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In Search of Daedalus
In Search of Daedalus is a fictional story based on real events. The Story combines the recollections of a fighter pilot.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2000
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December 4, 2025
In Search of Daedalus: Reflections of a Fighter Pilot merits highest praise. Though the author chose to categorize it as fiction, he assures us on the title page that the events, times, and places are real, with unit numbers and names changed “to protect the innocent.” Author Bill Clarke was a sharp-witted 90-year-old when my husband and I met him at our retirement community. His book was already on residents’ tongues, but I waited 7+ years to read it for myself and aloud to my husband. Despite knowing that Bill lived to tell his story, I read page after page with my heart in my mouth.
Long before Scott “Cord” Corderer arrives in Southeast Asia to fly 100 combat missions over North Vietnam, he proves himself a cool, collected, committed, competent, and resourceful pilot, as well as a loyal friend, squadron leader, and family man. During training and throughout his service, his grit and acumen are tested in one harrowing scene after another, occasioned by system failures, weather, treacherous terrain, and bad timing, usually in combination. You’re right there with him in the cockpit and soon pick up the lingo enough to follow and feel what is happening. Cord is also quick to credit others and to acknowledge his incredibly good luck (or divine grace), once safely on the ground. From poignant moments to gripping cliffhangers, interspersed with droll interludes, Clarke’s writing is superb. Ultimately, the book is an honest reflection on the frustrating experience of fighting a war with hands tied and the tragic waste of human lives for a cause controlled by politicians back in Washington. The title alludes to the author's lifelong dream of flying, which of course is fulfilled in spades.
In Search of Daedalus is available as print-on-demand from Lulu.com. I just ordered three copies.
Long before Scott “Cord” Corderer arrives in Southeast Asia to fly 100 combat missions over North Vietnam, he proves himself a cool, collected, committed, competent, and resourceful pilot, as well as a loyal friend, squadron leader, and family man. During training and throughout his service, his grit and acumen are tested in one harrowing scene after another, occasioned by system failures, weather, treacherous terrain, and bad timing, usually in combination. You’re right there with him in the cockpit and soon pick up the lingo enough to follow and feel what is happening. Cord is also quick to credit others and to acknowledge his incredibly good luck (or divine grace), once safely on the ground. From poignant moments to gripping cliffhangers, interspersed with droll interludes, Clarke’s writing is superb. Ultimately, the book is an honest reflection on the frustrating experience of fighting a war with hands tied and the tragic waste of human lives for a cause controlled by politicians back in Washington. The title alludes to the author's lifelong dream of flying, which of course is fulfilled in spades.
In Search of Daedalus is available as print-on-demand from Lulu.com. I just ordered three copies.
Displaying 1 of 1 review