TOP STICK: With Some Help From A Guardian Angel

A saga of a young American boy, reared in the U. S. heartland during the hard years of the 1930s. He was in his prime for entry into World War II, which just happened to coincide with his dream and vision of becoming an Army Air Force pilot.His goal of winning silver wings was fulfilled, but his longing to fly in the war as a fighter pilot faded, as his career assignment made an abrupt change of direction. He slowly learned that his assignment of 'flights to everywhere' could be very interesting and rewarding.This is not a wide-ranging memoir, but a story with considerable distinction and information about the World War II period that may be new and surprising to many readers. Fasten your seat belts and delve into this fine story, told just the way it was, by this most lucky young man.

Harold A Jacobs is a retired Air Force Lt Colonel whose entire career was in the field of aviation. Though trained as a single engine pilot in the AAF class of 43-K, he and his entire class were assigned to multi-engine aircraft upon graduation. He first served as an instrument flight instructor, then as a four engine C-54 transport pilot in Casablanca, French Morocco, Cairo, Egypt, Karachi, India, Paris, France, and Rhein-Main Air Base, Frankfurt, Germany. He then flew B-29s and B-50s on long range reconnaissance missions. He also served as a reconnaissance operations officer at Wing and Command Headquarter levels. In 1955 he was honored to serve on the original U.S. Air Force Academy staff at Lowry Air Force Base, Colorado. After 21 years active duty with the USAF he retired from the Air Force and then worked two years as an aircraft accident investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board. The next 15 years were spent as an FAA Air Carrier Operations Inspector (check-pilot) in the B-707s and DC-10s at Northwest Orient Airlines, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His flying experiences were varied and global as he amassed over 15,000 hours of flying time.He and his wife, Madeline, married 51 years, reside in San Diego, California.