Kenny Wayne Fields

Kenny Wayne Fields grew up in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio and was a US Navy jet pilot for 22 years. Now, he is an award winning author and has just recently released his second book, 'Seasons of Triumph'. His first book, 'The Rescue of Streetcar 304'---A Navy Pilot's Forty Hours on the Run in Laos, earned his publisher's "2008 Distinguished Author Award" and his college, Lincoln Memorial University, inducted Kenny into its "Literary Hall of Fame". The story about the dramatic rescue of a Navy combat pilot was so inspirational and drama-filled that it received serious consideration by several producers for a possible movie, but movie theater executives shot it down because it occurred during the Vietnam War. In 2007, the book received a nomination as the best new non-fiction release in North Carolina, and was the number one selling book that year at the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in DC. More info about Kenny and photos of scenes in his book can be viewed at http://www.kennywaynefields.com .

Kenny's most recent book (May 2017), 'Seasons of Triumph', is another inspirational, yet light-hearted memoir about the first 18 years of his life until high school graduation. In novel-like form, the story follows the path of a coal miner's son in his pursuit of stardom on the athletic field and the love of a cheerleader. Kenny attended a one room school for several years and struggled to break free of his mother's tight rein, while pursuing his dream to make the high school sports team and gain a steady girlfriend. He had to leap two hurdles to do so; he was undersized and very shy around girls.

Kenny graduated from Lincoln Memorial University, where he met and married his wife. After graduation in 1962, Kenny entered the Navy's Aviation Officer Candidate program and subsequently earned his commission and "Wings of Gold". During his twenty-two years of naval service, Commander Fields had operational squadron tours in the A-3B Skywarrior, the A-4L Skyhawk and the A-7A Corsair, and also served as a flight instructor in the T-2 Buckeye and the TA-4J. He compiled 3,350 flight hours and 475 carrier landings during his career,and he flew 140 combat missions in the A-7 during the Vietnam War. He also was a certified Navy aircraft accident investigator. Past interests include:fishing, hunting, golf and hiking in the mountains....

After the Navy, Commander Fields was a business entrepreneur and piloted the successful start-up of two small corporate ventures. He and his wife Shirley and special son, Todd, live in Winchester, Virginia.

As a side note, in late 2008 Kenny made a return trip to the remote battle field site in Laos where he was shot down. He walked the same area where he evaded enemy troops for three days and actually found his plane's crash site and brought a few pieces home.

You can read more about Kenny and his books on his website at http://www.kennywaynefields.com.