Dauntless: Novel of Midway and Guadalcanal

by Barrett Tillman

Rogers and his comrades pilot untested dive bombers from the deck of the U.S.S. Yorktown, battling the Japanese in the conflicts at Midway and Guadalcanal.

Genres: Historical Fiction, War

412 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1992

About the author

Born a fourth-generation Oregonian, descended from American pioneers, Revolutionary War Patriots, Pilgrims (e.g. Priscilla Alden) and Pocahontas, Tillman was raised on the family wheat and cattle ranch. His younger brothers include a breeder of exotic animals and a Rhodes Scholar. In high school he was an Eagle Scout[citation needed], won two state titles as a rudimental drummer, and was a champion speaker and debater. Tillman was first published in 1964 at age 15 and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

Like his father, a Navy trained pilot in World War II, Tillman developed an early passion for aviation and learned to fly at age 16. Over the next several years he flew a variety of vintage and historic aircraft, including a pre-WW II Navy trainer and a restored dive-bomber. The latter became the subject of his first book, The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, published in 1976. It established the format for many subsequent books, operational histories of U.S. Navy aircraft.

After college Tillman worked as a freelance writer until 1982 when he founded Champlin Fighter Museum Press in Mesa, Arizona, publishing out-of-print and new titles on military aviation.

In 1986 he moved to San Diego to become managing editor of The Hook, quarterly journal of the Tailhook Association. He remained in that position for three years before deciding to focus full time to writing fiction. His first novel was published in June 1990. Warriors[1] depicted a Mideast air war and became an immediate best seller when Iraq invaded Kuwait two months later.

Tillman's next two novels appeared in 1992: The Sixth Battle, (written with his brother John) which captured a wide following among computer war gamers; and Dauntless, intended as the first in a trilogy. It was followed by Hellcats, nominated as military novel of the year in 1996. He has also published original fiction in the Stephen Coonts anthologies, Combat and Victory.

Tillman remains active as a magazine writer. He is a regular contributor to The Hook, Flight Journal, and several firearms publications. He has also reported from Africa for Soldier of Fortune magazine.

Tillman is a former executive secretary of the American Fighter Aces Association.[2]

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrett_...

Reviews

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barrett Tillman as an aviation historian weaves an excellent tale of Ensign/ Lieutenant (j.g.) Phil Rogers as a Dauntless pilot at the Battle of Midway and Guadalcanal. Tillman also added Japanese characters such as a recon float pilot from the IJS Tone who becomes a fighter pilot. You can see the human drama. Having seen the original Battle of Midway (1976) with Charleston Heston and Henry Fonda plus the updated 2019 version with Ed Skrein, Luke Evans, and Woody Harrelson, and having read Jon Parshall and Antony Tully's Shattered Sword, you know what to expect. You know who lives and dies. Nevertheless, Tillman brings those characters to life.

This is historical fiction at its best.

I've always watched History Channel's Dogfights series, especially the one on the Cactus Air Force, so you know what happened at Henderson Field. Battle 360 episodes 3, 4, and 5 cover the Battle of the Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz. With both the USS Enterprise and the Saratoga torpedoed but still somewhat functional, their air groups often diverted to Henderson field. Phil and his friends hanging out with their fellow Marine Aviators while under fire and staying overnight highlights the constant dangers. You can feel the mud, the humidity, and the threat of the Japanese attack.

[Christine Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I must be the only female reviewer of this book ever!
It is indeed a "guys" book. Unless, of course, you have a father who served in the Pacific Theater for three years, are the mother of a Navy submariner, and also of a commercial airline pilot. My eldest son makes sure I have all the latest technical military novels. I am interested in World War II history, having many years of teaching history of all sorts).
Keeping track of all the types of aircraft required a little effort. I was familiar with the battle of Midway itself, but, of course, the descriptions of actual physical operation of the aircraft was most interesting.
I knew Guadalcanal only through descriptions of army and marine operations on land; was unfamiliar with the aerial warfare aspect. So now I'm informed.
The author's subplot that included the pilot's romance was uncomfortably wooden, to the extent that I'd rather he'd left it out. His descriptions of women were dated and rang true for a 1942 viewpoint.

[Tom Nolan]

hardcover a novel of midway and guadalcanal