Customer Reviews

Feet Wet: Reflections of a Carrier Pilot (Schiffer Military History)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Rear Admiral Paul Gillcrist, USN (Retired), gives an account of his 33-year Navy career from training in a radial engined SNJ to combat in Vietnam to his final carrier trap in a supersonic F-14A Tomcat. The book is presented in an anectodal form, like an old salt spinning his yarns for a fascinated audience.

Gillcrist's memoir has several high points. One of the most interesting parts of the book is how the Navy transitioned from a propeller-driven fleet to a jet-plane, supersonic navy. He gives a good layman's discussion of the three important advances required for jet carrier aviation: the angled carrier deck, the powerful steam catapult, and the optical landing system (aka "the meatball" or "the ball").

His accounts of two ejections (one of which left him in recovery for sixteen months) are harrowing. Some stories are laugh-out-loud funny, like the one about a pilot landing on the wrong carrier and his grace and humor dealing with the inevitable ribbing. It's easy to devour this book, and wish you had a story of your own that was half as good as only one of Gillcrist's!

What impresses me most is Gillcrist's complete lack of egotism. It's hard to write one's memoirs and not come across as at least a little self-promoting, but he pulls it off in grand style. Gillcrist is humble, and loves naval aviation enough to make it the star of the book. His account of his last trap on a carrier is Gillcrist at his most humble; it's a sad goodbye indeed.

The biggest fault of the book is its episodic format. That format worked wonderfully in Gillcrist's book "Tomcat! The Grumman F-14 Story," which was heavy on the pictures but the text was effective and authoritative as well. In "Feet Wet" the stories don't have the narrow-subject connection that "Tomcat!" does so it feels disjointed and jumpy at times; mere vignettes instead of threads in a grand story. It's easy to get the feeling that these are stories that Gillcrist would tell you over a few beers--you'd love the stories but not have too much of an idea about the man or the hows and whys of his profession.

But then again, how many times do you get to have a few beers with a man who's "been there, done that" like Admiral Gillcrist?

If you like adventure, you'll enjoy this book. If you enjoy flying, you'll love this book. If you turn your head in the direction of the sound of a plane flying overhead, you need to buy this book now! Be careful however not to start reading this book late at night. You may not get any sleep, because you won't put it down.

What a read. I had trouble putting it down. This is a captivating book by a true American HERO. From blackouts to stalls, ditching and bailing, this is a man who went through and helped to create the evolution of U.S. Navy Carrier Operations. This is a true fighter pilot, and a former "Top Gun". I consider it to be an honor to have also attended the U.S. Naval Academy, particularly with people like Admiral Gillcrist as a model for my behavior.

Thank you Admiral for providing such an entertaining book, and thank you especially for serving our Country in such a galant manner.

My job in the Navy as an Air Intercept Controller provides me the opportunity to work with some of the finest pilots in the world. Rear Adm. Gillcrest set the standarad for many other pilots to follow. FEET WET gave me an insight into early CV and CAP operations, the kind of real world operations I wish I could of been involved in. Nothing in the world would make me more professionally happy then to say "you are cleared to engage"!

Feet Wet takes the reader through flight training, combat, and carrier operations as seen through the eyes of Adm. Gillcrist. Stories told will keep you on the edge of your seat and periodically make you laugh. The book is informative to pilots as well as aviation enthusiasts.

This book is a "You Were There" looking over the shoulder of one man through his career in Naval Aviation. It is a continuously interesting experience from his first flight to his last sea tour.

He not only conveys the excitement of the flying, but paints the details of the background of aircraft carrier operations in a simple and easy to understand style along the way. Because he was flying off of carriers during the critical period of transition to jet aircraft he provides a good feeling for what the problems were and how they were solved. Anyone who wants to understand how the Navy flies jets on the high seas should read this book.

Despite the wealth of information I don't want to make this book sound like a dry technical manual. It is still predominantly one of the best told tales of true life flying adventure.

This book is an absolute must have for any naval aviation buff. If you want to feel your heart racing as you are in the cockpit with the author when he is making that first qualification landing aboard a teak deck...... YOU'VE GOT TO READ THIS BOOK! A 10+ !!!!

I read this book over 10 years ago and I still find myself recommending it to friends with aviation interests. I've given it as a gift several times. Great read for someone who has some knowledge of naval aviation. You can get lost thinking of being in Paul's shoes while reading it. Highly recommend.

For those looking for a well organized biography there is likely to be disappointment for this is a book of stories, stripped of the connective tissue which is found in more traditional bios. Stripped of excess (or in some views essential) fat this is a book about what it is like to be a great naval aviator at the dawn of the jet age.

Gilcrist is the real deal. Fighter pilot with more than 150 combat missions over North Vietnam, leader, and sometimes thinker. What distinguishes naval aviation from Air Force operations is home.

Home to the Air Force pilot is a 6,000 foot runway, lots of lights, a well stocked bar, golf course and other "comforts". For the Naval aviator it is a little postage stamp floating way down there on the sea, offering a rocking and rolling, impossibly tiny area in which to land a jet aircraft which is wallowing along far below the speed at which it wants to fly. Add to this darkness, reduced visibility, fatigue and the ever present plat cam and the pressure is on.

Gilcrist captures both the challenges of operating off carriers and the challenges of fighting the air war in Vietnam where both the Naval and Air Force pilots distinguished themselves in their skills, courage, routine heroism and dedication to the fighting of a war which was directed by those who were not committed to winning. Sun Tzu recognized the importance of the arts of politics in allowing victory without war and the importance of keeping politics out of military decisions when the troops are sent to war.


The author captures the tragedy of his new cag with no combat experience being blown out of the sky on one of his first missions.

Much of the story reads like a conversation of a group of pilots, drink in hand. Color is usually reserved for stories distinguished by the incredibly dumb thing done by the storyteller who manages to survive. Stories of personal valor are stripped to the Joe Friday approach. The sharing of these stories is an important part of the warrior culture and training.

The story is also a lot about leadership and there are few organizations in the world where leadership is more important than the Navy. It was interesting to follow Gilcrist's rapid introduction into the variety of aircraft the squadrons under his command would fly, including qualification in two new jet fighters. His comments on the flying qualities of the aircraft were very helpful.

It's "series of stories" quality make it a very easy read. The perfect companion for a long flight, leisure afternoon read in the shade or bedside table.

Highly recommended. ..................

The descriptions of locales and events can only be described as authentic and enthralling. It was great to read a short course history on the development of naval aviation, without all of the "I am the Greatest!" ego-trip.