Customer Reviews

The Black Sheep

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This study of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 really hits home to a fellow follower of the televison series. I too stayed up late to watch the series and waited with great anticipation to see "Pappy" and the gang take on everyone and everything and win the battle.

I never read Boyington's book and would like to pick up a copy to check his facts against those listed in this book. As a student of the Civil War I've come to realize, that the older men get, the more fierce the battles they fought.

Within these pages Mr. Gambles eye for detail sheds new light on the air war over the Solomons. My only concern is the finite level of detail used to put forth this work. One can tell the level of research was exhausting, however, it should not be as exhausting to go through the book. Also, the repetitive nature of Boyington's faults needs not to appear quite so often. 20/20 hindsight is not only usefull for statistical research but damaging as well, so let's not forget the men of the 214 that went to battle and lost their lives for the very liberties we now enjoy!

Take Boyinton's accounts with a grain of salt and allow the man his glory. He gave America hope during a time in which we needed a hero.

I remember my parents allowing me to stay up late on school nights to watch Baa Baa Black Sheep on TV. Being an 8 year-old boy, the planes were the biggest draw for me; but the portrayal of Pappy and the Black Sheep left a mark in my memory. In high school I read Boyingtons book but could find no others on the squadron worth reading so my view of the VMF-214 was admittedly a skewed one. Until now.

Mr. Gamble does a fine job putting the Black Sheep into perspective. His level of detail shows the depth of research he undertook yet his writing style flows smoothly and does not bog down the story. I learned much and enjoyed every chapter. My only complaints would be that he seemed a bit vindictive at times towards Boyington and more pics showing the differences in aircraft that he describes throughout the text would have been appreciated.

Bruce Gamble's account on the History of the famed VMF-214 provides a detailed look into the lives of Marine fighter pilots during the Pacific War in WWII. From the formation of the squadron thru to it's most recent history, you really get a sense of what it must have been like. This book is a perfect companion to Boyington's, Baa Baa Black Sheep or Frank Walton' s, Once They Were Eagles. Gamble's extensive research includes numerous interviews with surviving members of 214. Having read Boyington's and Walton's books, I expected that Gamble would address the 'story telling' that Boyington was know for, and he does. The Black Sheep were not the bunch of untried misfits that they have been made out to be and Gamble goes the distance in clearing that up. My only problem with his work is that, at times, he seems to take pleasure in proving out Boyington to be a liar. I think most of us would accept that Boyington was telling his story, as he saw it. Certainly he added details to 'enhance' his exploits in the war, but so what? Gamble is right to point out differences when he sees them but the final judgement should be with the reader. Greg Boyington has been credited with 28 air victories during the war. Gamble, and others, have shown that three of his Flying Tiger kills did not likely take place, fair enough. Gamble goes further to say that Boyington's final two victorys should also not count since they were not witnessed, or supported by Japanese records. If that requirement was applied to other aces of the war then there scores would suffer as well. It is enough to say that Boyington most likely had 25 kills, but has claimed and been credited for 28. Let the man rest in peace. Once you get past that, Bruce Gamble's book is a must read for WWII aviation fans.

Dear MR. Gamble: I hope you continue in your career writing about NAval (or Army) air units in WW II, because what you did in this book is amazing. The history is great, researched to the end. It gives us not only information about VMF-214 and Pappy, but also about Navy aviation in the War. Amazing!

Author Bruce Gamble has done a teriffic job of describing Marine squadron 214 and their heroic actions over the Solomons during 1943-1944. Commanded by Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, a hard-drinking, hardfighting pilot, the Black Sheep compiled a record of enemy kills that other squadrons could only dream about.

Boyington himself was credited with twenty-eight enemy planes shot down, including six as a member of the famed "Flying Tigers". He was the leading Marine Corps ace of WWII.

I remember as a child watching the television show "Black Sheep Squadron" with Robert Conrad starring as Boyington. I enjoyed each episode, and that experience made reading this book that much more enjoyable. Gamble does an excellent job of describing the evolution of VMF 214 from their days on Guadalcanal to their heyday under Boyington. After Boyington was shot down and captured by the Japanese in January, 1944, the remaining members of VMF 214 were assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Franklin, but they endured tremendous hardship when the Franklin was nearly sunk by a Japanese dive bomber in March, 1945.

I've been a World War II aviation reader for many years, and this is one of the best books I've read. The many battles fought by the Black Sheep are described in great detail. I highly recommend this great book. Pick it up and see how a rag-tag group of pilots became the terrors of the South Pacific.

I found the book in a used-book store and bought it.
Engrossing from beginning to end. The characters depicted are truly the stuff that heros are made of. These swashbucklers are all irrepresible.R eading about them makes you feel proud and a little envious. They lived their lives to the full. A great read and a must for Boyington fans.
P.S. If anyone could lead me to Henry S. Miller's 'Solomon Islands Diary from March 3 to November 13, 1943 ', I would be much obliged.

While working on my senior seminar paper for my History degree, I used two of Bruce Gamble's books, this one and Black Sheep One. I found both books great resources and loaded with interesting facts and attention to detail. These books helped me earn an "A" in the class and on the paper itself. Great books for the time period and anyone interested in the Blacksheep.

A good history should focus on the extraordinary events and the good meaty stories, then surround them with details and everyday events and ordinary happenings. All of Gamble's good stories get buried. By drudging up all the minutiae and every little detail, Gamble may be historically accurate, but he's also boring as hell. It seems like time waiting in the chow line gets as many pages as some of the heroic battles. Also, Gamble keeps harping on Boyington, going back to how his claimed kills don't match the Japanese records, his alcoholism, his insubordination, yadda yadda. Bringing these subjects up once, even twice, is appropriate, but Gamble keeps harping on them. And his theory that Boyington didn't suffer while a POW is ludicrous--that he's less of a hero than some others because he didn't lose as much weight? Please. By grinding his own axe, he loses the reader in the process.

Well researched as it is (hence three stars), the book disappoints due to the author's open aversion to Boyington. The fact that the CO of the Black Sheep occasionally drank too much, apparently did not affect his flying skills, which were well above average, nor did it endanger his men in any way. Still, to Mr Gamble Boyington's alcoholism is the subject he enjoys most and a source of his numerous derisive remarks. More than that. Because as a PoW of the Japanese, Boyington was smart enough to get himself a job in the kitchen, where he was able to steal some food, the author of the book nearly labelled him as a traitor. Mr Gable, I can only wish you had gone through a WWII Japanese PoW camp yourself.

Much like his book "Black Sheep One", Bruce Gamble's book on VMF214 from its original roots before evolving into The Black Sheep, this is a well written and easily read book on the subject of the most productive fighter squadron in the Pacific Theatre during WW2. The level to which Bruce, as a historian of aviation, has gone to depict the complete history of VMF214 is truly amazing.

I feel I am now as informed on the matter of U.S. aerial superiority in the South Pacific, on the matter of the superiority of the F4U over the Japanese Zero, on the matter of the dynamics of the members making up the Black Sheep, and finally on the matter of Greg "Pappy" Boyington's contribution to improving fighter tactics of the U.S. Marine Corp. I could not go a day without reading a chapter or two of this book until it was finished.

Excellent read!