategy for moving directly to the Philippines as logistically impossible, while simultaneously doing much to advance mobilization and logistics planning for war. He retired with the utmost prestige and the admiration of all but a tiny clique of jealous fellow admirals after 46 years, only to be called out of retirement by Roosevelt to run Lend-Lease, and serve on the Roberts Commission investigating Pearl Harbor.
   
   Reeves' only recorded failure appears to be his marriage, but little is known of this sad story due to the lack of letters to illustrate it. He did, however, have two fine sons, one of whom sadly died as an Army aviator in a crash.
   
   Much credit is due the author for pulling so much from truly minimal sources. Regretably, Admiral Reeves was not much given to writing and instead a great speaker, as Wildenberg shows. Reeves reticence with the written word sadly leaves tantalizing gaps in the record. Wildenberg perceptively, intelligently and cautiously speculates where appropriate, while clearly informing the reader that he is doing so.
   
   A resounding "well done" to the author for informing me of a man who has now joined my pantheon of naval heroes.

2 comments about Pompey the Great: A Political Biography (Blackwell Ancient Lives).

1. The story of the rise and fall of Pompey is the story of the fall of the Roman Republic and its eventual rebirth as an Imperial empire. Both coincide with each other with ones gains coming at the expense of the other. However, Pompey did not initiate the events that began the Republics downward spiral. Rather he helped hasten them to their inevitable conclusion. And so begins Robin Seager's historical biography on Pompey.
   
   Seager begins first at the events that set in motion the decline of the Republic and the rise of Pompey (and others sharing the same limitless ambitions) by discussing the popular reforms attempted by the Gracchi brothers to return land to the landless. Over the years, war service and an influx of slaves through military conquests had led to many Romans losing their farm lands and losing the ability to work in the agricultural sector. On top of this, once Romans lost their land, they no longer qualified for military service and thus the state lost a soldier. The reforms attempted to correct this reality by providing recently conquered land to the landless. The Senate, greatly opposing this as it would affect them financially, ensured that the reforms failed. This event marked the growing conflict between the Senate and the Tribunes (who directly represented the peoples interest, theoretically) over control of the Republic. An event that sparked bitter rivalries between equites (a sort of merchant class who were wealthy but until recently stayed out of politics) who demanded recognition and respect from the Senate and the aristocrats who believed it was their innate right to govern through exclusion.
   
   Seager continues to set the stage for Pompey's entrance by discussing his father (Pompeius Strabo) and Sulla, both of whom had strong influences on Pompey. They reinforced the value of loyal troops and the value of maintaining multiple connections in the Senate, something Pompey would never forget (although he wasn't very skilful in the latter leading to problems later on). Over time, as Pompey built a reputation for himself, he won numerous accolades from the Senate on his victories in Spain, his successful war against the Mediterranean pirates and his accomplishments in the East against Mithradates. He also shrewdly took credit for the defeat of Spartacus even though he arrived too late for the final battle. With these victories he expected to be no less then worshipped by the people and the Senate. However, the reality proved different. Being humiliated and shunned, as the Senate wanted to ensure Pompey understood his rightful place in the Republic's hierarchy (he was from a relatively young wealthy family and thus did not have the long-established family history other Senators had); Pompey allied himself with another brash rising star, Caesar. All these events, as Seager discussed, amplified the decay of the Republic's core foundations. Rather then upholding the Republics values (regardless of how suspect and imaginative they were), these men began placing their importance and prestige first. With this change in focus, it would only be a matter of time when the Republic would be torn apart into rival factions vying for its crown. Seager brilliantly brings all these events to light. He covers every step of the deterioration through the life of Pompey who had an integral part in ushering in this new era. From his first salute to Sulla as imperator to his final stand in Greece, Seager, in a comprehensive narrative, outlines Pompey's many decisions, the reasoning behind them and their eventual consequences to himself and the Republic.
   
   Although I strongly recommend this book (6 stars if it existed), a prospective reader needs to keep a few things in mind before purchasing this book. The books, at-many-times, excessive details does have its failings mainly being that the book can at times drag on. Add in Seager's obsession with including every Consul's name (many which are similar to others via familial relationships) and you can easily have one chaotic and confusing mess. I should know as I threw down this book in frustration on my first attempt at a read-through. This book needs to be read careful paying attention to the fine detail Seager adds in as most of it ties into later parts of his book. Doing this rewards the reader with an essential and absorbing look at the later Republics political life with all its rewards and treachery. As well, Seager's primary focus is on Pompey's political achievements and failures with a nod towards his campaigns, hence the books subtitle: A Political Biography. As you can probably tell at this point, this is a scholarly work with its main focus being on providing and critiquing information and sources rather then providing a quick and exciting narrative (see Tom Holland's excellent book, Rubicon: the Last Years of the Roman Republic for that).
   
   If one wants a simple narrative of Pompey's actual military campaigns, this book is not the source. If one however wants a better understanding of all the characters directly involved in the downfall of the Republic including its main protagonists, Pompey, then I strongly recommend this book. Thank you Mr. Seager for providing us with an exceptional work. If you do end up liking this book, I would strongly recommend Seager's other work, Tiberius, as well.



2. Seager's Pompey is an excellent book that is a necessity for anyone wanting to fully understand the political career of Pompey Magnus. Over the years, countless books have been written on Caesar and the fall of the Republic, and I find it interesting that very few (at least very few in English) book have been written on the life of Pompey.
   Seager's book does a fantastic job of explaining how Pompey was able to rise to power through the use of the army and his military victories. An interesting point that Seager makes about Pompey's rise is that since Pompey skipped many of the offices that most Romans needed to obtain before becoming consul he did not have the political acumen of others in his position. This explanation does much for enlightening the reader as to why Pompey made some decisions (which in hindsight) which damaged his reputation within the Republic.
   Another interesting point that Seager makes in his book is that he believes that Cicero may have exaggerated the threat of Catiline to galvanize the Republic against the return of Pompey. After all Sulla's return from the east was still fresh in many Romans' minds (the proscriptions had effected most of the patrician families in one way or another) and since Pompey had been a lieutenant of Sulla there was speculation that he too would make a grab at supreme power over the Republic.
   Seager has produced a thorough biography of Pompey's life in this book and it should be read by those interested in the complexities of Pompey and the late Roman Republic. However, be aware that Pompey's military exploits are glossed over in this book and Seager's primary focus is on Pompey's political career.

5 comments about The Long Road of War: A Marine's Story of Pacific Combat.

1. In my haste I incorrectly wrote Saipan....I meant to write Peleliu



2. In my haste I incorrectly wrote Saipan....I meant to write Peleliu



3. This was a book that I could absolutely not put down. Mr. Johnston's description of his transition from a Midwest teenager into a battle hardened, front line Marine is told with a grim honesty that is seldom found in books about war. This book does away with any glorification or self-promotion and gives you the tragic, ugly truth about the war in the South Pacific.



4. "The Long Road of War" is a wonderfully-written, highly-emotional story of Marine Corps combat from the "flat-trajectory" soldier's perspective. Johnston shares his own personal horrific views of World War II Pacfic combat. With stirring text, he shows the sudden transformation from Nebraska teenager to Green recruit to hardened veteran. This book is an excellent addition to any historian's bookshelf, once they can find the time to put it down.



5. James Johnston gave a vivid, poignant and heroic account of his life with the Marines fighting in the Pacific during World War II. It was fascinating to read how it life was for the Marines in the Pacific as like he said, the media tended to focus on the European theater and thought of the Pacific theater as "easy."

   Using letters that he wrote home, Johnston managed to add a personal touch to his account. It was interesting to get a glimpse on how he felt emotionally, the friendship that was formed between the soldiers and how a lot of times, soldiers are fighting as hard as they did, for their friends because they did not want to let their them down. When Johnston was the section leader, he was able to show the burden of responsibilities as you were not just in charge of your life but of others too.
   Lastly, how he was disappointed with the Marines. He found flaws with the system but at the same time, it was very much part of him.

5 comments about Heaven and Hell: War Diary of a German Paratrooper.

1. Matin poppel gives some ggod descriptions of where he fought, in particular Crete and the Ostfront. However this book is a compilation of his war diary entries. I found it lacked smoothness in it's reading. For those searching for a good war novel this is not it, I will recommend Gottlob Herbert Biderman's book titled In Deadly Combat or Black Edelweiss by Johan Voss.
   Poppel does give and insight into what it meant to be a Fallschirmjager and how they were often used to hold particular front lines, He did not participate in the legendary battles of Monte Cassino does mention the battles if only briefly. Overall if you like books on Paratroopers then this will suffice.



2. Poppel's book does give some good first hand accounts of combat, but it does have some limitations.

   It seems he did not start keeping a diary until '42 so his experiences up to that point are not very detailed and very general. Which is disappointing since his unit was rushed to the Russian front in December(?) of 1941 to help stop the Soviet's counter attack. Accounts of combat with Red Army soldiers in '41 would have been very informative.

   He also does not fill in periods of the war where he was not in combat. Yes it is not easy to remember events 50 years ago, but it would have been nice to know some general info about where he was staying and what he was doing there. We learn he has a fiancé but nothing as to where they met and so forth.

   I think the worst thing is the translation, it is atrocious. Sometimes I would have to read a sentence two or three times to figure out what was being conveyed. There were a few sentences that I could never figure out, it seems as if they were literally translated from German into English. Also the translator used British slang which make comprehension even harder.

   Having said that I would recommend this book, it is not perfect but parts of it were very interesting and entertaining.




3. This is, as far as I know the only account in the market by a German paratrooper. As such it is an important document.
   What Mr Poppel writes is so obviously heartfelt. He comes out as just about as nice a fellow as they come. As a paratrooper he literally existed between heaven and hell. He is lyrical in his descriptions of the actual parachuting. It is when he tries to describe his combat experience where his language falters. The man is not a writer. And the translation is atrocious.
   The fact is that the only major paratdrop by the Germans was Crete. Mr Poppel just states that the fighting was so horrible that he does not want to write about it. We must respect that decision. It does make it a weaker book though. It is an interesting war memoir. He sees action in Sicily, at the D-Day, and Holland. If you want to read about paratrooper warfare I would not recommend this book.



4. This was a wonderful book to read. It is loaded with all of the details related to the life of a German Fallschirmjager. I highly reccomend this book for anyone interested in the German Fallschirmjager, and or other branches of der Wehrmacht.



5. Martin Pöppel was a paratrooper during World War II and fought in Poland, Holland, Crete, Russia, Sicily, South Italy and Normandy. In this memoirs (wich is atrociously translated in English) he depicts his wartime life without glorious paint and fictious achievements. He admits that he was not a top notch soldier, neither the kind of hero that would earn the coveted medals. Although he began his war adventure with the enthousiasm of a youngster, he soon discovered that the reality was much more brutal and even boring sometimes. The war that Pöppel presents is not that of epic battles and breath taking firefights, but one of endless waiting, countless reconnaisance missions, constant "fog" about the enemy's strenght and condition and many losses due to accidents rather than the enemy fire. If the book has a strong merit, it is its honest realism. The author was not a hero (and it is obvious that he hated the military discipline!) and he did not pretend to be one. Sometimes he managed to save his skin by cunning and by avoiding the action altogehter and at war's end he was the only officer alive in his battalion! He was reprimanded by his superior officers and he talks about them with bitterness. The book is not a marvel of prose, but is recommended for anyone who wants to know how the daily routine of a real soldier was like.

No comments about An Englishman in the Russian Ranks.

No comments about Hard Marching Every Day: The Civil War Letters of Private Wilbur Fisk, 1861-1865 (Modern War Studies).

No comments about Straight and Level: Air Chief Marshal Sir Kenneth 'Bing' Cross, Kcb, Cbe, Dso, Dfc With Professor Vincent Orange.

2 comments about Skivvy Nine.

1. A top notch book. This book take you through the trials and tribulations of a Chief Master Sergeant. It guides you through the political side of being in one of the top Air Force enlisted positions. To the extent possible, it takes you inside an Air Force intelligence unit. A must read for all USAFSS (and sucessors) personnel both current and former.



2. When I was in the USAF Security Service the unit in Korea called Skivvy Nine was legendary. They had a difficult and important mission. At first I thought they were called Skivvy Nine because they had a good softball team (which they did) but the entire squadron was called Skivvy Nine. The book explains how they got the name. When someone came into our unit from Skivvy Nine I was duly impressed. So when I saw this book I had to get it. Reading it made me feel a little bit better about myself because there have been a few occasions when I wondered if I should have reenlisted in the Air Force. Now I'm glad I didn't. It reminded me of all the penny ante B.S. and politics that end up being a part of any military career. It also offers great insight into the life of a Chief Master Sergeant and his responsibilities. I have to admit that when I was in the Air Force I was more impressed by Chiefs than Generals. I seldom saw Generals anyway so I marveled at the Chiefs I would occasionally see. I had heard... 1. That they had been everywhere and seen everything. 2. That officers would often seek their sage advice. 3. That nobody would give them a hard time. In reality it seems the answers to those notions are 1. Pretty much so. 2. Sometimes 3. Oh so wrong. At first I was fascinated reading about the life of the Chief during his one year assignment at Skivvy Nine. But about halfway through it becomes kind of depressing as his new commanding officer comes in and pretty much runs the unit into the ground. From then on its a question of whether Chief Beal will come through it with his stripes and sanity intact. My main complaint is that there are some loose ends and a lack of explaination of the C.O.'s motivation and behavior. There is also no follow up on what happened later on to the main characters involved. Also there is no mention or explaination of the mission of the 6903rd Security Squadron which would have been interesting. After dusting off the old keen, analytical mind it wasn't too hard to determine that T. Wyman Beal is in fact T. Wayne Babb who served at Skivvy Nine in 1987-88. Mr. Babb has written two other books on his various experiences in his Air Force career but had to change the names in Skivvy Nine to protect the guilty.