Not Quite a Hero

About the Book

Since the Korean War ended in 1953, a number of books and articles have been written about the air-to-air battles between the American F-86s and Russian MiGs. Some parts of the stories that appear in those publications are probably true, but many of them contain fantasies, exaggerations and even lies that are both preposterous and demeaning to the Air Force. Unfortunately much of what survives in the West as the history of those epic air battles is found in those partially flawed publications. I was in a position to know what was going on there since I spent a year observing the scene as an F-86 pilot fighting the MiGs with the 51st Fighter Wing. I have written this book because I want to leave history a more complete and honest picture of what went on there. I have been retired for more than fifty years, but my love for the Air Force and loathing for anything that reflects shame or dishonor on that great organization has compelled me to act. Feeling the way I do, writing in an effort to correct and enhance the record is an easy task since I enjoy writing and was reared to place real value in truth, honor and integrity and hate dishonesty, dissembling and deceit.

About the Author

Joe was born on 4/25/1924. He graduated High School in June of 1942, became a private in the Army Air Corp October in 1942, an Aviation Cadet in 1943 and graduated from Advanced Flying School in June of 1944 as a pilot with a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Air Corp Reserve. Joe realized his dream of becoming a fighter pilot two weeks after graduation by flying the Curtiss P 40 Warhawk. In February of 1945, he departed for combat duty in the SW Pacific where he was checked out in the “new” P 51 Mustang. In April, he was assigned to the Fifth Air Force and spent the rest of the War flying against the Japanese in Luzon, the China Coast and Kyushu, Japan.