Full Description
Memoir of one of the US Amy's most experienced pilots - Covers his time piloting planes and helicopters in WWII and Vietnam - Details the exploits of over 2300 missions Michael Novosel never set out to be a hero. In fact, it looked like he might never see military action. After fast-talking his way into the aviation cadet program (he was too short to pass the physical) and earning his wings, he became a heavy-bomber instructor for the Army Air Corps. But it wasn't until Germany's defeat that the ace pilot finally saw combat. Assigned as a B-29 Super-fortress command pilot, he reached Tinian just before the Enola Gay took off to end World War II in the skies over Hiroshima. Despite being a senior airline pilot, when the war in Vietnam started, Novosel applied again for active duty. The only thing that the air force was willing to give reserve lieutenant colonels like Novosel to fly, however, was a desk. Resigning his commission, he approached the army, which decided that flying dustoffs (medevac helicopters) in Vietnam was a perfect job for this seasoned aviator.In two tours, Novosel amassed 2,038 hours of combat flight, 2,345 aerial missions that evacuated 5,589 wounded, and a Congressional Medal of Honor.
