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Scrappy
Memoir of a U.S. Fighter Pilot in Korea and Vietnam
Howard C. "Scrappy" Johnson and Ian A. O’Connor

ISBN 978-0-7864-3204-2
24 photos, index
280pp. softcover 2008

Temporarily out of stock while McFarland awaits the reprint - accepting backorders

Description
From World War II to high above the Earth to Vietnam, this memoir tells the story of fighter pilot Howard C. "Scrappy" Johnson. Beginning with his early years in Knoxville, Tennessee, the book follows Johnson through his career at the University of Louisville and his enlistment as an Air Force cadet at the onset of World War II. After World War II, Johnson served a tour of duty in the skies over Korea and in 1958 broke the world’s altitude record by over 14,000 feet, soaring at 91,249 feet in his F-104A Starfighter. For this remarkable feat he was awarded the Collier Trophy, aviation’s highest honor. In Vietnam, he was director of operations for the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing and was instrumental in founding the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots, a group dedicated to the remembrance of fallen and captured airmen. Written with panache, this work records the bigger-than-life adventures of one of America’s finest.

About the Author
Colonel Howard C. "Scrappy" Johnson is a retired command pilot who has flown over 7,000 hours in 15 fighter planes. He is an inductee in the Kentucky Aviation Hall of Fame and lives in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.Writer Ian A. O’Connor is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and lives in South Florida.

Reviews

"Scrappy--a living aviation legend. A must read."--Robert J. Gilliland, Chief Test Pilot, SR-71 Blackbird

"He’s a fighter pilot’s fighter pilot"--Ronald Fogleman, General, USAF (Ret.), Chief of Staff, USAF, 1994-1997

"Our country is fortunate to have patriots like Colonel Johnson, who are the guardians at the gates of our freedom!"--Ross Perot.