But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn’t a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace.

Olds (who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007) was a unique individual whose personal story is one of the most eagerly anticipated military books of the year.

“This volume could not be more appropriately titled, because triple-ace Olds wanted to be a fighter pilot from when he was an air-corps brat just five years old. His daughter and an air-force colleague have assembled a mass of material he left behind at his death in 2007 into a gripping narrative that covers childhood, West Point, WWII, peacetime, and Vietnam as well as his long retirement. Not all the turbulence he encountered was in the air. His marriage to actress Ella Raines had its ups and downs, and he was by his own admission a reluctant staff officer and often a difficult, even wild, subordinate. At the same time, he gives us the portrait of a dedicated air warrior, the men who served with him, and U.S. fighters, both the sworn-by and the sworn-at, throughout a span of 30 years. Compelling reading, likely to become a classic.” –Roland Green, Booklist

“Robin Olds was bold, audacious and courageous; truly one of America premier fighter pilots. His captivating story, told in riveting fashion, provides great insights into his life and the attributes that make a great fighter pilot. Warning! If you start to read, you will have trouble putting it down!” –Henry H. Shelton, General, US Army (R), former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

“This book is a must-read for all fighter pilots, history buffs, and patriots.  The stories will fascinate the aviation veteran but will be just as interesting to the ‘everyman’. General Olds was a legend, a leader, a hero, a role model, and a genuine Sierra Hotel character.” –T. Allan McArtor, Chairman, Airbus Americas, former FAA Administrator, and fighter pilot

More Information:

• Hardcover: 416 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin’s Press; 1 edition (April 13, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312560230
• ISBN-13: 978-0312560232
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches