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Summary: A sociological study of the fighter community in Korea.
Review: A member of the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Basic Reading List, "Officers in Flight Suits" is an interesting study of the fighter-interceptor and fighter-bomber community during the Korean War. John Sherwood is a military historian, but writes the book from the point of view of a sociologist. He compares and constrasts the backgrounds and careers of 12 fighter pilots who saw combat in Korea, including such famous figures as Risner. Sherwood's in-depth documentation throughout the book probably make it a valuable resource for those in academia. The book is also an easy and entertaining read. Not bad for a plane trip or sitting on the beach.
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Summary: Officers in Flight Suits: Excellent Reading
Review: Many authors, such as Robert Futrell and Larry Davis, have written very thorough histories of the air war in Korea, with great detail of dates, missions flown, technical date, etc.,but this is the first book on social and cultural histories of that subject. Unlike World War II, the exploits of fighter pilots in Korea overshadowed the bombing campaigns. This book is an extensive examination of the "flight suit attitude," a combination of cockiness and pride, that has always characterized the fighter pilot. "Officers in Flight Suits" details these pilot`s social background, aviation training, combat effectiveness, and off-duty activities, focusing on eleven living participants (such as Robinson Risner)after Sherwood interviewed approximately fifty flight suit officers. The air war in Korea is best remembered for its legendary air battles between the American F-86 Sabre and the Russian built MiG-15, which Sherwood emphasizes, but he also covers the fighter-bomber pilots involved in air interdiction. I have visited by phone with Mr. Sherwood several times and he is exceptionally knowledgeable and helpful with my hobby of giving programs on the Korean Airwar. This is a great book! If you have an interest in the Korean War and haven`t read this book, buy it now!
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Summary: Very enlightening, and brought back SAD moments of REALITYS.
Review: Personal thoughts while reading "The Story of American Air Force Fighter Pilots",Usually after the Flyboys, We found dead civilians & burnout villages, the CCF (Chinese Communist Forces) would be in conceal bunker,, waiting for us. For the first two years after my return to the states, about every night I would relive some horrible frontline experience in a nightmare. One night, I saw people dressed in white coming out of a cave. They were covered with blood. Some carried what must have been little babies. Then there was the little girl sitting by the side of a road eating grasshoppers that she roasted in a tin can over a fire that had once been her home. There were dead, burned, and decapitated bodies all around her. They were everywhere. I glimpsed in the direction of some of my squad members. They appeared to be indifferent like they saw but didn't see. Occasionally a sniper would aim a shot in our direction, or there would be a long burst from a concealed machine gun somewhere near, at which time we would dive for cover among the dead bodies and commence firing in the direction we suspected the enemy gunner to be concealed. Looking back in the direction that the little girl had been, I saw that she was still sitting there eating the grasshoppers, seemingly undisturbed. There were other small children about, crying as they crawled over dead bodies, searching for their mothers or family members..Then would come the command "Ok Let's go, soldier, let's go!² and I would run to catch up with my squad that was following behind the tanks.. Yes, Wars is Hell & very crude. But if it wasn't for our Air Force many of us Infantry & ground forces wouldn't be alive.. (One of those forgotten warriors, of a forgotten wars) Now,a Pacifist
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