Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds

By Christina Olds, Ed Rasimus, Robin Olds

Book Overview

"The widely anticipated memoir of legendary ace American fighter pilot, Robin Olds "Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22--and an ace with 12 aerial victories. 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.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312560230
• ISBN13: 9780312560232
• Release Date: April 2010
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 416 Pages
• Weight: 1.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.4" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

Thinking of Robin Olds on Flag Day!

Robin Olds departed this earth on Flag Day, and without a doubt left with a sonic boom! Large organizations tend to avoid risk in favor of stability, so individual initiative and innovation is often discouraged. A true fighter (and) pilot, Robin Olds was a hard charger, even in retirement. (I read stories about his skiing at Steamboat Springs, and chasing a young man down the street who'd asked at the door to take his daughter on a date. A former classmate told me the story after I called him from Alaska before I retired as a Harbor Dept. Admin. Assistant.) Everyone should know the story of Operation Bolo and how the Red River Pilots Association started. It's obvious why his #1 daughter and his friend Ed Rasimus compiled the book as he was beyond the grief from his critics. Dad flew a 16-month SEA tour in C-130s before returning to KC-135As for his last duty before retirement, including a 5-month period in early 1972 with the Young Tiger detachment at U-Tapao.)

A truly exception story of a exceptional man.

The story of Robin Olds as it was transcribed throughout his life is immensely interesting and wholly awe inspiring. His daughter did an amazing job putting the puzzle together and creating such a brilliant read. I will definitely be reading this again.