Once They Were Eagles: The Men of the Black Sheep Squadron
For 84 days during World War II Marine Fighting Squadron 214 ranged over the South Pacific led by a hard-drinking but gifted pilot and tactician named Gregg "Pappy" Boyington. The "Black Sheep," though well known at the time, have received only scant mention in military history (there was a highly fictional TV series in the 1970s). Walton was the 214's intelligence officer, knew all the principals personally, and recently contacted or interviewed the surviving 34 (out of 5l); vignettes of these make up the second half of the work. The first half, a unit history, is rather sketchy and anecdotal but vividly re-creates conditions under which the South Pacific war was fought; Walton's personal recollections and documents (in appendixes) are welcome. An enjoyable book, long overdue for World War II aviation buffs. Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.