Above and Beyond: The Aviation Medals of Honor

Rating:
Summary: A&B updated
Review: For readers who have heard of retroactive Medal of Honor awards since publication of this book in 2002, please know that I'm keeping abreast of the situation. Much has changed in a short time, including the passing of the irreplaceable Joe Foss in January 2003. If A&B enters a second printing it should include corrections and updates.
(I apologize for rating my own book--I'd avoid it if it were still possible for an author to comment on his title without doing so!)

Rating:
Summary: A&B updated
Review: For readers who have heard of retroactive Medal of Honor awards since publication of this book in 2002, please know that I'm keeping abreast of the situation. Much has changed in a short time, including the passing of the irreplaceable Joe Foss in January 2003. If A&B enters a second printing it should include corrections and updates.
(I apologize for rating my own book--I'd avoid it if it were still possible for an author to comment on his title without doing so!)

Rating:
Summary: A Fresh look at the Medal of Honor
Review: Over 100 American airmen have received the Medal of Honor since World War I. Barrett Tillman's new book, written for the Smithsonian Institution, is a fresh look at these warriors and their exploits.
The book is arranged by war and service, with each recipient being individually covered. What's novel about this effort that author Tillman doesn't rely on just the official (and frequently stilted) citations, but interviewed numerous experts and witnesses of the events along with as many of the surviving medal recipients as he could locate. What you get is what Paul Harvey would call "The rest of the story", and it includes inter service rivalries and a fair dose of politics as well as courage, heroism and sacrifice.
Among the familiar names- Bong, Rickenbacker and Foss you'll find many whose valor have been lost to history. The author also covers aviation-related awards, such as men who received the medal while POWs as well as mentioning some who are commonly believed to have received the medal- Army's Colin Kelly, and some who probably should have- including Marine Marion Carl.
Tillman takes time to compare other nations' counterpart medals and deals with the changing criteria for the award through the years. He also includes things you may not have thought of, such as that the B-17 Flying Fortress has been the mount of more CMOH winners (17) than any other aircraft, while the Grumman F4F Wildcat leads all fighter types, with eight.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy reading military aviation titles.

Rating:
Summary: A Fresh look at the Medal of Honor
Review: Over 100 American airmen have received the Medal of Honor since World War I. Barrett Tillman's new book, written for the Smithsonian Institution, is a fresh look at these warriors and their exploits.
The book is arranged by war and service, with each recipient being individually covered. What's novel about this effort that author Tillman doesn't rely on just the official (and frequently stilted) citations, but interviewed numerous experts and witnesses of the events along with as many of the surviving medal recipients as he could locate. What you get is what Paul Harvey would call "The rest of the story", and it includes inter service rivalries and a fair dose of politics as well as courage, heroism and sacrifice.
Among the familiar names- Bong, Rickenbacker and Foss you'll find many whose valor have been lost to history. The author also covers aviation-related awards, such as men who received the medal while POWs as well as mentioning some who are commonly believed to have received the medal- Army's Colin Kelly, and some who probably should have- including Marine Marion Carl.
Tillman takes time to compare other nations' counterpart medals and deals with the changing criteria for the award through the years. He also includes things you may not have thought of, such as that the B-17 Flying Fortress has been the mount of more CMOH winners (17) than any other aircraft, while the Grumman F4F Wildcat leads all fighter types, with eight.
Highly recommended for those who enjoy reading military aviation titles.