Customer Reviews

Stormjammers: The Extraordinary Story of Electronic Warfare Operations in the Gulf War

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Stormjammers is a first-person story about a young military flyer who heads off to uncertainty in the war in Iraq. Robert Stanek, a combat flyer in the Air Force, has created a detailed chronicle of his journey as a military flyer from the summer of 1990 (during the build up in Iraq) to the end of the war and beyond. It is his story, well cataloged and genuine.

There is raw honesty throughout this book. It says much about the man, Robert Stanek. It tells about the Air Force. It describes the anguish, anxiety, thrill and sense of conquest that take place in any war as seen through the eyes of one who is fighting the fight.

This book is deeply personal, thoughtfully self-reflective. Stanek isn't embarrassed to reveal frequent self analyzing or periodic self doubt. It is clear from this story about one's personal journey through war that Stanek is not afraid to openly describe his anxieties, fears, and self questioning.

In some respects Stormjammers demythologizes electronic warfare, somewhat piercing the veil of secrecy. Yet, in doing so Stanek makes combat flyers more real, more human without detracting from the sense of majesty: planes taking flight, planes in the air, planes in action.

In other respects Stormjammers is about one man's journey through the agony of war. War has many faces and many types of struggles, this journey is shared with other men and women for whom Stanek has great admiration, care, and concern.

The details laid out on this journey are elaborate, often demanding the reader's fullest attention. Things often move fast, and one has to pay careful attention so as not to lose the gist of what is taking place or what has taken place. The frenzy at times makes one feel like they're right in the middle of the combat.

This book reveals courage, commitment, duty and honor in the worst of circumstances. I came away from this book wondering to myself if I could have done it. I'd like to think I could.

I listened to this book in audio first, and I liked it so much I bought the printed book too. Stormjammers is a bitingly honest assessment of Stanek's experiences during first Gulf War. The prose is clear, candid, and vivid and provides a gut-wrenching, hands-sweating, feel for life as a military flyer and what it's like to engage in aerial combat. Stanek will take you through his first thoughts on the buildup in Iraq. You will ride along as the war unfolds, sharing his pain as he takes you into places few others have ever written about so well: modern aerial warfare. You will feel the rush of emotion when you ask yourself if you could make the decisions he made and you'll tear up when you finish the book and realize that young men like Stanek will never have a peaceful rest as long as their is terror and evil in the world.

What made the book particularly refreshing was its ability to give a true depiction of the glory, horror, and tragedy that the Iraq war, like all wars, has entailed. On the one hand, the Iraqi war provided someone like Stanek with a chance to test his own character under grim conditions and emerge tougher and more confident as a result. But the heart-wrenching human struggles he describes make the account so personal and so real. And his frank retelling of everything from the initial build up to the after effects of the war only deepen how it affects you. It would be easy for an individual unfamiliar with the military to forget how crucial air power was in the war and easy to remember only the ground battles but the Iraqi war was fought and won from the air long before there were any groundbattles. In summary, this book provides a view into modern warfare unlike any I have not encountered before. No one could read it and fail to come away with a clearer understanding of war and its impact on those who fight.

This book is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it.

Stormjammers is a beautifully written and deeply personal look at one man's transformation from a young flyer to a hardened combat veteran and ultimately to a warrior irrevocably changed by his experiences. It's also the highest tribute to the men and women he served with.

From the start of this book, all the way through to the end, I was full of feelings and emotions. Stanek's words were so intense, so powerful, at times I had to put the book down for a few moments to let the feelings and imagery he generated settle in my mind. Every page resonated with the essential truth that words like duty, honor, courage, service, and commitment are not just ideals for men like Stanek and for the men and women he served with, but are in fact words lived by.

This book accomplishes the nearly impossible by seamlessly imparting factual information, and giving a truly unique perspective on the first Gulf War. The books also gives great insight into the mind of a frightened but resilient young man trying to make sense of it all, and the reader is pulled through a chapter, only to find at the end of it he's learned something about modern warfare, gotten a step closer to understanding how such events affect those who fight in them, and unmistakeably gotten a very raw and real look into the life of this remarkable young man. It is the strength of the writing keeps you reading, but also the deeper, all encompassing look at air combat and electronic warfare.

There is a depth and beauty in the way Stanek shares with the reader the bonds of friendship and professional camaraderie which are forged under these extreme circumstances. These rare bonds forged between men and woman under such difficult conditions speak to the individuals strength and character and are so unique to the military and especially the combat experience -- making this a great tribute to all who served.

In it's own way, there is beauty in the way he reveals to the reader his visceral combat experiences: from alerts, to air raids, to fighter encounters, to anti-aircraft artillery strikes, to surface to air missile attacks, to terrorist attacks. There is self doubt, questioning, and honest assessment.

Stanek's writing is clean and the book flows smoothly and entertainingly from peacetime and his training experiences with the heart of the book being his experiences in Iraq and the combat missions flown into Baghdad. Stanek is a rare author who allows the reader to visualize both vibrant imagery and vivid emotions through his words. It is both gripping and enthralling and utterly honest. The gut-wrenching emotional pain he experienced shook me to the core and remained with me for days after reading.

I strongly believe this is a book for everyone, both men and women alike. Anyone interested in the military, our country, and modern warfare will find this book a brilliant addition to the growing selection of "war memoirs." Anyone looking for an intelligent, thoughtful, insightful, and deeply introspective read will also enjoy this book. Ultimately, this is the story of a man as he is irrevocably transformed by his experiences and utterly bares his heart and soul in the telling. His words have stayed with me long after closing the pages.

Stormjammers is an outstanding read. I found the authors uncomplicated style a great fit for a very complex subject. It is hard to over emphasize the importance of EW on today's battlefield, yet there are very few books dedicated to this subject. This is one of the best to be had.

The author's storytelling ability is better-than-average most of the time, and downright page-turning when the story really gets going. I have loaned this book out so often I have two copies! That says a lot.

this book could have told its story in a single chapter. each mission is much like the one before it, and the one after it. when there is something different, like two of four engines flaming out on return to base, it gets skipped over and reader never learns why.

much preferred "Bravo Two Zero" by Andy McNab. same war, different perspective.

My husband taught "The History of Air Warfare" as an Air Force Officer Instructor for many years. Once he started reading this book, he was completely hooked and now that I've read it myself I can see why. Stanek's book stands atop a long list of past reads and is as poignant as it is heartfelt and honest. Truly a ten star book if ever there was one and far and away the best military memoir I've read in years.

I've been reading this author's other books with my children and I've enjoyed them so much I wanted to find out what else he's written. This book is one of several others I've found and what a thrilling read it is. The reader can only feel like they are right there in the heart of this terrible war. All in all, this book is fantastic.