What do you think?
Rate this book
Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings
When Pearl Harbor was bombed on December 7, 1941, forcing the U.S. to enter WWII, MAC was 23 years old.
He had graduated with honors from high school, served two years in the Merchant Marine, and had a year of college under his belt. During the summer he had graduated from DePaul University's preliminary army air course to become a pilot and graduated as their highest-ranking student. Joining the U.S. Army Air Forces, he was assigned to the newly formed 307th BG and trained to fly the brand-new B-24 Liberator. Like Lou Zamparini–of Unbroken–who was also in the 307th, Mac's plane was shot down in the ocean. It was his first combat mission from Guadalcanal. After a three-week odyssey, he and his surviving crew members were rescued, and he went on to fly 51 more combat missions from his base in the Solomon Islands.
In 1943, the following year, he was brought back to the U.S. to be trained on the even newer B-29 Superfortress. This was the plane designed to carry the atomic bombs. He flew 30 missions in 1945 from Guam dropping incendiaries on Japan. The Japanese finally surrendered just as the wheels of the Superfortress touched down on Mac's 30th mission. The war was over.
After the war, MAC served as director of air training for the 20th Air Force during the Korean War, as air attaché to French Indochina, at NATO prior to the Vietnam War, and as director of war plans for TAC during the Vietnam War. This is his story.
He had graduated with honors from high school, served two years in the Merchant Marine, and had a year of college under his belt. During the summer he had graduated from DePaul University's preliminary army air course to become a pilot and graduated as their highest-ranking student. Joining the U.S. Army Air Forces, he was assigned to the newly formed 307th BG and trained to fly the brand-new B-24 Liberator. Like Lou Zamparini–of Unbroken–who was also in the 307th, Mac's plane was shot down in the ocean. It was his first combat mission from Guadalcanal. After a three-week odyssey, he and his surviving crew members were rescued, and he went on to fly 51 more combat missions from his base in the Solomon Islands.
In 1943, the following year, he was brought back to the U.S. to be trained on the even newer B-29 Superfortress. This was the plane designed to carry the atomic bombs. He flew 30 missions in 1945 from Guam dropping incendiaries on Japan. The Japanese finally surrendered just as the wheels of the Superfortress touched down on Mac's 30th mission. The war was over.
After the war, MAC served as director of air training for the 20th Air Force during the Korean War, as air attaché to French Indochina, at NATO prior to the Vietnam War, and as director of war plans for TAC during the Vietnam War. This is his story.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2023
34 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Sherry Hobbs
4 books13 followersI was born in Los Angeles, California after WWII. My father was who was among the first men trained to fly the new B-24 Liberators and B-29 Superfortresses in the Pacific War had flown 81 combat missions by the time the war ended.
Mac who was now a lieutenant colonel, worked at the pentagon until he was appointed air attache to Indochina. We moved to Saigon, Vietnam in 1955 when I was eight years old and it was a magical time. We visited all over the Far East.
The family moved back to the US when I was ten and my parents divorced. Mother had met a Frenchman in Saigon and the next ten years were chaotic and marked by frequent moves. In 1964, my sister and I joined my father in Paris where he was stationed with NATO). I traveled Europe to my delight.
I met my husband Mike in college where I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology. He went into sales and I, into social work. Later I turned to sales as well and together we moved about the country, had a son and three grandsons and lived in Southern California for twenty-five years.
I have retired to Henderson, Nevada to write and care for Mike who developed early dementia.
Mac who was now a lieutenant colonel, worked at the pentagon until he was appointed air attache to Indochina. We moved to Saigon, Vietnam in 1955 when I was eight years old and it was a magical time. We visited all over the Far East.
The family moved back to the US when I was ten and my parents divorced. Mother had met a Frenchman in Saigon and the next ten years were chaotic and marked by frequent moves. In 1964, my sister and I joined my father in Paris where he was stationed with NATO). I traveled Europe to my delight.
I met my husband Mike in college where I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology. He went into sales and I, into social work. Later I turned to sales as well and together we moved about the country, had a son and three grandsons and lived in Southern California for twenty-five years.
I have retired to Henderson, Nevada to write and care for Mike who developed early dementia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
August 28, 2023
Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings is the biography of Colonel Harold "Mac" G. McNeese written by his daughter Sherry Hobbs. This is an absolute must-read for anyone who is a 20th Century American military history buff. It follows Mac from growing up in the depression years to being one of the first to pilot B-24 and B-29 bombers to his service in the Korean and Viet Nam wars as well. Not only is history presented in an interesting and personal light, it is also the telling of a tale of one man who was a part of it all. Halfway through the book, the book takes a turn toward memoir, as his daughter Sherry Hobbs starts to weave in her own story as the child of a military man as well. The book is made all the more compelling with numerous photos, letters, and even telegrams. A strong five-stars.
August 11, 2023
On the surface, this is your usual, run-of-the-mill biography of an undeniably quite amazing career air-force soldier. But when reading you find it is actually more than that – far more. In fact, the life story of World War Two bomber pilot Colonel Harold McNeese, known to all as Mac, is a relatively very small part of this book, which rather seems to deliver two narratives simultaneously. Whilst the opening chapters and the final third delves more intimately into Mac’s life, the large majority of this book is actually a deep and comprehensive story of World War Two, as it unfolded and played out on both sides of the world, and then the simmering events leading to the Vietnam War after it – and it is outstanding. Sherry has delivered a masterclass in educational history. In fact, Mac, for the lion’s share, is little more than a viewpoint character, who pops into the narrative from time to time, to provide its arc. It’s fair to say that you will learn a great deal more about these major wars than you will about Mac.
That said, his story is a pretty awe-inspiring one, as one of the flood of recruits rushing to fight the Japanese over the Atlantic, following their tripartite pact with Hitler (and Mussolini) and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There is no doubt that these pilots were brave to the point of absurdity; they clearly must have had nerves (and other body parts) of steel! As mentioned, after WW2 is over, we learn much more about Mac and his family, in the words of his very own daughter, Sherry Hobbs, née McNeese. But the thing we learn more than anything, apart from the obvious love Sherry has for her dad, is just how proud he made her; the affection is crystal clear every time his name is mentioned – and from this account, she has every right to be. Whilst most of this book is about the wars themselves, it is probably at its most affecting during its more poignant and moving moments, none less so than when narrating the letters sent between Mac and his family, and those of friends he lost. At the end of the day, it is a sad book. War is sad.
The informative content, of which there is a great deal, is superbly, meticulously and profoundly researched, and delivered with detail and copious well-sourced reference material, helpfully supported by footnotes. Then Mac will always pop up like a lynchpin, pulling it all together. This is more than a simple book, or a biography by a loving daughter; it is a project, an educational achievement on a pretty immense scale, by a genuine professional investigative author. If you know little about why these three major wars came about or unfolded (counting the Europe and Pacific wars separately, and Vietnam), you will learn far more from this book than any biography I have read to date – most of all, from a most poignant and human perspective. The book is a triumph.
That said, his story is a pretty awe-inspiring one, as one of the flood of recruits rushing to fight the Japanese over the Atlantic, following their tripartite pact with Hitler (and Mussolini) and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. There is no doubt that these pilots were brave to the point of absurdity; they clearly must have had nerves (and other body parts) of steel! As mentioned, after WW2 is over, we learn much more about Mac and his family, in the words of his very own daughter, Sherry Hobbs, née McNeese. But the thing we learn more than anything, apart from the obvious love Sherry has for her dad, is just how proud he made her; the affection is crystal clear every time his name is mentioned – and from this account, she has every right to be. Whilst most of this book is about the wars themselves, it is probably at its most affecting during its more poignant and moving moments, none less so than when narrating the letters sent between Mac and his family, and those of friends he lost. At the end of the day, it is a sad book. War is sad.
The informative content, of which there is a great deal, is superbly, meticulously and profoundly researched, and delivered with detail and copious well-sourced reference material, helpfully supported by footnotes. Then Mac will always pop up like a lynchpin, pulling it all together. This is more than a simple book, or a biography by a loving daughter; it is a project, an educational achievement on a pretty immense scale, by a genuine professional investigative author. If you know little about why these three major wars came about or unfolded (counting the Europe and Pacific wars separately, and Vietnam), you will learn far more from this book than any biography I have read to date – most of all, from a most poignant and human perspective. The book is a triumph.
September 9, 2023
J'ai reçu ce livre contre une honnête critique, de la part des early reviewer de LIBRARYTHING.
"Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings" by Sherry Hobbs est un récit biographique exaltant, qui se concentre sur la vie de son père, dr'abord jeune volontaire puis devenu Colonel, pilote de bombardier B24 lors de la grande guerre, précisément à Guadalcanal, puis à Guam.
Ce récit emporte le lecteur loin derrière lui, alors que Pearl Harbor est attaqué soudainement par les japonais. Nous découvrons alors l'ile de Guadalcanal, et le tout jeune adulte qu'était Mac.
J'ai été captivé par ce récit ! La chronologie de la guerre du Vietnam est superbe, étayée d'images et de faits de guerre instructifs. Peu d'ouvrages sont aussi concis sur cette période particulière.
Ainsi, la reconstitution presque milimétrée de Pearl Harbor est un exploit !
Il est examiné à la fois du point de vue américain, mais aussi, du point de vue japonais !
La Bataille de Midway, mais aussi la guerre en Corée, ponctuent cette biographie militaire et stratégique.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié les faits concernant les mélanésiens en Australie, espions éclaireurs hors-pairs, qui ont sauvé de nombreux marins et se sont révélés des acteurs majeurs dans la bataille méconnue de Guadalcanal !
En seconde partie, Sherry Hobbs a choisi de raconter son enfance avec son père, leur vie familiale brisée par le divorce de ses deux parents.
C'est un boulversant hommage dédié à son père que l'auteur adresse avec amour et dévotion.
Un très beau récit, de courage, d'abnégation, foi et détermination, qui ont ensencés des hommes militaires, fleuron emblématique de leur pays. Lisez-le !
"Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings" by Sherry Hobbs est un récit biographique exaltant, qui se concentre sur la vie de son père, dr'abord jeune volontaire puis devenu Colonel, pilote de bombardier B24 lors de la grande guerre, précisément à Guadalcanal, puis à Guam.
Ce récit emporte le lecteur loin derrière lui, alors que Pearl Harbor est attaqué soudainement par les japonais. Nous découvrons alors l'ile de Guadalcanal, et le tout jeune adulte qu'était Mac.
J'ai été captivé par ce récit ! La chronologie de la guerre du Vietnam est superbe, étayée d'images et de faits de guerre instructifs. Peu d'ouvrages sont aussi concis sur cette période particulière.
Ainsi, la reconstitution presque milimétrée de Pearl Harbor est un exploit !
Il est examiné à la fois du point de vue américain, mais aussi, du point de vue japonais !
La Bataille de Midway, mais aussi la guerre en Corée, ponctuent cette biographie militaire et stratégique.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié les faits concernant les mélanésiens en Australie, espions éclaireurs hors-pairs, qui ont sauvé de nombreux marins et se sont révélés des acteurs majeurs dans la bataille méconnue de Guadalcanal !
En seconde partie, Sherry Hobbs a choisi de raconter son enfance avec son père, leur vie familiale brisée par le divorce de ses deux parents.
C'est un boulversant hommage dédié à son père que l'auteur adresse avec amour et dévotion.
Un très beau récit, de courage, d'abnégation, foi et détermination, qui ont ensencés des hommes militaires, fleuron emblématique de leur pays. Lisez-le !
July 27, 2023
Masterfully written!
Sherry Hobbs writes an interesting book about her father's life in MAC-The Wind Beneath My Wings. This is the book I have read from this author. Her father, Colonel Harold "Mac" G. McNeese was one of the first of his men to fly the B-24 bomber, and then in WWII, the B-29 bombers. Her family is full of service man, and the story she writes about the experiences of her father, is not just written well, but brings the experiences to life. It felt that you were sitting in the plane besides these brave men who never knew if this was their last day on earth, watching the bombs explode and the bullets fly. Sherry Hobbs tells a story of not just her father, but different generations, such as her father's grandfather was a pharmacist, and everyone called him "Doc" because he was the closest thing that the town had to a doctor. She brings the reader into the plane, and then, gives us his family's backstory and how he ended up in that plane. If I could, I would thank all of them for their service, and to me, those are not just words. I also thank Sherry for sharing this story and allowing me to read it. It is a remarkable story, and heart wrenching story of the bombs of war. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. This read is more than just words on a page. Simply masterful. MAC-The Wind Beneath My Wings is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
Sherry Hobbs writes an interesting book about her father's life in MAC-The Wind Beneath My Wings. This is the book I have read from this author. Her father, Colonel Harold "Mac" G. McNeese was one of the first of his men to fly the B-24 bomber, and then in WWII, the B-29 bombers. Her family is full of service man, and the story she writes about the experiences of her father, is not just written well, but brings the experiences to life. It felt that you were sitting in the plane besides these brave men who never knew if this was their last day on earth, watching the bombs explode and the bullets fly. Sherry Hobbs tells a story of not just her father, but different generations, such as her father's grandfather was a pharmacist, and everyone called him "Doc" because he was the closest thing that the town had to a doctor. She brings the reader into the plane, and then, gives us his family's backstory and how he ended up in that plane. If I could, I would thank all of them for their service, and to me, those are not just words. I also thank Sherry for sharing this story and allowing me to read it. It is a remarkable story, and heart wrenching story of the bombs of war. This is one of those books that grabs you from the start and pulls you in. This read is more than just words on a page. Simply masterful. MAC-The Wind Beneath My Wings is a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I read this book to give my unbiased and honest review. Amy's Bookshelf Reviews recommends that anyone who reads this book, to also write a review.
July 27, 2023
Overall Rating = 3.83
Storyline & Concept = 4
Writing & Delivery = 3.5
Editorial = 4
Author Sherry Hobbs has written a biography based on the life of her father, Colonel Harold G. McNeese (Mac), who served in WWII as an Air Force pilot and continued his exemplary career in the military through the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict.
This work is obviously a labor of love written by a daughter who wishes to honor the incredible achievements and career of a father she adored and respected. Simultaneously, she honors the heroic efforts of all the members of the military who served during WWII and subsequent conflicts, but particularly those of the Air Force who risked their lives every time they set foot inside hastily manufactured planes. At times, the specifics of the wars read like a history textbook, but it was certainly educational, revealing many details I was unaware of. The descriptions of the settings, the planes, and the action were obviously well-researched and painstakingly recreated. The interactions between the characters were realistic and compelling. Some of the most captivating parts involved Mac himself and his connections with his family and colleagues. All in all, this was an interesting read that would appeal to history buffs or anyone who wants to broaden their knowledge.
Sublime Line: “A fascinating dedication to a man who experienced the raw action of the Air Force over decades of his career.”
Storyline & Concept = 4
Writing & Delivery = 3.5
Editorial = 4
Author Sherry Hobbs has written a biography based on the life of her father, Colonel Harold G. McNeese (Mac), who served in WWII as an Air Force pilot and continued his exemplary career in the military through the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict.
This work is obviously a labor of love written by a daughter who wishes to honor the incredible achievements and career of a father she adored and respected. Simultaneously, she honors the heroic efforts of all the members of the military who served during WWII and subsequent conflicts, but particularly those of the Air Force who risked their lives every time they set foot inside hastily manufactured planes. At times, the specifics of the wars read like a history textbook, but it was certainly educational, revealing many details I was unaware of. The descriptions of the settings, the planes, and the action were obviously well-researched and painstakingly recreated. The interactions between the characters were realistic and compelling. Some of the most captivating parts involved Mac himself and his connections with his family and colleagues. All in all, this was an interesting read that would appeal to history buffs or anyone who wants to broaden their knowledge.
Sublime Line: “A fascinating dedication to a man who experienced the raw action of the Air Force over decades of his career.”
June 11, 2024
A remarkable homage to the author’s father, Col. Harold G. McNeese, one of the first to fly the B-24 and B-29, who lived through two tours and flew 83 missions: Guadalcanal and Guam where flyers like him risked their lives in the new unproven planes. And if that wasn’t dangerous enough, he survived enemy fire in Japanese controlled air space and fought other enemies like tropical diseases, particularly of mosquito causation.
The author sits before a box reading the content written and saved from her father, enlightening her to the heroic man her father was, from his early days in the Great Depression to the loss of his father to dust bowl pneumonia and having to help support his mother to his enlisting and entering WW2 battles. Descriptions in scenes burn from the page like the prickly sensation on his skin when flying during combat and planes filled the skies like angry wasps, lending to authenticity, bringing the events to life. The writing is smooth with just enough vivid detail to move the story along, while never losing the flavor of respect and reverence a man like Col. McNeese deserves. This beautifully constructed biography is made all the more interesting with photos and graphics, a great touch. It is clear from the historical detail and accuracy the author did many hours of research to make this not just an entertaining read but educational. I was given this book by the author to post an honest review.
October 9, 2024
Author Sherry Hobbs has created a fascinating, well-researched book that will appeal to 20th Century military history buffs, focusing on air-war history. Readers that love learning the inside view of those from “the Greatest Generation,” with a personal family touch, will also love this story. Ms. Hobbs tracks the career of her father, US Air Force Colonel Harold G. “Mac” McNeese, from his training as a pilot in command on the new US Army Air Corps B24 bomber, to being shot down on his first mission in the 1943 Solomon Island campaign in the Pacific, through the rest of his career during the “conflicts” in Korea and the early stages of Vietnam. Intermixing with detailed reminiscences of his wartime flying experiences were Hobbs’ own recollections and experiences as her family followed her father to postings around the world, all of which add rich details to the man’s amazing life. Writing as a private pilot and veteran, with experience in the diplomatic world, I was delighted to be transported into Mac’s and Ms. Hobbs’ world, learning something new at least every other page. From private letters, to a lengthy list of military citation and commendations, it is easy to see why Sherry Hobbs is justifiably proud of her hero-father. I am pleased to appreciate her hard work in putting this together and sharing it with the rest of us. Five Stars!
July 4, 2023
Readers of biographies understand that the story is about much more than the person whose name graces the cover. Biography is a journey. When the story is told well, we find ourselves transported back in time, experiencing everything as if we were living the moment. In Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings, the story of her father, Colonel Harold G. McNeese, author Sherry Hobbs has done just that – and more.
We are along for the ride as Mac, WWII fighter pilot and hero, struggles to survive in the Pacific Theater of Operations. We tend to forget that these pilots, soldiers, and sailors, were young men – some barely out of high school. Young, yes. Scared, most definitely. But heroes? Every last one of them who did his or her duty and fought for those of us back home and those of us to be born afterwards. There is no way to repay our debt to them.
That said, this biography is a rollicking tale. The dialogue is real, the situations spot on, and the characters are portrayed in all their humanity. As a writer of historical fiction, I read many books set in the WWII era. I highly recommend this one.
We are along for the ride as Mac, WWII fighter pilot and hero, struggles to survive in the Pacific Theater of Operations. We tend to forget that these pilots, soldiers, and sailors, were young men – some barely out of high school. Young, yes. Scared, most definitely. But heroes? Every last one of them who did his or her duty and fought for those of us back home and those of us to be born afterwards. There is no way to repay our debt to them.
That said, this biography is a rollicking tale. The dialogue is real, the situations spot on, and the characters are portrayed in all their humanity. As a writer of historical fiction, I read many books set in the WWII era. I highly recommend this one.
May 23, 2024
Greatest Generation Hero Through the Lens of Love
Mac by Sherry Hobbs is at once a biography, history, memoir and tribute by a daughter fortunate enough to have been raised and loved by a World War Two B24 bomber pilot and unquestioned hero.
“Mac” is Colonel Harold G. McNeese, who fought in the bloody war in the Pacific, piloting dangerous aircraft on equally dangerous missions as the U.S. forces clawed their way toward Japan following the Pearl Harbor attack. In the process he was shot down in Japanese territory where he led those that survived the crash around enemy occupied islands to an eventual rescue, rowing their life raft over one hundred miles, living only on sparse rations and coconuts.
Ms. Hobbs book is a gripping, exhaustive history of the Pacific campaign, and her father’s role as he flew mission after mission in hopelessly perilous conditions. At the same time, it is a tender and poignant memoir of what it was like to be raised by a man who was as loving and generous as he was heroic. It’s called The Greatest Generation for a reason, and Hobbs’ tribute, written by the hand of a loving daughter, is a reminder of why.
Mac by Sherry Hobbs is at once a biography, history, memoir and tribute by a daughter fortunate enough to have been raised and loved by a World War Two B24 bomber pilot and unquestioned hero.
“Mac” is Colonel Harold G. McNeese, who fought in the bloody war in the Pacific, piloting dangerous aircraft on equally dangerous missions as the U.S. forces clawed their way toward Japan following the Pearl Harbor attack. In the process he was shot down in Japanese territory where he led those that survived the crash around enemy occupied islands to an eventual rescue, rowing their life raft over one hundred miles, living only on sparse rations and coconuts.
Ms. Hobbs book is a gripping, exhaustive history of the Pacific campaign, and her father’s role as he flew mission after mission in hopelessly perilous conditions. At the same time, it is a tender and poignant memoir of what it was like to be raised by a man who was as loving and generous as he was heroic. It’s called The Greatest Generation for a reason, and Hobbs’ tribute, written by the hand of a loving daughter, is a reminder of why.
August 21, 2023
I also grew up in the 1950s and my father was also known to his many friends and working colleagues as Mac. I am also in the Pacific but in the other hemisphere. This book is written in two parts. Sherry has provided an excellent biography of her father’s WWII experiences in Part 1 including the historical overview of the events taking place in the Pacific Theatre of War providing the reader with context as it related to MAC. Historical students please note. However in Part 2, she has really excelled in describing the times in which she grew up, completely different but not dissimilar to those in which I grew up half a world away in a country very kindly referred to by MAC on Page 168 (in Part 1). I was so able to relate to the whole story as it unfolded throughout, even the almost forgotten Korean police incident and the disastrous Vietnam era. The whole biography has been carefully woven together in a narrative that flows quite naturally. Congratulations to the author and I commend everyone who reads this to post a review. I award this book 5 stars.
February 14, 2025
A Dynamically Written Biography and True Life Adventure
I haven’t read books about wars unless they were required textbook reading for school. So, I didn’t know what to expect from this biography about a bombardier pilot and a WWII war hero.
Surprisingly, author Sherry Hobbs took a potentially dry topic, for me, about WWII history, and turned it into an exciting adventure story. Hobbs’ brilliant writing brought her father Mac to life through energetic prose and vivid action details. There were scenes I felt I was in the cockpit with him flying through the skies. The book begins with Mac’s early life from youth to joining the Army Air Forces, flying B-23s and B-29s in the Pacific air battles, through his military retirement and becoming a an Air Attache. Hobbs weaves her own story as his daughter, her family's world travels, and shows the wonderful father he was.
If you enjoy biographies about important war figures, and the history of the American Foreign wars, you will love Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings.
I haven’t read books about wars unless they were required textbook reading for school. So, I didn’t know what to expect from this biography about a bombardier pilot and a WWII war hero.
Surprisingly, author Sherry Hobbs took a potentially dry topic, for me, about WWII history, and turned it into an exciting adventure story. Hobbs’ brilliant writing brought her father Mac to life through energetic prose and vivid action details. There were scenes I felt I was in the cockpit with him flying through the skies. The book begins with Mac’s early life from youth to joining the Army Air Forces, flying B-23s and B-29s in the Pacific air battles, through his military retirement and becoming a an Air Attache. Hobbs weaves her own story as his daughter, her family's world travels, and shows the wonderful father he was.
If you enjoy biographies about important war figures, and the history of the American Foreign wars, you will love Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings.
July 14, 2025
An Incredible First-Person WWII Memoir That Soars
My father, a lifelong reader of WWII history and aviation books, read Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings in just two days—he simply couldn’t put it down. As someone deeply knowledgeable about U.S. aircraft and missions, he was impressed by the rich detail and authenticity in this true story.
The book captures not only the intensity of the missions MAC flew but also the harrowing aftermath—particularly the escape after a forced ocean landing. These real-life moments are told with such vividness, they leap off the page. My father especially appreciated the inclusion of MAC’s letters and historic photos, which brought a deeply personal and human touch to the narrative.
This isn’t just another war memoir—it’s a powerful tribute to a brave pilot who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. We’re both hoping the author writes a follow-up to explore more of MAC’s remarkable life.
If you love detailed, true accounts of WWII aviation with heart and heroism, this is a must-read.
My father, a lifelong reader of WWII history and aviation books, read Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings in just two days—he simply couldn’t put it down. As someone deeply knowledgeable about U.S. aircraft and missions, he was impressed by the rich detail and authenticity in this true story.
The book captures not only the intensity of the missions MAC flew but also the harrowing aftermath—particularly the escape after a forced ocean landing. These real-life moments are told with such vividness, they leap off the page. My father especially appreciated the inclusion of MAC’s letters and historic photos, which brought a deeply personal and human touch to the narrative.
This isn’t just another war memoir—it’s a powerful tribute to a brave pilot who served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. We’re both hoping the author writes a follow-up to explore more of MAC’s remarkable life.
If you love detailed, true accounts of WWII aviation with heart and heroism, this is a must-read.
August 28, 2023
Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings is the biography of Colonel Harold "Mac" G. McNeese written by his daughter Sherry Hobbs. This is an absolute must-read for anyone who is a 20th Century American military history buff. It follows Mac from growing up in the depression years to being one of the first to pilot B-24 and B-29 bombers to his service in the Korean and Viet Nam wars as well. Not only is history presented in an interesting and personal light, it is also the telling of a tale of one man who was a part of it all. Halfway through the book, the book takes a turn toward memoir, as his daughter Sherry Hobbs starts to weave in her own story as the child of a military man as well. The book is made all the more compelling with numerous photos, letters, and even telegrams. A strong five-stars.
September 1, 2023
It is very well written and Hobbs does a marvelous job in bringing her father to life for the reader. The cover art would make you think it is a war book, and while the first half is about his time during combat, the book is really a people book. Everyone who has ever severed in the military (during armed conflicts, or not) began as a person. A few forgot that themselves, but most did what they were called on to do. Sherry Hobbs does a great job in bringing out her father’s deep humanity to life by including copies of letters he had written during the war years. But she continues to show us her wonderful father, and his attitude towards others, for the many years he continued to serve this country after the war was over. Hobbs shared her eulogy and in doing so she shared who taught her so well.
August 4, 2023
I love historical fiction, so naturally I was attracted to this biography about the author’s father, who had an amazing military career covering WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. The writing and descriptions are so well done, you feel like you are sitting in the plane or living in torrid conditions on the ground. It is an insider’s look at the wars, the background surrounding them, and the life of someone deeply affected by the military life. I can’t imagine the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that must have gone into researching and writing this book, but it’s obviously a labor of love. Kudos to Sherry Hobbs for a fantastic job building this memoir of her father’s life and paying tribute to all the veterans of the war.
June 28, 2023
Score Sherry Hobbs a bulls-eye for her incredible story, Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings! Her stunning biography of her father’s exploits as a bomber pilot in WWII weaves combat tension with historical airpower history—like Laura Hillenbrand’s Unbroken met Malcolm Gladwell’s The Bomber Mafia!
I’m a fellow author, a 30-year AF pilot, and—like Mac—a former Air Attaché, and I’m here to tell you that Hobbs’ writing skill, aviation acumen, and spot-on historical research make this the best WWII biography I’ve read in the last twenty years. They created the 5-star rank for George Marshall…I might have to give Hobbs 6 stars!
I’m a fellow author, a 30-year AF pilot, and—like Mac—a former Air Attaché, and I’m here to tell you that Hobbs’ writing skill, aviation acumen, and spot-on historical research make this the best WWII biography I’ve read in the last twenty years. They created the 5-star rank for George Marshall…I might have to give Hobbs 6 stars!
September 28, 2024
Mac: The Wind Beneath My Wings, by Sherry Hobbs, is an in depth and thoughtful biography of a loving father and a life-long military pilot. Hobbs takes the reader from Mac's early days flying heavy bombers and fighting and evading the Japanese in WWII to his later years rising the ranks as an air attaché, to an Air Force tactical planner, all the way to Colonel. The well-researched history interspersed with personal stories gives the book so much rich detail to enjoy. Mac was a highly decorated military hero, and through Hobbs's intimate portrait of her father, it's clear that he was also a hero to his daughters.
January 22, 2024
Wow! A wonderful account of the Pacific Theater during WW2 and an incredible man who was lucky enough to survive the war and the equipment that mal-functioned regularly. A tribute to the unsung heroes that gave their lives to both. The story of a good man that kept going despite the proverbial rug being pulled out from underneath him. And finally a celebration of a loving father and his adoring daughter. Your heart will swell and at times you will cry, but you realize it was a life will lived!
September 3, 2023
Learned so much about WWII.
What a great man to have as her father. One of our
best soldiers and commander for our troops. Enjoyed learning all that happened during these wars.
What a great man to have as her father. One of our
best soldiers and commander for our troops. Enjoyed learning all that happened during these wars.
April 28, 2024
Stirringly original, intensely readable and brutally honest!
With wars waging in the background, the author dug into human lives with meticulous study, honesty and integrity. There is so much to admire here….specially for the readers who love history.
With wars waging in the background, the author dug into human lives with meticulous study, honesty and integrity. There is so much to admire here….specially for the readers who love history.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews