Angels Three Six
Confessions of a Cold War Fighter Pilot
By Col. Chuck Lehman
Reviewed By D. Andrew McChesney
I grew up during the
Cold War, aware of, but probably not fully cognizant of the dangers we all
faced. As a grade school student I knew
that the United States Air Force stood by, ready to defend this Nation and it’s
people from Soviet aggression. My uncle
was a SAC (Strategic Air Command) bomber pilot, and I could name and recognize
many of the fighters that stood ready to meet any incoming threat. It was a time I thought, of unlimited numbers
of aircraft, all with amazing performance and abilities, piloted by steely-eyed
warriors, itching to be at any intruder.
In Angels Three Six, Col. Lehman, an ADC
(Air Defense Command) fighter pilot, relates his adventures while serving in
defense of the nation. Most of the
stories do not deal with the horrors of possible nuclear war, but with the
daily routine, the ever-present danger, and the sometimes humorous incidents of
high performance military aviation.
Reading his book causes one to realize that the pilots we look up to
aren’t supermen, but human beings with the same failings and fears as the rest
of us. Many of his tales are humbling,
and he should be lauded for passing them on.
Having spent over
two decades in Naval Aviation maintenance, I connected closely with many of the
detailed accounts mentioned in the book.
While there is always that inter service rivalry, Angels Three Six superbly shows us all what military aviation was
all about. It is a must read for anyone
who wants to experience and understand the Cold War era.
Angels Three Six, ISBN 0-9788507-9-3 was published in
Col. Lehman is also
the author of Emergency Survival for
$9.95 and Desert Survival Handbook
for $7.95, both available from CALCO, each with an
added $3.00 shipping and handling charge.
He has also written a novel based on the exploits of his ancestors
during the American Civil War.
And
Self-Publishers
Page updated
09/12/2010 DAM
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