Piloto: Migrant Worker to Jet Pilot - Softcover

Cervantes, Henry

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1555716288 ISBN 13: 9781555716288

Publisher: Hellgate Pr, 2003

Synopsis

PILOTO tells the story of Hank Cervantes, son of migrant field workers, who rose above the poverty and hardship of Central California's sweltering farm fields to become one of only a handful of Mexican-American pilots in the annals of the United States Air Force. His trials and triumphs as an anomaly in the tight fraternity of Caucasian pilots follow the Air Force's transformation from the B-17 battle wagons of WWII to the Strategic Air command's supersonic B-58 Hustler. Provocative, witty, and intensely personal, PILOTO offers a fascinating portrait of a pioneer who helped pave the way for today's Latino men and women pilots--and for all those who will fly into the future.

About this title

About the Author

Henry "Hank" Cervantes was born to a family of migrant workers during the height of the Depression. Through his intelligence and determination, and a teacher who saw something special in him, he was able to graduate high school and eventually qualify for pilot training in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. After serving as a B-17 pilot (one of only a handful of Mexican-Americans to do so) with the 100th Bomb Group in Europe from 1943-45, Hank returned to the States and pursued a military career that eventually earned him the rank of Lt. Col. and the position of Project Manager for the Strategic Air Command's B-58 Hustler, the world's first supersonic jet bomber. After retiring from the Air Force in 1965, Hank continued to stay active in the aviation field, writing technical manuals for Northrop and working for the Defense Department. He has served as a staff advisor to Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley and continues to head personnel boards for the city. In his spare time, Hank is a USA Track & Field official, works with the California Special Olympics, gives motivational talks to schools, and is an avid downhill skier.

Review

An important book ... it shows that anything is possible if you have the will to work for it ... recommend highly. -- Col. Walter J. Boyne, USAF (Ret.) - Author, Historian and former Director of the National Air & Space Museum

Edition details

• Publisher: Hellgate Pr
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1555716288
• ISBN 13: 9781555716288
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Edition number: 2
• Number of pages: 263