Mad Rebel... A Youth at War - Hardcover

Oliphint, John H.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0966929403 ISBN 13: 9780966929409

Publisher: Oliphint Publishing, 1998

Synopsis

A true personal account of aerial combat, capture, torture, escape, survival and return to freedom.

About this title

About the Author:

John Houston Oliphint is a Command Fighter Pilot with over 6,000 hours of flying in propeller and jet fighters, helicopters, seaplanes as well as two, four and ten-engine aircraft. He flew combat and was an active covert agent in WWII, Korea, the Cold War and Vietnam. He holds 43 decorations and awards, including the Silver Star, 3 Distinguished Flying Crosses, Air Medals, Bronze Star, Purple Hearts, and many more. He was a Prisoner of War who escaped the Gestapo in World War II and from the Chinese in Korea. Most of his exciting worldwide 28 year military career was in intelligence activities as a covert agent; a communications intelligence officer; an interrogator of Prisoners of War, evaders and escapees; a public relations staff officer and a troubleshooter. He helped establish training programs and was devoted to worldwide covert recovery of downed aircrew members in enemy territory. He helped write and establish Air Forces' Survival Escape and Evasion programs and wrote part of the US Armed Forces Code of Conduct. In between wars, he served as a staff officer in several major commands, one as the Director of Information for worldwide operations.

On Dec. 8, 1941, the day after Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps as a private and became a combat fighter pilot flying P-47 and P-51 fighters, each named "Mad Rebel" by his ground crew. He celebrated his 20th birthday by destroying the first German plane claimed by his unit.

After tangling with a couple of senior officers during covert agent operations while recovering downed crews over the years, he retired from the Air Force in 1968 as a Major. Establishing and managing his own successful construction company for 10 years, he retired again in 1980 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is now extensively involved in church, political, military and social activities, and has a passion for hunting and fishing.

Review:

"...a brutally honest, insightful account of a captured WWII fighter pilot who despite almost fatal injuries refused to die..." -- Steven Oboler, M.D. -- Ex-POW Physician Coordinator, Dept. of Veterans Affairs

"...the most incredible true escape story that I have ever read..." -- Ralph K. Patton, USAF Colonel (ret.) -- Chairman, U.S. Air Forces Escape / Evasion Society

"...the real life and compelling saga of a young American at war with the enemy and with himself..." -- Richard Throckmorton -- National Commander, American Ex-Prisoners of War

About this edition

• Publisher: Oliphint Publishing
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0966929403
• ISBN 13: 9780966929409
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 478