I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen [Hardcover]

Wolfgang W. E. Samuel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 21, 2001

Until now, no book has covered all of Cold War air combat in the words of the men who waged it. In I Always Wanted to Fly, retired United States Air Force Colonel Wolfgang W. E. Samuel has gathered first-person memories from heroes of the cockpits and airstrips.

Battling in dogfights when jets were novelties, saving lives in grueling airlifts, or flying dangerous reconnaissance missions deep into Soviet and Chinese airspace, these flyers waged America's longest and most secretively conducted air war.

Many of the pilots Samuel interviewed invoke the same sentiment when asked why they risked their lives in the air--"I always wanted to fly." While young, they were inspired by barnstormers, by World War I fighter legends, by the legendary Charles Lindbergh, and often just by seeing airplanes flying overhead. With the advent of World War II, many of these dreamers found themselves in cockpits soon after high school. Of those who survived World War II, many chose to continue following their dream, flying the Berlin Airlift, stopping the North Korean army during the "forgotten war" in Korea, and fighting in the Vietnam War.

Told in personal narratives and reminiscences, I Always Wanted to Fly renders views from pilots' seats and flight decks during every air combat flashpoint from 1945--1968. Drawn from long exposure to the immense stress of warfare, the stories these warriors share are both heroic and historic.

The author, a veteran of many secret reconnaissance missions, evokes individuals and scenes with authority and grace. He provides clear, concise historical context for each airman's memories. In I Always Wanted to Fly he has produced both a thrilling and inspirational acknowledgment of personal heroism and a valuable addition to our documentation of the Cold War.

Wolfgang W. E. Samuel, the author of German Boy: A Refugee's Story (University Press of Mississippi) and a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC in 1960, served in the U.S. Air Force until his retirement as a colonel in 1985.

Ken Hechler is the author of The Bridge at Remagen.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Retired air force colonel Samuel was born in Germany, and the oral history he has assembled comes from fellow air force men of the generation that inspired him to immigrate and sign up. They were men who started flying during World War II and constituted the backbone of U.S. air power up to the early stages of the Vietnam War. Samuel's book covers the Berlin airlift, Korea, strategic reconnaissance, and Vietnam, and in each section even the fairly widely read aviation buff will learn something new. The airlift section includes material on the SAC backup and the ground crews. The Korean War segment has tales of the B-29s. The part concerned with strategic reconnaissance relays practically all new-to-the-public information because of the top secret status of such missions during the cold war (many were flights over Soviet territory). Even the Vietnam coverage opens up a few new perspectives. A valuable addition to any collection serving students of post-World War II military aviation. Roland Green
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From the Inside Flap

Pilots and crewmen remembering the Berlin Airlift, Korea, Vietnam, and secret flights over the Soviet Union

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 363 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Mississippi (August 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157806399X
• ISBN-13: 978-1578063994
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,702,691 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wolfgang W. E. Samuel was born in Germany in 1935, immigrated to the United States at age 16, and finished high school in Denver, Colorado, two years later. He graduated from the University of Colorado in 1960 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Wolfgang served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force, flew strategic reconnaissance against the Soviet Union in the Cold War years and combat against North Vietnam; being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross three times and numerous Air Medals. He obtained an MBA from Arizona State University and graduated from the National War College at Ft McNair, Wash DC. After retirement from the Air Force in the rank of colonel, he worked for a defense contractor in the Washington area, then retired once again to write German Boy, his first book, which was introduced by Stephen Ambrose and very favorably reviewed by the New York Times. German Boy is Wolfgang's story of survival in WWII Germany and the immediate postwar years. Other books followed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wolfgang Samuel does it again!, January 7, 2002

By 

R. A. Riley (Morgantown, West Virginia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen (Hardcover)

Wolfgang Samuel does it again... After penning German Boy, a book relating his own experiences as a German youth fighting for survival at the end of WWII, Samuel examines the post-World War II Cold War through the eyes of American air force flyers. As a reader, I found it refreshing that throughout the book Samuel allowed military aviators to tell their own stories. But more importantly, he puts the events and activities into historical context so that readers who are not steeped in the history of the time understand the critical importance of the Cold War air effort documented by him. Early on, we hear American flyers saying "I Always Wanted to Fly" but I found the stories to be about commitment, motivation, dedication and the determined fight for the very freedoms we enjoy everyday. This book is a must read for history buffs and an adventurous, exciting and engaging work for any reader interested in the Cold War.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I Always Wanted to Fly, September 8, 2001

By 

Harold Hendler (Riverside, CA & Hannover,Germany) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen (Hardcover)

Another outstanding book by Wolfgang Samuel as he presents another facet of history in way it always needed to be told. We tend to look at history from the perspective of those who shape history - the politicians and statesmen, but here we see it from the perspective of those who make history - the military, as they go about doing their job. So eloquently written that the reader can't help but feel like being along on the mission as part of the crew - exciting, frightening and an unforgetable experience. The author has made it possible for the general public to get a taste of the airmen's world and to look behind the scenes of the many battles and wars fought since the end of World War 11. It makes one proud and appreciative of our Cold War Airmen, and thankful to them for a job well done. Highly recommend this book, as it's an eye opener for anyone who wants to know what has been going on during the last fifty five years.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spy Flights of the Cold War, December 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen (Hardcover)

In this extraordinary book you learn what it cost America to maintain our freedom - the many lives lost of airmen who flew what they called reconnaissance against the Soviet Union and Communist China. I never knew much about this secret war. Well, I Always Wanted to Fly, tells you all about those brave men who flew the RB-45 and the RB-47 in the coldest years of the Cold War. It tells you about the picture takers and those who gathered the electronic intelligence. At times their cold war flights got pretty hot. Samuel takes you along on one of those missions high over the Barents Sea, lets you experience what Hal Austin and his crew felt when they turned south, heading for Archangelsk. I admire those men and Samuel told their story beautifully. This is a book you don't want to miss if you have any interest in Cold War reconnaissance. I call them spy flights.