I Always Wanted to Fly: America’s Cold War Airmen - Hardcover

Samuel, Wolfgang W. E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 157806399X ISBN 13: 9781578063994

Publisher: University Press of Mississippi, 2001

Synopsis

Until now, no book has covered all of Cold War air combat in the words of the men who waged it. In I Always Wanted to Fly, retired United States Air Force Colonel Wolfgang W. E. Samuel has gathered first-person memories from heroes of the cockpits and airstrips.

Battling in dogfights when jets were novelties, saving lives in grueling airlifts, or flying dangerous reconnaissance missions deep into Soviet and Chinese airspace, these flyers waged America's longest and most secretively conducted air war.

Many of the pilots Samuel interviewed invoke the same sentiment when asked why they risked their lives in the air--"I always wanted to fly." While young, they were inspired by barnstormers, by World War I fighter legends, by the legendary Charles Lindbergh, and often just by seeing airplanes flying overhead. With the advent of World War II, many of these dreamers found themselves in cockpits soon after high school. Of those who survived World War II, many chose to continue following their dream, flying the Berlin Airlift, stopping the North Korean army during the "forgotten war" in Korea, and fighting in the Vietnam War.

Told in personal narratives and reminiscences, I Always Wanted to Fly renders views from pilots' seats and flight decks during every air combat flashpoint from 1945--1968. Drawn from long exposure to the immense stress of warfare, the stories these warriors share are both heroic and historic.

The author, a veteran of many secret reconnaissance missions, evokes individuals and scenes with authority and grace. He provides clear, concise historical context for each airman's memories. In I Always Wanted to Fly he has produced both a thrilling and inspirational acknowledgment of personal heroism and a valuable addition to our documentation of the Cold War.

About this title

Book Description

Pilots and crewmen remembering the Berlin Airlift, Korea, Vietnam, and secret flights over the Soviet Union

From the Author

I Always Wanted to Fly is on the 2013 Air Force Chief of Staff's reading list.

About this edition

• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 157806399X
• ISBN 13: 9781578063994
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 363