15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Delightful Read, July 2, 2003
Ken Walsh deftly describes how aviation has globalized the personal reach of the American presidency with a fascinating, well-researched work full of anecdotes from the people who were there...the pilots, stewards, White House staff, reporters and others who flew aboard these magnificent airplanes. The anecdotes take the reader beyond well-known presidential history; rather, they illuminate the true personalities and unique characters that are each president and how each used the power of aviation to affect the lives of billions. It's a fascinating, insider's view of an airplane and how it has shaped modern world history.
Good stuff.
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29 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Correcting the Record, June 21, 2003
This posting is made at the request of my father-in-law, Colonel E.F. Smith, USAF (Ret.). Colonel Smith was one of the first two presidential pilots, making every flight on the Guess Where II, Sacred Cow and Independence. He has been interviewed extensively by the Air Force Historical Research Center, and was featured on the History Channel's documentary concerning Air Force One. Colonel Smith reviewed the relevant sections of Kenneth Walsh's book, referring to flight logs where necessary. He made the following observations.
1. Page 44 contains a description of the Presidential Cabin on the Sacred Cow, saying that, "the room contained a single chair for the commander in chief, a small desk and a two seat couch. Across the narrow aisle were seats for seven..." Comment: The desk was a small table, I don't remember a two-seat couch, and the seven seats did not exist.
2. Page 44 further describes the trip made by FDR to Yalta, "Roosevelt flew on the Sacred Cow from Yalta to Cairo, where he boarded the Quincy." Comment: the flight was from Russia to Deversoir, an airport near the Suez Canal. The cruiser Quincy was in the Suez Canal, not at Cairo.
3. Page 50: Walsh says this about President Truman: "...and he brought guests with him whenever possible so they could spread the word about the rare honor of flying with the commander-in-chief." Comment: Truman had no such practice, as confirmed by flight log records that listed passengers.
4. Page 51: Walsh says that Truman asked to be told when Independence crossed over Ohio. He then made use of the bathroom and ordered the pilot to dump waste overboard-a "tribute" to his political enemy Senator Robert Taft of Ohio. Comment: This story is a fabrication. The President never said anything like this, and it was not possible to dump waste overboard while airborne.
5. Page 51: Walsh describes a mythical "buzz" of the White House by the Sacred Cow. Comment: This story was recently told on the radio by Paul Harvey ("the rest of the story"). It never happened. On one occasion, President Truman asked that the Sacred Cow pass over the White House during its climb to cruising altitude after taking off from National Airport. As with all Presidential flights this takeoff was sedate, and did not include "buzzing" or any other form of acrobatics. Bess and Margaret never stood on the White House lawn waving and laughing as the Sacred Cow "dive-bombed" and "swooped."
6. Comment: The book does not describe the original aircraft built for use by President Roosevelt, which was named the "Guess Where II." The Secret Service decided that this aircraft was not safe enough to be used by FDR, although it was used extensively by Eleanor Roosevelt, by senior members of the Roosevelt Administration, and members of Congress.
7. Comment: This section of Mr. Walsh's book reveals the problems with reliance upon secondary sources. When Colonel Hank Myers (the other of the first two Presidential pilots) retired, he made extra money by writing fictional accounts of his experiences. Frequently, he took in-air emergencies that occurred on other aircraft piloted by other aviators and used them as the basis for alleged incidents on the Sacred Cow and Independence. Journalists have been confused for years by these stories, which turn up in one form or another in newspapers, books and magazines-described as if they actually happened.
8. Comment: Mr. Walsh unfortunately did not tell most of the interesting stories about the Sacred Cow and the Independence. Readers looking for "the rest of the story" should consult the Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB Montgomery, Alabama.
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fast riveting read!, May 19, 2003
From Franklin D. Roosevelt to George W. Bush, this is a look at the presidents as never seen before. The pages on Lyndon Johnson sizzle. I had enjoyed some of the recent scholarship on this president but must admit that the perspective in this book makes the man come alive, good and bad. The author pulls no punches, obviously has no favorites or allegiances other than history itself. Bill Clinton really comes alive and you can just see George W. with all his bravado and smart-talk-humor. This is one of those books that you will hate to finish. Revealing and mesmerizing!
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