Hornets over Kuwait - Hardcover

Stout, Jay A.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1557508356 ISBN 13: 9781557508355

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 1997

Synopsis

Already a classic, this book is the brash, unbridled and politically incorrect account of a Marine fighter pilot's actions during Operation DESERT STORM. Impetuosity aside, Stout's account reads real and has stood up to challenges from within and outside the Marine Corps. 

In this, his first book, Stout provides plenty of action and accurately describes tactics and combat actions that were typical for the short, sharp war that drove Saddam from Kuwait. At the same time he paints a self-effacing picture of his own performance, a factor that makes this work that much more credible and readable. A "must read" for anyone interested in air combat.

About this title

About the Author

Award-winning author Jay A. Stout is a retired Marine Corps fighter pilot. An Indiana native and graduate of Purdue University, he was commissioned during June 1981 and was designated a naval aviator on 13 May 1983. His first fleet assignment was to F-4S Phantoms at MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina. Following a stint as an instructor pilot at NAS Chase Field Texas from 1986 to 1989, he transitioned to the F/A-18 Hornet. He flew the Hornet from bases on both coasts and ultimately retired from MCAS Miramar during 2001.

Aside from his flying assignments, he served as the executive officer of 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, and in a variety of additional assignments with various staffs around the world. During his twenty-year career he flew more than 4,500 flight hours, including 37 combat missions during Operation DESERT STORM.

Following his military career Stout worked for a very short time as an airline pilot before being furloughed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He subsequently flew for the Kuwait Air Force for a year before returning to the States where he now works for as a senior analyst for a leading defense contractor.

Lieutenant Colonel Stout's writing has been read on the floor of the U.S. Senate and has been published in various professional journals and newspapers around the nation. Works published while he was on active duty addressed controversial topics (women in the military, the MV-22 Osprey, effectiveness of the AV-8B Harrier, etc.) and took viewpoints that were often at odds with senior military leadership. Nevertheless, his cogent arguments and forthrightness contributed considerably to his credibility. Indeed, his expertise as a tactical aviator is recognized by Fox's national news network, which has hosted him twice as a combat aviation expert.


Hornets over Kuwait is the first of many books written by Stout.

Review

Review"Written in the brusque langauage of youth, this wartime memoir is the first in-depth look at the F/A-18 Hornet at war...it should be read by everyone with an interest in Naval Aviation in the Gulf war." --Naval Aviation News

"Jay Stout's book should be indispensable to all students of military aviation.  As an informal self-portrait of a fighter pilot at war, it is vivid, truthful and often very funny.  I can recommend it without reservation." --Combatsim

Review""The book examines the high-tech nature of modern fighter aircraft, but it's also infused with the cockiness and ribald humor of a young pilot." --The Indianapolis Star

"A no-holds-barred viewpoint of some "sacred" topics, like women in the military, leadership and military tactics intertwined with tales of homesickness...and discussions of aviation maneuvers over Iraq." --The Corridor News

Edition details

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 1557508356
• ISBN 13: 9781557508355
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 244