I first met the author when we started the F-86 course at Williams Air Force Base in 1958. By a strange convergence of probabilities, we both came from large Polish-American families of modest means. Even more unusual was that we were both the top graduates of our pilot training classes, at different bases, and each had been awarded the Commander’s Trophy. Pete does a good job of describing the thrill of training in the F-86, but in the spirit of friendly rivalry that existed at the time, I would remind him that my top score in air-to-air gunnery was a 42 percent. My best in strafing was a 65 percent.
Our careers diverged after completing the course, and except for two chance encounters in the 1960s; we knew nothing of what each of us was doing. Reading this book is like running into Pete, asking him what he did for the last 50 years, and having every curiosity satisfied.
This book is well worth reading because it tells a story of dedication, hard work, and willingness to sacrifice in rising through the ranks of a complex organization where the opportunities to fail were abundant. The amount of personal detail illustrates the moral courage of the author. The interactions of personalities at the highest levels of command, including civilian leadership, are revealed as I have never seen them before.
In addition to this being a story of personal success, it is a good historical document. It covers in some detail the evolution of Air Force missions, systems, strategy, and tactics from the early years of the jet age to the space systems that we have today. The relatively few factual mistakes are readily recognized and easy to ignore when caught up in the drama of the narrative. The grammatical mistakes are also relatively few for a self-published book, and do not detract from the story.
What makes this a valuable historical document is that it records history from the perspective of an officer as he rose through the ranks. For example, the Air Force looks different to a lieutenant than it does to a four star general; and this comes through clearly. Some readers may think that too much detail is presented. However, they should note that if the material had not been published here, it could have been lost forever.
I recommend this book to anyone who has a curiosity about how the Air Force works. Junior officers would be well advised to read it.
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We Need More Like Him Today in the Military
With great pleasure I read and could relate to the story of General ''Pete'' Piotrowski since I had served with some of the same people as a USAF Munitions Maintenance and EOD Officer over twenty plus years. During his USAF career General Pete worked closely with General Bill Creech an icon in the annals of the USAF. I served as the Munitions Maintenance Squadron Commander under then Colonel Creech, the Commander of the 401st tactical Fighter Wing in Torrejon Air Base Madrid, Spain. I was very impressed with the variety of technical and operational assignments that General Pete held over his long career and the tremendous contributions he made to the USAF and national security. He had an uncanny ability to root out problems and provide solutions to them. This book should be mandatory reading for all military officers. Karl R. Bossi Lt Colonel USAF - Author: Just Call Me Moose! Growing Up Italian in America
