Fire on the Flight Deck

by Darren Sapp

“I felt like I was there with the characters in the book. I've always known, in theory, about the sacrifices our military men and women make but never actually put a human face on it until now.” – Amazon Reviewer

“Fire on the flight deck!” Ominous words when living on an aircraft carrier hundreds of miles at sea. An American supercarrier flight deck is considered by many to be one of the most dangerous places on earth. Multi-million dollar aircraft launching, landing, and taxiing in the space of a few football fields, all orchestrated by a control tower and flight deck crew whose average age is nineteen. During the Cold War of the 1980s, this massive ship provided the largest, mobile weapon in the United States arsenal, instilling fear and respect among opposing forces. While the supercarrier can deliver an awesome display of firepower, it carries an inherent danger for those who fly and work among the aircraft.

Brian Donley survived boot camp and completed aircraft firefighter school to serve as a yellow shirt on the flight deck of the USS William Halsey. Would his training, will, and courage equip him for the most challenging day of his life?

Darren Sapp’s breakout novel delivers the sights, sounds, and action of a supercarrier. He served in the inaugural flight deck crew of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt as a crash crew member and yellow shirt aircraft director.

Genres: Military Fiction, Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published November 18, 2014

About the author

Darren Sapp has authored multiple works of fiction, non-fiction, and numerous ghostwriting projects. He’s spoken to groups large and small across the globe and recorded commercial voiceover projects, podcasts, and audiobook narration. He served in the U.S. Navy as a yellow shirt on the aircraft carrier flight deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary, and holds a Master of History from Southwestern A/G University with a focus on unconventional warfare. He specializes in helping authors take their idea from the whiteboard to book launch through creative ideation, strategic project management, and positive coaching.

Reviews

[Jordan Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If Every Marine is a Rifleman, Every Sailor is a Firefighter.” That is the brave sentiment shared by a rare and daring few who rush toward the flames into danger to rescue aircrews trapped in burning air planes far out at sea aboard one of the most perilous job sites known to man. In his gripping Military novel “Fire on the Flight Deck,” author and former U.S. Navy Damage Control Firefighter Darren Sapp, offers the reader an engaging glimpse into the hazardous and unpredictable death-defying drama working as a firefighter onboard an aircraft carrier.

Drawing upon his own real-life experiences in the Navy serving aboard a carrier in the 1980’s, Mr. Sapp crafts an entertaining and wildly exhilarating novel of a young and ambitious sailor named Brian Donley who wants desperately to accelerate his life flying an F-14 Tomcat on an aircraft carrier. Unfortunately, fate has other plans in store for him. After graduating Bootcamp in Illinois, Donley is transferred to the Navy’s prestigious Firefighting School and is trained in the art of maritime fire suppression: putting the wet stuff on the red stuff, combating simulated fuel fires and mock aircraft emergencies such as rescuing pilots from the cockpit of a burning fuselage as well as maneuvering a carrier firefighter’s chariot, a small fire truck called the P-19.

Though nothing can prepare the young sailor for the harrowing challenges that await him and his shipmates out at sea onboard the carrier USS William Halsey, affectionately known as “The Bull.” In the weeks to come, it would certainly live up to its reputation and transform into a formidable beast testing its crew’s tenacious resolve and turning young inexperienced boys into hardened and valiant men of honor. From witnessing the trauma of a Yellow Shirt (Someone who directs the movements of planes) losing his arm when an in-bound propeller plane makes a rough emergency landing, to confronting every sailor’s worst nightmare, a raging inferno on the flight deck, the trials and tribulations of life on “The Bull” would pale in comparison to what would become the Halsey’s darkest and finest hour. When an F-18 Hornet crashes into a row of parked planes igniting a malevolent inferno, Donley’s true test of courage begins in what would be his baptism by fire. It is up to Donley and his shipmates to draw on their months of rigorous training and years of experience to reclaim their beloved carrier and save lives both on the flight deck and in the water. Brian Donley and crew will have to live up to some poignant words of wisdom from an old firefighting instructor, “When most men run away from fire, we’re the ones who run toward it.”

“Fire on the Flight Deck” is the literary version of blockbuster classics “Top Gun” and “Ladder 49.” Having seen movies like “Top Gun” and “Stealth” which glamorize life on an aircraft carrier, I’ve always wondered about the men in red shirts and silver turn out gear standing idol in the corner of the flight deck holding vigil during flight operations. Well aware of such tragedies like the USS Forrestal and a few documentaries showcasing fires at sea, now I have a better understanding and deeper respect for those who work in Damage Control as firefighters aboard vessels at sea. This novel would make for a great summer blockbuster! Jerry Bruckheimer needs to read this book for inspiration on his next movie.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fire on the Flight Deck
: Darren Sapp


This is a fictional book based on historical events as well as embellished fictional events. The listener goes shipboard with a carrier crew and learns about naval life from the daily duties to the dangers of working the flight deck. A very intense and suspenseful tale.


The narration was well done.The characters were well portrayed. Patrick Freeman gave a full and entertaining performance.



"I was voluntarily provided this review copy audiobook at no charge by the author, publisher and/or narrator."

[jeffrey l komar · Rating 2 out of 5]

I worked on the flight deck of two aircraft carriers during the Vietnam war. This book is full of too many cloches and more accidents and mishaps occurred in the short cruise it depicts than I saw in two very long cruises. I don't think anyone who actually worked on a carrier would be impressed with this book.

[Johnathan Gale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

This is a must read novel. Simply outstanding. Words can't express how great this book is. This book captures life on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier the mental and physical hardships.

[Neil Karp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

Fast paced and very detailed. Took me back to my days as an A6 Brown shirt on USS MIDWAY. Bravo Zulu Darren.

[Jeff Mateer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative read.

[Siobhan D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could feel the immensity of an aircraft carrier and all that they go through in a single day protecting our country. I learned an awful lot about the Navy from this book.

I enjoyed the narration of Patrick Freeman

[Nick Woodall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! A page-turner, especially when you get to the fire on the flight Deck! I learned an awful lot about the Navy from this book, and I appreciate the detail that Darren Sapp put in his book. I understand that this is a first-time author, and considering such, he did an outstanding job on this book. I really related to the characters, and could identify each one as they related to the crew on the aircraft carrier. This book made me appreciate the immensity of an aircraft carrier and all that they go through in a single day protecting our country. Flight deck operations was especially captivating, trying to understand all that goes into the running of an military aircraft carrier. Kudos to Darren Sapp!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband served on a Nimitz-class carrier for two years, and I always knew it was a dangerous job, but this book made me triply happy that he's now on shore! Darren Sapp has a knack for gripping you from the first page. Vivid descriptions and stories about life on a carrier.
Luckily, I have been on board with my husband numerous times, so I could visualize everything even more clearly.
The only negative about the book is all the swearing - but it is a book about the Navy, and so it definitely gives credence to support the saying "swears like a sailor."
Great read.

[charles good · Rating 5 out of 5]

The truth is in the reading

So many times while reading this , I felt as if I were there. Every detail recounted in boot camp was spot-on. The training for firefighting brought me back to the same time that I did the training for firefighting. The smoke, the coughing, the tears. A great way to bring you up to current events on the aircraft carrier. This was a great read. I love this book

[Ken Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book

I served in the United States Navy from 1955 to 1958. I was a squadron guy with VA-25. I served as a plane captain on my first cruise abroad the USS FDR CVA42. following that cruise, we switched to the USS INTREPID, CVA-11.

My. Boot camp was a Great Lakes , my advancing training was at Millington. My squadron was based at Oceana,V@.

So many memories. Couldn't set the book Dow. Thank you.wws

[Tom Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANKS DARREN

As a retired brown shoe or airdale who spent a hour's wearing a brown/green shirt, I tremendously enjoyed this book. It brought back memories (both good and bad) of my days spent on aircraft carriers. Tremendous storey keep them coming. I give it five star.

[Kelvin Reed · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Fire on the Flight Deck" (2014) by Darren Sapp is a fictionalized account about a major fire that severely damaged a Navy aircraft carrier during the 1980’s, killing dozens of sailors. I had some difficulty keeping the numerous male characters straight in this all male story. Also, the switch from a first person narrative to third, then back to first was bizarre. Still, my interest in the plight of the crew remained relatively high throughout the novel, enough to give it a mild recommendation. Audiobook given free in exchange for honest review.

[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
""It isn't just a job, it's an adventure.""
There are numerous stories about recruits joining the military, going through boot camp and then embarking on some great adventure, usually a war. Some are excellent, all slightly different. What makes this one exceptional is that it has been based on the real life experiences of the author who chose, rather than write an autobiography, to give a fictional rendering of his early naval career in the dangerous environment of the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. His dedication alone indicates the danger of the job - to two colleagues who died.
It is unusual, too, in not putting his ship into an attack situation, no enemies or aliens besiege his craft. Not needed: the universal enemy of fire out of control where there is no way to run is terrifying enough. Starting at an easy pace, the book is fascinating by detail given about the main character', Brian, signing up whilst still at school, being put through training and skillfully picturing the others who trained, then later worked, alongside him: friendships formed and odd grievances held. After all, as he says, "We were 19. We were bad." But working on the flight deck they had to grow up fast. The latter part of the book equals, or surpasses, any other fictional military battle i have read.

The whole is beautifully related by Patrick Freeman, who becomes Brian, the teenager turning into man on board the USS William Halsey in 1987. Freeman's steady narration is perfectly paced and matched to the text, his rendering of other voices also distinctive and fitting. His performance enhances this emotionally charged and detailed story.

My thanks to the rights holder for gifting me my copy of Fire on the Flight Deck, via Audiobook Boom. I had expected it to be interesting. I had no idea how much this book would absorb me. "Every day might be our last on earth". We would do well to remember this and those people who do their very best to ensure that others can live, even at the expense of their own lives.
My compliments to the author for this fascinating, exciting and well written book