Flight Song

About the Book

Also available through Amazon.com.

"The Navy was fun! Liberty was great! And—flying from aircraft carriers was life! It’s all here in this recap of Naval Aviation in the ´50s."

RADM Roger Box, USN, Retired.
Fighter Pilot and First Commanding Officer of TOPGUN

"D’Angelo got into even more trouble than I did!"

LCDR Richard (2-EE) Bates, USN, Retired.
World War Two Torpecker (TBF “Avenger”) pilot and Navy Cross recipient

"FLIGHT SONG is a fast-paced and interesting read, one that is bound to bring a smile to a Naval Aviator´s face as he enjoys the tale and recalls the fun and adventure in the way things were--and ought yet to be."

THE HOOK, The Tailhook Association´s Journal of Naval Aviation. Fall, 2001 Edition.

"Dario D´Angelo is at it again, this time as a LT(jg)! In this equally humorous sequel to the novel LOW and SLOW, Dario joins up with his Pre-Flight buddy, Bill Metz, in a snake ranch in Coronado—and also in several misadventures in naval aircraft. More of Dario’s early life, which molded him into Aviation Officer Candidate material, is covered which helps to explain the surprise inheritance he later receives from his father, Babbo. His college romance with Maria-Rosa Borzillieri is resuscitated, as is another of his former affairs: simultaneously.

Deployed aboard the USS GETTYSBURG (CVA-35) to the Western Pacific flying the AD-5N version of the "Skyraider," Dario is confronted with a situation in Honolulu that takes his talent to manipulate the fair sex to the edge of the envelope. In Japan, he is introduced to WESTPAC liberty by his Operations Officer, LT Takio “Tako” Kinishawa. Later, for assisting Tako in an airborne prank of revenge in the Philippines, Dario finds himself, once again, looking down at a senior officer’s name plaque. But this time there’s not the ubiquitous mountain behind the name—and the officer is an admiral! The admiral makes Dario an offer he can´t refuse which involves him in a thrilling air combat adventure and ultimately forces him to make a major personal decision. Finally, Dario discovers that just as with mice and men, the best-laid schemes of Naval Aviators often go awry.

About the Author

The author entered the new Aviation Officer Candidate Program in 1956 and flew the T-34, T-28, and the SNJ in Basic, and the AD-4 in Advance. In a fleet squadron, he flew four models of the AD-5. Leaving active duty in 1960, he worked for an insurance firm and spent seven years in Europe. He returned to Santa Barbara in 1973, got an ATP rating, and entered corporate aviation sales. Later, he became, and still is, a partner in small restaurant chain. For many years he flew throughout Baja California, Mexico, in pursuit of game fish. He has almost 5,000 flight hours. Now, he flies only gliders from Minden, NV. He also races his Wolseley and Moretti sports cars in vintage events. He and his wife, Cathy, divide their time between their home in La Jolla, CA, and their “Red House Ranch,” near Markleeville, CA.