Customer Reviews

Wake Island Pilot: A World War II Memoir

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The first two chapters were a warm up for the real guts and glory! I have never met the author but just reading his book made me proud to be an American. Using the genious approach to cannibalizing parts to fly planes that had no chance of surviving against such great odds is overwhelming.

My advise is to buy the book and read, start to finish!

In any story one reads about Wake Island, Lt. Kinney is always mentioned as a key player. It is interesting to piece the Wake saga together with the individual stories and anecdotes of the men like Kinney who were there.
The story Kinney tells is a humble one, considering the events he has seen and endured. He is the original "MacGuyver," fixing equipment not only at Wake, but also throughout his career.
Kinney's story is like walking through nearly every chapter of military aviation history. Few can ever say they flew in everything from Curtiss Jennys to early Vietnam era jets.
A great read for Wake Island, WWII, aviation and Korean War enthusiasts alike.

Well written, very interesting book. I have read several books on Wake Island, in most if not all you learn a little about John Kinney, but this book is his own story. From his pre Wake days to his escape from prison camp and later life. I highly reccomend reading this book. Not as detailed as most Wake books about events that occurred but mostly of what he himself witnessed and endured on Wake and as a POW. Without Kinney the defense of Wake would not have lasted nearly as long, he kept our planes in the air by his great mechanical skills. Truely a great American hero.