Rating: 
Summary: Correcting the Record
Review: This posting is made at the request of my father-in-law, Colonel E.F. Smith, USAF (Ret.). Colonel Smith was one of the first two presidential pilots, making every flight on the Guess Where II, Sacred Cow and Independence. He has been interviewed extensively by the Air Force Historical Research Center, and was featured on the History Channel's documentary concerning Air Force One. Colonel Smith reviewed the relevant sections of Kenneth Walsh's book, referring to flight logs where necessary. He made the following observations. 1. Page 44 contains a description of the Presidential Cabin on the Sacred Cow, saying that, "the room contained a single chair for the commander in chief, a small desk and a two seat couch. Across the narrow aisle were seats for seven..." Comment: The desk was a small table, I don't remember a two-seat couch, and the seven seats did not exist. 2. Page 44 further describes the trip made by FDR to Yalta, "Roosevelt flew on the Sacred Cow from Yalta to Cairo, where he boarded the Quincy." Comment: the flight was from Russia to Deversoir, an airport near the Suez Canal. The cruiser Quincy was in the Suez Canal, not at Cairo. 3. Page 50: Walsh says this about President Truman: "...and he brought guests with him whenever possible so they could spread the word about the rare honor of flying with the commander-in-chief." Comment: Truman had no such practice, as confirmed by flight log records that listed passengers. 4. Page 51: Walsh says that Truman asked to be told when Independence crossed over Ohio. He then made use of the bathroom and ordered the pilot to dump waste overboard-a "tribute" to his political enemy Senator Robert Taft of Ohio. Comment: This story is a fabrication. The President never said anything like this, and it was not possible to dump waste overboard while airborne. 5. Page 51: Walsh describes a mythical "buzz" of the White House by the Sacred Cow. Comment: This story was recently told on the radio by Paul Harvey ("the rest of the story"). It never happened. On one occasion, President Truman asked that the Sacred Cow pass over the White House during its climb to cruising altitude after taking off from National Airport. As with all Presidential flights this takeoff was sedate, and did not include "buzzing" or any other form of acrobatics. Bess and Margaret never stood on the White House lawn waving and laughing as the Sacred Cow "dive-bombed" and "swooped." 6. Comment: The book does not describe the original aircraft built for use by President Roosevelt, which was named the "Guess Where II." The Secret Service decided that this aircraft was not safe enough to be used by FDR, although it was used extensively by Eleanor Roosevelt, by senior members of the Roosevelt Administration, and members of Congress. 7. Comment: This section of Mr. Walsh's book reveals the problems with reliance upon secondary sources. When Colonel Hank Myers (the other of the first two Presidential pilots) retired, he made extra money by writing fictional accounts of his experiences. Frequently, he took in-air emergencies that occurred on other aircraft piloted by other aviators and used them as the basis for alleged incidents on the Sacred Cow and Independence. Journalists have been confused for years by these stories, which turn up in one form or another in newspapers, books and magazines-described as if they actually happened. 8. Comment: Mr. Walsh unfortunately did not tell most of the interesting stories about the Sacred Cow and the Independence. Readers looking for "the rest of the story" should consult the Air Force Historical Research Center, Maxwell AFB Montgomery, Alabama.
Rating: 
Summary: A history of American Presidency on board the Air Force One
Review: What if you could be a fly on the bulkhead and watch the President of the United States as he flies on Air Force One? Most of us will never have such an opportunity, so this book is a fascinating view inside the president's official jumbo jet. The book starts with a very swift, journalist's sweep through Franklin Roosevelt to George Walker Bush. While Teddy Roosevelt was the first president in the air, FDR was the first to use it for presidential business including internationally. But Air Force One is really a contemporary element of the Presidency, becoming an important player in US history with the stunning image of the swearing-in of Johnson aboard the plane after the assassination of Kennedy. Walsh describes everything from the food--Barbara Walters got a Spam sandwich, George H.W.Bush banned, what else, broccoli while son George likes Asian and spicy Tex-Mex. He tells you about the lavatories, souvenir notepads, who sits where (seats are assigned, and the president has a suite in the very front, including a desk and bed.) And there is other fascinating trivia--why, for example did George W. ground his father when both were flying? You'll find the answer here. I once saw Air Force One on the tarmac at Boston Logan, when Clinton was at the end of his second term. It was night, we were delayed to allow Air Force One to land. Then we saw it, glistening huge and frosty-white in the glare of the runway lights. Air Force One IS impressive, and a symbol of our US leadership. This is a very fun read, and a unique insight into one aspect of the US President's life.
| 
