Customer Reviews

Pushing the Envelope: The Career of Fighter Ace and Test Pilot Marion Carl

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By a quirk of incredibly bad timing, Naval Institute Press declared Marion's memoir out of print the same week he was killed in June 1998. The sudden nature of his death created an instant demand for the book, but NIP had neglected to inform the Carl family or me (his coauthor) that the book would be unavailable. We are, however, seeking another publisher and hope to have the story of this incredible aviator and exceptional man available again.

Barrett Tillman

I admit some of the technical words were over my head but one has to acknowledge Maj. Gen. Carl's 35 years in the Marine corps. He was quite a guy. It is unfortunate we have so few of his caliber today. I think we owe it to him to read his story. What a tragedy after such a life to have his life ended the way it did.

I live in Oregon and had the honor of visiting with Marion Carl on several occasions. During an airshow, I was escorting him around the aircraft and he spotted several Marine aircraft with there pilots standing near their aircraft. Marion spent a good deal of time speaking with them. Later I stopped by the pilots Marion had been talking with and to say the least these young men were impressed. The book is easy to read. Barrett did a great job of writing. I would recommend this book to any aviation buff.

As usual Tillman does a masterful job in covering his subject, but this time it was almost a "no brainer". Marion Carl's life was like a nearly unbelievable movie. The man was a true hero. His story from combat pilot, to test pilot and even his tragic heroic death at the hands of a low-life in his own home makes a person regret that he never had the opportunity to meet the man.

This is a fantastic book on a little known hero. Although I only met him one time and had limited time with him, there was a feeling of confidence and humility that is shown in this book. One of the best reading books in a long time.

Fortunately collaborator Barrett Tillman was a personal friend of General Carl and therefore able to deliver a fine insight into the character, actions, and attitude of a tactiturn, one of a kind, Marine fighter pilot.The Marine's first ace and, all things considered, probably the Marine's greatest pilot, he was one of a small group of fighter pilots available when the war started. The odds facing him and his fellows against the superbly trained and experienced Japanese were incredible. Their actions using the terminally obsolete Wildcat fighter, above all else, started the decline and demise of Japanese fighter aviation.In this group and in those times the verification of victories by the then honorable Marines was demanding and quite accurate compared to all others.(Carl points out that the Japanese claimed forty kills against his squadrons twenty-five that took off and thirteen of these returned plus one pilot who made it back without his airaplane.Even the venerated Winston Churchill had the termidity to question the number of kills claimed during the Battle of Britain by the RAF).
Shortly after the Guadalcanal show, the grevious lack of operational training for Marine pilots was corrected,the flying machines sharply up-graded, and hordes of new pilots trained.Meanwhile the Japanese were headed in the opposite direction and soon became more target than worthy foe while the verifiction of kills became a great deal more casual.
Making a career of the Marines after the war, Carl was part of that magnificent group of test pilots who improved aircraft so greatly that very soon a man will not be required to operate them. This will effectively end the short glamorous history of fighter pilots.
Unfortunately there are too many self appointed "historians" who continue to repeat and embellish the distorions of Marine aviation history while all too often the accurate and well researched work of authors like Barrett Tillman and Robert Dorr are ignored.This results in lesser men being vociferously venerated by a large and pitiable cadre who identify with the mythical heroes purveyed by the mendacious TV, movies and publications. At least this helps them meet the requirement to fill their own often empty lives. After all John Wayne was a fine actor but never did serve in his country's uniform while Carl and others of his outstandingly patriotic contemporaries are almost unknown now.
It can be truely said that the exaggerations (polite word) associated with fighter aviation live on while the truth is oft interred with its bones. (Without apology to William Shakespeare)

Great career of Marion Carl. He's the real right stuff. From WW2 to present jets, he has done it all. Great read for anyone who enjoys a rags to riches story.

Marion Carl is another hero with an exempliary record as were Butch Voris Jimmy Flatley and many others. A very interesting and informative book.

Fantastic book.

My father was a childhood friend of Marion Carl. I followed his carieer and he always has been my hero. I enjoyed the book very much and learned a lot about Marion.

Thank you

Gary Barrett