Customer Reviews

Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force, 1947-1997 (Thomas Dunne Book)

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To anyone wondering what "Beyond the Wild Blue: A History of the U.S. Air Force 1947-1997" is about, I would recommend a careful look at the title. The title tells one exactly what the book is and is not. It is not a history of American Airpower, although the development of the Army Air Corps is briefly presented as background. It is not a history of the Air Force in war, although the war record of the Air Force is given its due. Beyond the Wild Blue is the history of the U.S. Air Force during the first 50 years of its existence. It is, in essence, an organizational history of the Air Force.

Reviewers often report that an historical book "reads like a novel". I would say that Beyond the Wild Blue develops like a novel. At the end of a novel the reader often realizes that it possesses a theme or a point to which the whole book has contributed. That is the case with this book. The ultimate point of "Beyond the Wild Blue" is that the Air Force has been an organization which has constantly striven, through a continuing research and development program, to achieve its mission through the advancement of aerospace technology. Through his telling of the story of the Air Force as it developed from a stripped down force in the years after World War II to the technological marvel which won the Gulf War, Walter Boyne brings us to realize how the organizational strategy of the Air Force has brought it to the point at which it is the power which it is today. He also makes us realize the degree to which the Air Force depends on the technical expertise of its officers and enlisted personnel in achieving its mission.

Throughout this book, Boyne mixes facts with his candid assessments of personnel who have affected the history of the Air Force. Generals, Secretaries of Defense and the Air Force as well as politicians all come in for forthright praise or criticism. Two of Boyne's heroes figure prominently in the story. General of the Air Force Hap Arnold, who had commanded the Army Air Corps in World War II, guided the Air Corps to its birth as an independent service and inspired its quest for technological superiority. General Curtis LeMay, more than any other officer, imprinted his personality and ideals on the Air Force, much to the benefit of the service and the nation.

Through this book we see the Air Force, at its inception, as a force poorly equipped with World War II leftovers. Ill-prepared at the start of the Korean War and handicapped by politically imposed rules of engagement, the Air Force was, nonetheless, able to establish air superiority throughout the peninsula and, thereby, contribute to the United Nations' successes.

Through the Cold War years of the fifties and early sixties, the Air Force preserved the peace largely through its capability to deliver nuclear weapons, both by manned bomber and ICBM.

The Vietnam War was, for the Air Force as well as all of the American military, a frustrating conflict. The handicaps imposed by politically inspired rules of engagement were more serious even than those imposed in Korea. As an example, pilots were forced to risk their lives trying to destroy trucks individually, while being prevented them from destroying freighters full of trucks in North Vietnamese ports.

After Vietnam, the Air Force continued its technological improvement at an uneven pace, varying with the political winds of the day. The ultimate payoff for the Air Force research and development programs would come in the Gulf War. In this war air control was established, not by defeating an enemy challenge in the air, but by preventing the challenge from arising. The destruction of Iraqi radar and communications kept the enemy planes hunkered on the ground. The ability of air power to pick apart Iraqi defenses and destroy and demoralize its ground forces proved the ultimate vindication of the Air Force research and development programs.

Throughout this book, Boyne presents an agreeable blend of narration about individuals, equipment, organizational concepts and war stories, detailed enough to hold the interest without leading to boredom.

This book addresses all aspects of Air Force service. Fighters, Strategic and Tactical bombers Air Lift and refueling all are given proper attention. The recent reorganization of the Air Force Commands was clearly explained. The changing demands of the American public that victory must be swiftly achieved with few casualties, either of friendly or enemy forces or noncombatants, and the Air Force's ability to meet those demands were presented as a logical result of the continuing research and development programs.

I was particularly impressed by the description of the refueling capabilities which can now keep aircraft flying virtually indefinitely. Equally impressive is the story of the B-52, which may have a useful life of 75 years from first flight to final retirement.

At the conclusion we are presented with an Air Force which has the potential to deliver military punch of unprecedented scope and dimensions. In an era in which the availability of overseas bases may be limited, the Air Force has the capability, through refueling, of delivering ordinance to virtually any place on earth through missions originating in the United States. Although beyond the temporal scope of this book, the continuation of the technological advancement was seen in the Bosnian operation in which bombing runs originated and ended in Missouri by warriors who would spend their nights at home with their families .

This book is a fitting tribute to the men and women who have carried the story of the United States Air Force into the Wild Blue and Beyond.

The tone for this compelling and comprehensive history of the Air Force as a separate military service is exquisitely and movingly cast in the foreword by the distinguished journalist Hugh Sidey. Describing the overflight of Air Force One at the funeral of President Kennedy, Time Magazine's chronicler of Camelot reveals that he interpreted this tribute to the fallen leader of the free world as "an enduring promise that the Air Force would hold the heavens. . . ." Walter Boyne, a retired Air Force bomber pilot and a former Director of the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, proceeds to fill in the details of just how the Air Force kept that promise in this remarkably thorough study. With the advantage of having lived through much of the history he writes about, Boyne offers up an intriguing and fact-filled narrative of the personalities and events that shaped the Air Force. This is a book that anyone interested in the Air Force or military aviation must read. On the outskirts of Dayton, Ohio, not far from the expanse of prairie land where the Wright brothers instructed fledging Army aviators, like future Chief of Staff Henry "Hap" Arnold, is the enormous infrastructure of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, home of the service's research and development efforts, the Air Force's window into the future. At one point in his illustrious career, Arnold commanded the base, and in cognizance of the value of military tradition the Air Force has preserved in period motif the stately officer's quarters once occupied by Arnold. One can imagine the great airpower strategist, if he were alive today, attired in his pinks and greens, jodphurs and leather belt with chest strap, relaxing in one of the Arnold House's fluffy chairs with a gas lantern glowing nearby, reading and enjoying Walter Boyne's outstanding book about the history of the service that the general himself had willed into being. If the leaders of today's Air Force were smart, they would make Boyne's beautifully written history required reading for all officers under their command.

In my opinion Walter Boyne did a good job of summarizing the history of the U.S. Air Force over half of a century in a small space.

To those critics I would offer this reminder; this is not a novel, and I for one found it enjoyable reading for what it was: a documentary.

Historically and technically accurate. Excellent description of the maturing af out first line of offense and defense. Boyne really knows, and shows tempered perspective covering 50 years of increduble advances in Air Force systems and management

Walter Boyne is a retired Air Force colonel who has written four books of fiction and twelve non-fiction all of which deal with the Air Force.

In Beyond the Wild Blue, Boyne sketches the early days of the air arm of the Army Signal Corps then expands through the years of growth with its importance in military and national security through the establishment of the Air Force in 1947.

General Billy Mitchell is recalled as a fighter for air power as well as the continuing impact of General Hap Arnold through and following World War II. It was most interesting (and surprising) to learn of Arnold's brief bout with the fear of flying and year's hiatus from flying. When he returned, he never again wavered and even with continuing heart problems was one the greatest generals to espouse and forward the importance of air power.

Boyce deals with two main themes:

First, the battles that the air staff and chiefs of staff had in promoting air power and the belief of its importance particularly when there was the contentiousness of the Army and Navy.

Second, the effect of Secretaries of Defense such as Robert McNamara during the Vietnam War and his absolute, solitary control of the military which was largely responsible for America's military defeat. It is certainly damning of McNamara (and to some extent, President Lyndon Johnson) in the complete micro-management of the war. This led to a philosophy by the Defense Department which reared its ugly head again in the personalities of several follow-on Secretaries of Defense (specifically, Rumsfeld and Cheney) during and following the Persian Gulf War. Boyce defends the professionalism and patriotism of chiefs of staff who stayed on despite the harassment and undue solo performances from these secretaries. McNamara, by way of escape, resigned in the midst of the obvious failure at his job to become president of the World Bank.

One must note that several present day commanders have refused the job of Joint Chief of Staff. While personal reasons are cited, I would opine that these military men are not interested in being frustrated and used as Boyce describes.

There is an extensive section on the Vietnam War. As a participant in that fiasco, I felt close to the comments and the history of the escalation. Boyce recognizes that the B-57 Canberra was the first jet aircraft to strike in both North and South Vietnam, which pleased me as a Canberra driver. However, I was disappointed to read nothing of the work of the civilian-type small aircraft such as the OV-10 which were so effective and so vulnerable as Forward Air Controllers (FAC). Again, there was an error in not mentioning the T-34 and T-28 (the latter was recognized as a combat aircraft in Vietnam) as trainers following the ubiquitous T-6 and starter trainer PA-18.

The B-52, F104, F100, C-130, C-47, KC135. B-66 and air rescue aircraft and crews are duly recognized for their work. The contribution to air power by the bombers of WWII, the fighter aircraft of Korea and the mistakes of that "police action" are well documented. There is enough in the anecdotes to stir an interest in the reader to find more on the subjects. He gives due credit to the magnificent men who flew and maintained the aircraft, the heroism of many and the failure of decisions made by non-military men to prosecute and win. Boyce maintains that there were several "holds" such as bombing halts which were instrumental in prolonging the conflict and making the loss of 58,000 men meaningless.

We read of "Tooey" Spattz, Curtis LeMay, Bernard Shriever and the other generals who had the clout to make a difference in the Air Force mission. Above all, Boyce makes clear that the difference in air power and the future of the Air Force depends on the professionalism of the men and women in its ranks who support its mission.

It will interesting to see the follow-on reports of the impact of the Air Force since September 11, 2001, Afghanistan and Iraq, but - we are witnesses to that. The future of the Air Force (or will it be the Aerospace Force?) will be as changeable as its past as it adapts to the needs of America.

Walter Boyne provides a great account of the first fifty years of the USAF. From the early Army Air Force days when the US had barely enough aircraft to hold a missing man formation, to the end of the Cold War where the US won out on sheer firepower.

Mr. Boyne, having flown personally is the right man for the job, due to his sometimes first hand knowledge of events he is highly credible. He addresses key events in the USAF's history, like the end of WWII, KOREA, and VIETNAM. These events make up the very essence of the USAF. He is very thorough in describing the ever changing culture and strife the USAF has gone through in the last 50 years.

I highly recommend this book and frequently go back to relive the last 50 years of the greatest service this country has ever known.

This book was in great condition, just as the seller stated. I was very impressed with the condition of the book and the promptness of its arrival. I would definitely use this seller again for great items. Very satisfied!

This is a fat book, but it written in a concise manner, so expect much detail. It is almost encylopedic. We are an Air Force family, and I am learning much from this source. Arrived like new with an interesting dedication to an Air Force officer. This is a keeper.

Walt Boyne, who invented the magnificent "absent friends" writing approach later blatantly stolen (but perfected) by USAF hating W.E.B. Griffinth, (end of BOW book #6? Son-Toy raid? ...yeah...) began his writing career with a VERY good docu-drama novel on the history of the AF in "The Wild Blue". Later, he went on to produce the finest mini-mini series the History Channel has ever seen, "Beyond The Wild Blue", which not only chronicled the history of our AF perfectly, it also SOUNDLY discredited & destroyed the adoption of Bill Creech's terrible TQM philosophy by Tony McPeak. TQM, a good idea, wrecked the service into institutionalized chicken****. Unfortunately, when it came time to turn this wonderfully truthful and effective segment into a book, Mr. Boyne, apparently now aware of some high-ranking feathers he had ruffled, spends a good portion of this volume's middle now PRAISING Total Quality Management, or as those of us who saw the sad rhetoric pushed into practice heard it called SO many times, QAF. The hard-earned gains of the "Project Warrior" program and General Creech's good work to clean up TAC vanished in the space of a single Clinton administration. Mr. Boyne should stick to what he does best, praising our best service, the USAF, and avoid trying to jump (back) onto a bureaucratic bandwagon whose "fad" express has long since sailed.

Col. Boyne, author of "Beyond the Wild Blue" is already established as a great author of military and aviation history. Unfortunately, his latest work "Beyond the Wild Blue" shows clear evidence of a rushed manuscript that was poorly edited and should have been extensively re-written before descending on the paying public.

The book sets out to tell the history of the US Air Force from its emergence as an independent service in 1947, through the rise of SAC in the 50s, to the Crucible of Vietnam in the 60s and its apotheosis in the 1991 Gulf War. That's a lot of history.

Unfortunately, the book is not that enjoyable. It alternates between extreme detail that dulls interest and cursory examination of very important topics that defies logic. Its style changes randomly between topics in ways that does not suit the flow at all.

This book should have been extensively re-edited by its publisher before going to print. It is a basic manuscript that seems to have been checked for grammar and spelling and not much else. No doubt there was some deadline that made a rushed job necessary: perhaps the 50th anniversary of the USAF. That's not a good reason to spend $30 on it.

I eagerly look forward to Col. Boyne's next work and hope that it will be ready for print when it is actually published.

Brian D. Liddicoat, Attorney At Law, San Francisco, CA