{"product_id":"9780935553673","title":"The Jolly Rogers","description":"THE JOLLY ROGERS\u003cbr\u003eThe Story of Tom Blacjburn and Navy Fighting Squadron VF-17\u003cp\u003eTom Blackburn with Eric Hammel\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIntroduction by Vice Admiral James Stockdale, USN (Ret.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Jolly Rogers is the true story of one of the U.S. Navy's foremost World War II fighter squadrons, VF-17, and its charismatic commander, fighter ace Tom Blackburn. In his action-packed war memoir and unit history, Blackburn describes VF-17's intense, winning campaign against the Japanese over the northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul in late 1943 and early 1944.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBeginning with his own experiences as a trainer of fighter pilots early in World War II and his leadership of a small carrier-based fighter squadron supporting the invasion of North Africa, Blackburn goes on to provide a rich, detailed account of how he shaped a crew of over-eager hotshots into one of the highest scoring fighter squadrons of World War II. In only seventy-six days of combat, Tom Blackburn's Jolly Rogers knocked down a record 154 enemy warplanes, and Blackburn himself emerged as one of VF-17's leading aces with eleven kills to his credit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoisterous at times, and sober at others, Blackburn explains the methods he used and example he set to shape and wield VF-17 before and during its South Pacific combat tour. Not least of the challenges facing Blackburn and VF-17 was taming the hot new Vought F4U Corsair fighter. Originally slated to serve aboard a fleet aircraft carrier, VF-17 was ultimately transferred to land-based duty when the Corsair proved too hot to handle during carrier-deck landings. Though the Corsair's teething problems were worked out by others-it eventually became a superb carrier-based fighter-bomber-it was Blackburn and his Jolly Rogers who proved the full potential of the Corsair as a killer of enemy airplanes.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBoth a war memoir and a caring tribute to the aggressive, hold-nothing-back young men he trained and led in combat, Blackburn's story is an epic in World War II history annals.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTom Blackburn, who was preparing to lead a carrier air group into combat when World War II ended, later commanded an aircraft carrier and retired as a captain in 1962. He passed away in 1994.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eEric Hammel is an acclaimed military historian with more than thirty-five books to his credit.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCritical Acclaim for The Jolly Rogers\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePublishers Weekly says: \"Blackburn was an exceptionally talented, resourceful, inspiring leader who imparted to his men a fierce warrior ethic . . . especially noteworthy is the author's straightforward description of the methods he used organizing, training, leading his pilots in combat and developing air tactics.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Shipmate says: \"Tom Blackburn [was] exceptional, and so is his book.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Hook says: \"Tom Blackburn [was] one of the most successful fighter squadron commanders the U.S. Navy ever produced . . . not only a cracking good story, but a valuable primer on dealing with the rugged individualists who populate naval aviation, Highly recommended.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe San Diego Union says: \"[This] thrilling saga focuses on unsung heroes.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eStars and Stripes says: \"In a book generously laced with tales of air combat, Blackburn talks of the days spent building VF-17 into an outfit with its own identity and then leading his men into combat . . . \"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Naval Institute Proceedings says: \"Excellent . . . a well-rounded, coherent story that focuses on intense combat . . . As a professional's account of his squadron's . . . war, Blackburn's has no peer.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKirkus Reviews says: \"A macho, like-it-was memoir . . . a gritty, action-packed slice of WWII life.\"\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pacifica Military History","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47028887093488,"sku":"9780935553673","price":27.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9780935553673_p0.jpg?v=1763856021","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9780935553673","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}