{"product_id":"i-always-wanted-to-fly-americas-cold-war-airmen-paperback","title":"I Always Wanted to Fly: America's Cold War Airmen - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eWolfgang W. E. Samuel\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eKen Hechler\u003c\/b\u003e (Foreword by)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eUntil now, no book has covered all of Cold War air combat in the words of the men who waged it. In \u003ci\u003eI Always Wanted to Fly\u003c\/i\u003e, retired United States Air Force Colonel Wolfgang W. E. Samuel has gathered first-person memories from heroes of the cockpits and airstrips. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Battling in dogfights when jets were novelties, saving lives in grueling airlifts, or flying dangerous reconnaissance missions deep into Soviet and Chinese airspace, these flyers waged America's longest and most secretively conducted air war. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Many of the pilots Samuel interviewed invoke the same sentiment when asked why they risked their lives in the air--\"I always wanted to fly.\" While young, they were inspired by barnstormers, by World War I fighter legends, by the legendary Charles Lindbergh, and often just by seeing airplanes flying overhead. With the advent of World War II, many of these dreamers found themselves in cockpits soon after high school. Of those who survived World War II, many chose to continue following their dream, flying the Berlin Airlift, stopping the North Korean army during the \"forgotten war\" in Korea, and fighting in the Vietnam War. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Told in personal narratives and reminiscences, \u003ci\u003eI Always Wanted to Fly\u003c\/i\u003e renders views from pilots' seats and flight decks during every air combat flashpoint from 1945-1968. Drawn from long exposure to the immense stress of warfare, the stories these warriors share are both heroic and historic. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The author, a veteran of many secret reconnaissance missions, evokes individuals and scenes with authority and grace. He provides clear, concise historical context for each airman's memories. In \u003ci\u003eI Always Wanted to Fly\u003c\/i\u003e he has produced both a thrilling and inspirational acknowledgment of personal heroism and a valuable addition to our documentation of the Cold War.\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003ePilots and crewmen remembering the Berlin Airlift, Korea, Vietnam, and secret flights over the Soviet Union\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWolfgang W. E. Samuel\u003c\/b\u003e, Colonel, US Air Force (Ret.), was born in Germany in 1935 and immigrated to the United States in 1951 at age sixteen with an eighth-grade education and no English-language skills. Upon graduation from the University of Colorado, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the US Air Force, then flew over one hundred strategic reconnaissance missions against the Soviet Union during the Cold War. His first book \u003ci\u003eGerman Boy: A Refugee's Story\u003c\/i\u003e garnered favorable reviews from the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eand numerous other outlets. He is author of eight books published by University Press of Mississippi. \u003cb\u003eKen Hechler\u003c\/b\u003e is author of \u003ci\u003eThe Bridge at Remagen\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 384\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 8.9 x 5.9 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 25, 2011\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52626511692083,"sku":"9781617031700","price":39.35,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0300\/5595\/6612\/files\/Ukp3NVVvR2xKNUg0Z1RzUmtLVVhDZz09.webp?v=1762073924","url":"https:\/\/www.vysn.com\/en-ca\/products\/i-always-wanted-to-fly-americas-cold-war-airmen-paperback","provider":"VYSN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}