Gerald Maclennon > Recent Status Updates

Apogee

Up to "Nixon and Kissinger"... learning many things I was just too young and dumb to understand when I was in the Vietnam Air War. History has not been kind to Lyndon B Johnson and Robert S McNamara... and rightfully so. The authors intimate they made poor judgments all along that cost us and the Vietnamese people heavy loss and ongoing heartache even unto the present.

Oh good! I just got to Chapter 6 ENTER THE NAVY. Now it's getting interesting! The authors spent 2 pages in praise of the Vought F-8 fighter jet. Apparently for its time, the Crusader was one of the best gunfighters chalking up several MiG kills. And, says he, the F-8 had flown up to speed Mach 1.8 … I think one of our pilots hit that,

I'm having difficulty staying with it. There are some great jabs at Washington, esp LBJ & McNamara. I think that's probably Coonts' writing - sounds like him in Intruder. It's probably excellent for pilots because it's crammed with all the details of flight and aerial combat, AAA and SAM's, other defense systems - excruciatingly so. So much wasted on dropping one bridge, too many deaths of America's finest.

I'm having difficulty staying with it. There are some great jabs at Washington, esp LBJ & RMN. I think that's probably Coonts' writing... sounds like him in Intruder. It's probably excellent for pilots because it's crammed with all the details of flight and aerial combat and AAA and SAM's and other defense systems... excruciatingly so. I will stick with it to the end..

Beginning Chapter 15

Beginning Chapter 15: Plain Criminals? / Now into the aftermath of the race riot and attempted mutiny of Oct 12-13, 1972 … It should be called "Sanity & Military Discipline Make a Welcomed Comeback" or maybe, "Hey, I've got an idea? Why don't we enforce the UCMJ?"

Just about to the '66 fire that killed too many good men. To be followed by my '67 Westpac cruise to Yankee Station and probably the worst of the 'Nam air war for Carrier Air Wing-16... not that any of them were pleasant.

Up to and beginning the ill-fated 1966 Oriskany cruise to Yankee Station. It was such a tragedy. I'm a slow reader but have about 90% retention... I suppose you could say, they balance out. From his footnotes and bibliography, author Peter Fey must be a voracious reader. I mean that in a good way. This book is captivating but because I was there, I have to deal with some resurrected emotions.

Up to and beginning the ill-fated 1966 Oriskany cruise to Yankee Station. It was such a tragedy. I'm a slow reader but have about 90%... I suppose you could say, they balance out. From his footnotes and bibliography, author Peter Fey must be a voracious reader. I mean that in a good way. This book is captivating but because I was there, I have to deal with some resurrected emotions.