ROGER BALL!: THE ODYSSEY OF JOHN MONROE "HAWK" SMITH NAVY FIGHTER PILOT - Softcover

Auten, Donald E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1605280054 ISBN 13: 9781605280059

Publisher: iUniverse, 2008

Synopsis

Roger Ball! is a magnificent read about a great and distinguished life well lived. John Monroe Smith is a living legend in Naval aviation: an all-American boy living his dream, a dream of becoming the best fighter pilot and carrier aviator in the Navy. He succeeded in being the best in a way that only one with unbridled passion, fierce commitment, boundless energy, unconditional dedication and relentless resolve can experience.-Ed Allen, Rear Admiral, USN (Retired)In the wake of the hard lessons of the Vietnam War, a pantheon of committed naval aviators struggled valiantly to modernize fighter aircraft and overhaul tactics. It was a seemingly titanic task marked by political intrigue, doctrinal apoplexy, and sadly, petty politics.This is the personal story of one of those naval aviators, Captain John Monroe "Hawk" Smith. It chronicles his growth as a naval officer, his seasoning as a fighter pilot, and his hardening as a commanding officer. It tells of the raw courage of naval aviators and captures the visceral loyalty, unswerving commitment, and the unsinkable camaraderie that is the brotherhood of naval aviation.Roger Ball! is a seven-g, heart-in-the-throat story of the very unforgiving profession of naval aviation.

About this title

From the Publisher:

"Roger Ball!" straps the reader to a high-G odyssey and catapults him into the life of John Monroe "Hawk" Smith—Navy fighter pilot. It captures the adventures and hardships of deployment, the pressures of command, and the unforgiving and very lethal nature of tactical flying.

"Roger Ball! heralds the disciples of fighter doctrine, the inauguration of TOPGUN, and articulates the monumental success it had in resurrecting the Navy’s air dominance during the Vietnam War. "Roger Ball!" traces the selfless sacrifices of Hawk and other key fighter crews in developing the world’s deadliest fighter—the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. Finally, it captures the spirit, the commitment, and personal sacrifices of the men and women of naval aviation.

"Roger Ball!" is a highly personal story of an extraordinary fighter pilot set during one of the most tumultuous times in naval fighter aviation. All those who also have been there and all those who have a desire to understand life as a Navy fighter pilot will savor the telling of Hawk’s story.

From the Author:

This work reflects the efforts of numerous people who improved the technical accuracy, the historical fidelity, and offered small clusters of important personal recollections that could not be found in official documents or historical records. For their efforts in breathing life into "Roger Ball!" I wish to thank the following individuals: Admiral Leighton W. Smith, USN (Retired); Vice Admiral Michael T. Bucchi, USN (Retired); Rear Admiral John R. Wilson, Jr., USN (Retired); Rear Admiral Paul T. Gillcrist, USN (Retired); Rear Admiral Jay A. Campbell, USN (Retired); Captain Ronald E. McKeown, USN (Retired); Captain Clinton L. Smith, USN (Retired); Commander Richard K. Pottratz, USN (Retired); Commander Katherine S. Auten, USNR (Retired); Commander Joseph H. Zahalka, USN (Retired); Commander Richard A. Redditt, USN (Retired); Colonel Earl Young, USA (Retired); Commander Joseph F. Satrapa, USN (Retired); Commander Jeremy Gillespie, USN; Major Chris Guarnieri, US! MC; Mr. John Sherwood (Naval Historian); Senior Chief Robert L. Lawson, PHCS (AC), USN (Retired); Sergeant Alan J. Weiss, USAF (Retired); Technical Sergeant Yancy Mailes, USAF; Mr. Mark Evans (Naval Historian); Mr. Robert Young (Naval Historian). Finally, but most importantly, I also wish to thank the person who, more than any, gave me criticism, enthusiasm, and a steady wind over the deck: Colonel John Grider Miller, USMC, (Retired).

John Monroe "Hawk" Smith will never be a household name, but I hope this work paints a portrait of a U.S. military officer, like thousands serving America today, who was willing to work and struggle, often at great personal risk, for those principals, people, and institutions he held dear.

If "Roger Ball!" is enlightening, these men and women helped make it that way. If it is poignant, I have successfully told Hawk’s story.

About this edition

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1605280054
• ISBN 13: 9781605280059
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 484