The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown

Rating:
Summary: The thoughts of the widow of Jesse Leroy Brown
Review: As the widow of Ensign Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first black pilot, I have been hoping and dreaming for 48 years that the story of his life would be told. At last, "The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown," by Theodore Taylor, an Avon Book, is on the shelves around the country. Impoverished, son of a Mississippi sharecropper, Jesse never knew the luxury of running water, electricity or an indoor toilet. But he fell in love with aviation as a child, pausing to look up from his cotton hoe at passing planes to say, "That's where I want to be." Advised to enter a Negro college, at 17 he enrolled in Ohio State (99 percent white) as a personal challenge and was told by an ROTC instructor that "no nigger would ever sit his ass in a Navy cockpit." Jesse proved him wrong and became a carrier pilot, a daily up-hill struggle over his complexion throughout almost two years of training. Against all regulations, knowing he could be kicked out, Jesse married me in October, 1947, simply because he "needed me." We were deeply in love. There were about 600 cadets at Pensacola and his was the only black face. The pressures were overwhelming. He'd fought racism all his life. He hid me in town. We saw each other occasionally, and a year later we were blessed with Pamela. Jesse was killed in combat over North Korea in December 1950. From time to time writers contacted me and Jesse's brothers wanting to tell the story but none were qualified until Navy veteran Ted Taylor came along. We worked closely with him for more than a year. I and my family are very proud of "The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown," a dream come true.

Rating:
Summary: The thoughts of the widow of Jesse Leroy Brown
Review: As the widow of Ensign Jesse Brown, the U.S. Navy's first black pilot, I have been hoping and dreaming for 48 years that the story of his life would be told. At last, "The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown," by Theodore Taylor, an Avon Book, is on the shelves around the country. Impoverished, son of a Mississippi sharecropper, Jesse never knew the luxury of running water, electricity or an indoor toilet. But he fell in love with aviation as a child, pausing to look up from his cotton hoe at passing planes to say, "That's where I want to be." Advised to enter a Negro college, at 17 he enrolled in Ohio State (99 percent white) as a personal challenge and was told by an ROTC instructor that "no nigger would ever sit his ass in a Navy cockpit." Jesse proved him wrong and became a carrier pilot, a daily up-hill struggle over his complexion throughout almost two years of training. Against all regulations, knowing he could be kicked out, Jesse married me in October, 1947, simply because he "needed me." We were deeply in love. There were about 600 cadets at Pensacola and his was the only black face. The pressures were overwhelming. He'd fought racism all his life. He hid me in town. We saw each other occasionally, and a year later we were blessed with Pamela. Jesse was killed in combat over North Korea in December 1950. From time to time writers contacted me and Jesse's brothers wanting to tell the story but none were qualified until Navy veteran Ted Taylor came along. We worked closely with him for more than a year. I and my family are very proud of "The Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown," a dream come true.

Rating:
Summary: A real hero for our times.
Review: Few people have ever heard of black aviator, Jesse Leroy Brown, except for a line here or there in a rare history book. While I like a biography to have footnotes, this book is one that anyone can pick up and enjoy. Taylor tells the story through letters, retellings of conversations Brown had with friends and relatives, and he even makes up a few. While that in itself would be outrageous, by giving Brown a "voice", we get to feel his pain, fear, joys, hopes and loves as we journey with him from his childhood to his untimely death. As a black woman, I know that there are far too few heroes for young people to emulate, Brown is one we can all learn a lesson from. It was this man's quiet determination to do what he knew he could, regardless of the racial discrimination, he would run into, that we learn how to be strong.

Taylor makes you feel as if you are in the cockpit with Brown, or pushing dollies in the freight yard with his vivid descriptions (I have a fear of flying and this book did not cure it). I was most intrigued with Brown's letters, but did find it uncomfortable to read his wife's diary, the one flaw I found in the book.

But a debt of thanks is given to Taylor, because had he not written this full biography of Jesse Leroy Brown I would not have had the honor of meeting this humble man. So if you have someone who loves history, aviation or needs a real black role model (not a Tiger Woods or a Michael Jordan), put this book on your Christmas or Hanukkah list.

Rating:
Summary: From a fellow Naval Aviator...
Review: Jesse Leroy Brown is a true hero. His life was a shining example of perseverance and courage. Mr. Taylor's book was well written and extremely well researched. Jesse's flight school and combat experiences brought me vivid recollections of my own time in flight school and flying F/A 18s in combat. The Navy, along with American society, has gotten much better; but even in the late 80s and 90s, I observed some of the prejudice that Jesse encountered.

This book has universal appeal, but it will be especially inspirational to those who are on the leading edge of a movement.

I wish I could have met Jesse Leroy Brown and thanked him for paving the way for my success some 40 years later. My children will definitely know of his ultimate sacrifice. I thank Mr. Taylor for telling this important story.

Rating:
Summary: Found - Another Forgotten Hero
Review: The travails of the First Marine Division in its "advance in the opposite direction," at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950 are legendary. Almost unknow to them then, and to millions of Americans now, a lone black naval aviator was giving his best effort to cover their escape. He died in the line of duty doing what he had dreamed of accomplishing all his life. He was Jesse Leroy Brown. Never hear of him? Neither had I until I read his biography written by Theodore Taylor. This story cannot be simply classified as African-American History. History of the American Spirit more aptly describes the chronicle of a young black boy who set his sights high then struggled to hit the target. Readers should be prepared to be uplifted in the same manner that they were when first reading about Davey Crockett, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown or Seargent Alvin York. This is human drama and adventure at its finest.

Rating:
Summary: Found - Another Forgotten Hero
Review: The travails of the First Marine Division in its "advance in the opposite direction," at the Chosin Reservoir in 1950 are legendary. Almost unknow to them then, and to millions of Americans now, a lone black naval aviator was giving his best effort to cover their escape. He died in the line of duty doing what he had dreamed of accomplishing all his life. He was Jesse Leroy Brown. Never hear of him? Neither had I until I read his biography written by Theodore Taylor. This story cannot be simply classified as African-American History. History of the American Spirit more aptly describes the chronicle of a young black boy who set his sights high then struggled to hit the target. Readers should be prepared to be uplifted in the same manner that they were when first reading about Davey Crockett, "Unsinkable" Molly Brown or Seargent Alvin York. This is human drama and adventure at its finest.