Rating: 
Summary: Best book on the aerial war in the pacific
Review: Pappy Boyington is probably one of the wildest characters in all of WWII. Very unorthodox in his ways which caused him alot of problems with his superiors, but he was loved by his men. Highly recommend it to any aviation enthusiast or anyone interested in a good sdventure story. My all time favorite book
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Summary: Rough-hewn chronicle of a tough marine
Review: Pappy Boyington would not have gotten great marks for literary style or technique, but a reader delving into BAA BAA BLACK SHEEP probably wouldn't care very much. I certainly didn't. The insight into the man's life is often priceless--especially his takes on aerial combat, his experiences in the South Pacific (both before and after being shot down), and the Japanese people once the war was over. The lucid and colorful accounts of his days in the AVG as well as VMF 214 make all the superfluous sidetrips, self-deprecating ruminations, and endless proselytizing (even though he tells you time and again he's not doing that) worth the bumpy ride. There's a genuineness and immediacy about his story that would indicate that, while he may have necessarily had a heavy-handed editor, the words are basically his own. Boyington drives home the excitement and horror of his wartime experiences with great intensity, making this book a real thriller. Despite Boyington's endless flaws and rough edges (which he never ceases to remind you of), he comes across as a character to admire and to identify with--even if you often want to smack him a good one. Definitely recommended.
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Summary: Don't expect the Robert Conrad TV series here
Review: Readers who read this expecting to find redneck caricature Sergeant Micklin who calls the fliers "college boys" and fires antiaircraft guns with a cigar clenched in his teeth will come up empty. As will the folks who hope for air skirmishes between Pappy and his "friendly enemy", the genial English-fluent "Tommy" Hirachi. But General Moore was a real person--you'll find him here as the tough-but-fair "old man" he was in the series. As was Colonel Lard, who was so unable to judge Boyington by his effectiveness instead of spit and polish that Moore frequently had to intercede between the two. But the Solomon Slot period depicted in the series was but a part of a much wider autobiography written here by Boyington himself. Boyington is brutally candid about his own alcoholism in this book, plus he gives a lot more credit to Naval fliers saving his butt on at least one occaision than the "branch-o-centric" version of him as played by Conrad ever would have. I was amused to find mention of Japanese night bomber "Washing Machine Charlie" and his nuisance raids which kept the base awake largely through the out-of-synch twin engines which gave him his name--my memories of the series supplied me with the sound--an oscillation that sounded just like my mother's Easy Spin Dry pre-automatic washer.
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Summary: Hell raising fighter pilot tells his story
Review: The exploits of the Black Sheep Squadron may have dimmed in popular memory in recent times, especially outside the US. This is the story of their most famous pilot, Pappy Boyington, beginning with his stint with the Flying Tigers in China and ending with his capture by the Japanese in the latter stages of World War II.
Boyington's prose is prosaic to say the least, however at least it seems to be his own words, unpolished by the editor or ghostwriter. Predictable hell-raising type antics involving booze and fighting are plentiful, the questionable veracity of some of the particular facts is probably unimportant if you take it for granted that in general Boyington was an outstanding pilot, had problems with authority etc.
The best part for me was the description of his time in captivity, especially his relationship with an elderly Japanese lady. These passages I think raise the book up a level, as he displays remarkable insight and personal development. There's a genuine character arc here. Hollywood executives take note, it could be time to revisit this particular story. The Godfather was fashioned out of original pulp material, I think equally this book is worth more than the sum of its parts.
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Summary: Show me a hero....
Review: The flying life of WWII fighter pilot Greg Boyington, who flew against the Japanese with the Flying Tigers immeidately prior to to WWII and then again with the Marines until being shotdown in 1944 and becoming a POW. Greg "Pappy" Boyington's career as a Marine aviator was pretty much over before America even entered WWII. At that point, teh fighting was being carried on, supposedly, by the Europeans and the Chinese. When numerous pilots were being asked to join the famous "Flying Tigers" - a Chinese AF unit actually run by Americans and flying American fighters - Boyington jumoed at the chance. With his career going nowhere, and his marriage also over, the prospect of going to China to fly against the Chinese offered him a chance of redemption, to put his career on hold until he could get back from China with a record strong enough to rejuvinate his career. Instead, frequent clashes with the head of the Tigers - Claire Chennault - led to Boyington's quick removal from that unit. Leaving China, where condescending Yankees are sewing the seeds of hostility which the Chinese will harvest in 1949, Boyington finds he can't get back to flight duty. The Marines, from which Boyington resigned in order to join the Tigers, at first can find no record of Boyington's arrangement to rejoin the Marines at Major's rank. Despite this, and also despite Chennault's insistence to Boyington's superiors that Boyington be reinstated to the Marines and given a desk job, Boyington returns to the Pacific in time to fly F-4U Corsairs against the Japanese for the Marines. Patching together a squadron out of misfit flyers, Boyington leads his men against the Japanese in a theater that isn't getting the most attention from Washington. Everything seems second hand about Boyington's unit, already deemed unusable by others. This was especially true of their planes. Though the Corsair was powerful, it had racked up a poor saftey record among Navy carrier units unused to it. Nicknames like "Widowmaker", "Bent-Wing Eliminator" and "Whispering Death" hint at a lethality directed at Corsair pilots almost as much as at the Japanese.Shotdown by the end of 1944, Boyington endures nightmarish deprivation as a POW. Nevertheless, there isn't a bitter bone against the Japanese to be found anywhere. Returning to America with the war's end, Boyington slides deeper into alcholism and failure. The most enduring image for me is that of the scarred warrior as a ref in wrestling matches, a long way from the glory he should have realized from his iron determination in the air. Boyington's honesty seems striking - he reserves virtually all of the blame for himself. "Show me a hero", he says "and I'll show you a bum."
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Summary: Real life heroes are seldom perfect...
Review: There is no doubt that Pappy Boyington was a man who really had "been there and done that." He was a Flying Tiger and an ace before WWII even began, recipient of the Medal of Honor, and a former Japanese "special captive". His writing style is certainly not concisce. It is sometimes winding, often rambling and tortured. Pappy was not a writer, and doesn't try to pretend the book is a peice of great literature. He is just a man who had been through a heck of a lot, and shares his recollections with you. Pappy simply calls them the way he sees them. Pappy Boyington would be the first to point out his numerous flaws, (he points them out in the book ad nauseum...). The book is almost nothing at all like the series. I loved the series when I was a kid, and still watch it on the History Channel. But the tales in the book are his real recollections, this is history the way Pappy saw it, there are other accounts that sometimes do not jibe with what Pappy remembers. That really doesn't bother me, nor do I think it detracts from who Pappy Boyington was. Is all of the history accurate? I don't know, I am not a historian. Should you take some of his assertions with a grain of salt? Of course, I do that no matter what the source. Should you read this book? I would recommend that you do if you are interested in the subject matter at all.
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Summary: He really was a black sheep.
Review: This book is one of many other aviational books i have read. This one in particular is quite interesting because he takes you from indo-China, where he flew for the Flying Tiger, and to the Solomon Islands. He is an exceptional author who has the ability to tell an story with exceptional ability. His book is great and a must read if you desire to be a well rounded aviation historian.
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Summary: BOYINGTON'S OWN ACCOUNT
Review: This is a strange book with a misleading title. It is more an autobiography than a narration about the Black Sheep squadron. However, I rate it five stars because it delivers what I was looking for, an excellent narration of Boyington's internment in a Japanese internment camp. Reading the book, it appears Boyington wrote it himself without the help of a ghost writer or editor, and it shows. It rambles at times, meditates, confuses, dwells on his drinking problems... But overall, Boyington delivers the goods: (1) a pre-war background; (2) his work in China; (3) the Black Sheep aviators; (4) his being shot down by the Japanese; (5) his internment; and (6) after the war. Boyington, the author, treats us to the use of "tough guy" 1940-1945 words and expressions, which is refreshing, and he goes into detail on some events which could have been left out but which, nevertheless, are very interesting (traveling as a missionary, adventures ashore, etc.) and give the book a special touch. His capture by the Japanese was what I was after, and I was well satisfied. Boyington goes into great detail and, by his method of writing, makes the reader feel you could actually see him sitting there begging sake from the Japanese guards while he worked in the kitchen preparing for one of their celebrations. A nice book, better written by Boyington than by a ghost writer. It captures the essence of the moment.
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Summary: NOT A CLASSIC AT ALL !!!
Review: Totally obtrusive as a writer, Boyington's book is plain horrible. It really doesn't deserve the attention it got. BOyington was a real air hero ( as all the men who served in WW II ), a master in the Corsair fighter, but a poor leader to his squadron in general ( I mean the ground echelon, etc ). The book is full of lies ( intended or not, I don't know ) and almost a half of it is plain boring, in the hands of the Japanese.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best WWII fighter pilot autobiographies..
Review: When I look at my bookshelf, I realize I've had read quite a few WWII fighter pilot autobiographies -- Yeager, Forever Flying, First and Last, View From the Cockpit, Thunderbolt!, etc... In comparing Boyington's Baa Baa Black Sheep to the rest of the genre, I can say that this book ranks among the best, and is possibly THE best of the WWII fighter pilot autobiography genre. Initially I sense a tone of openness and humility that is not so prevalent in the other books. Boyington is quite forthcoming on his shortcomings, dispenses entirely with the honor and glory, and rejects all hero accolades in favor of ...well...you read it and find out. The book has 4 sections, each historically interesting in their own right. The first section covers the AVG, or Flying Tigers, and is interesting in its insight into China, Chennault, etc... The second section covers VMF 214 where he gained most of his notoriety. This section is interesting in it's comparison to the TV show of the same name, and is probably the reason why most people read this book. If this is why you are interested in this book, then I promise you will not be disappointed. The third section covers his imprisonment in a Japanese prison camp. I am amazed at that lack of hatred, generalizations, etc... that he makes of the Japanese. He views each one as an individual, some good, some bad. There is just no animosity displayed at his captors, despite the horrific living conditions. The fourth section covers life after the war and his troubles with alcohol. But I haven't yet told you why the book is so much better than it's peers... What makes the book better is the incredible character growth displayed by Boyington in the book. From a soldier and mercenary, Boyington gradually grows in character, strength, leadership abilities...and then unexpectedly, an inner peace and understanding. A very interesting read!
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