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Military memoir reviews: Code Talkers and Topgun
Posted on 1/29/21 at 10:15 am
Posted on 1/29/21 at 10:15 am
I just finished reading two military memoirs.
The first, Code Talkers by Chester Nez, tells the story of the USMC Navajo code talkers from one of the original 29 men in the program. Not only did were they the first to deploy, they invented the original language of the code. He details his life growing up just off the Navajo reservation, his time in boarding school, and his military career. One of the interesting things is his description of the assault on Peleliu and comparing it to the description of that by Leckie and Sledge, and how it was related in The Pacific. Really well done and I would certainly recommend it.
Topgun, by Dan Pedersen, is written by the original Officer in Charge of the Navy Fighter Weapons School. He talks heavily about how LBJ and McNamara screwed the pooch on managing Vietnam, especially the air war, as well as the failure of the missile technology in addition to the story of standing up Topgun. It's a good read, but he seems to jump around a good bit in later chapters. For example, one chapter may end in the early 80s and the next starts in the late 70s to go back and catch up on a different part of his career.
The first, Code Talkers by Chester Nez, tells the story of the USMC Navajo code talkers from one of the original 29 men in the program. Not only did were they the first to deploy, they invented the original language of the code. He details his life growing up just off the Navajo reservation, his time in boarding school, and his military career. One of the interesting things is his description of the assault on Peleliu and comparing it to the description of that by Leckie and Sledge, and how it was related in The Pacific. Really well done and I would certainly recommend it.
Topgun, by Dan Pedersen, is written by the original Officer in Charge of the Navy Fighter Weapons School. He talks heavily about how LBJ and McNamara screwed the pooch on managing Vietnam, especially the air war, as well as the failure of the missile technology in addition to the story of standing up Topgun. It's a good read, but he seems to jump around a good bit in later chapters. For example, one chapter may end in the early 80s and the next starts in the late 70s to go back and catch up on a different part of his career.
This post was edited on 1/29/21 at 11:14 am
2
Posted on 1/29/21 at 10:20 am to PJinAtl
quote:
Code Talkers b
The movie with N cage is very poorly rated but I loved it.
Windtalkers I think.
Posted on 1/29/21 at 11:23 am to Tigertown in ATL
Yes, Windtalkers was the name.
I think Nez was one of the on set as a technical advisor. There is a picture of him on set, but he only mentions the movie in passing in the book.
Not sure if the Navajo characters in the movie were real people or just amalgamations.
I think Nez was one of the on set as a technical advisor. There is a picture of him on set, but he only mentions the movie in passing in the book.
Not sure if the Navajo characters in the movie were real people or just amalgamations.
Posted on 1/29/21 at 2:14 pm to PJinAtl
quote:
Topgun, by Dan Pedersen, is written by the original Officer in Charge of the Navy Fighter Weapons School. He talks heavily about how LBJ and McNamara screwed the pooch on managing Vietnam, especially the air war, as well as the failure of the missile technology in addition to the story of standing up Topgun. It's a good read, but he seems to jump around a good bit in later chapters. For example, one chapter may end in the early 80s and the next starts in the late 70s to go back and catch up on a different part of his career.
If that's the same book I'm thinking of, I freaking loved that book. Imagine thinking dog fights would no longer exist and just punting on putting anything other than shitty rockets.
Posted on 1/29/21 at 2:32 pm to Jcorye1
quote:I think it came out in 2019 to coincide with Topgun's 50th anniversary.
If that's the same book I'm thinking of, I freaking loved that book.
quote:Exactly, go exclusively to missiles for BVR encounters, but then tell your pilots they have to have a visual ID before engaging.
Imagine thinking dog fights would no longer exist and just punting on putting anything other than shitty rockets.
Interesting in that he draws a comparison between the F-4 and the reliance on missiles in Vietnam to what we are seeing now with the F-22 and F-35 programs.
Posted on 1/29/21 at 3:08 pm to PJinAtl
Okay so it's not the book then. The one I am talking about I remember reading over 15 years ago ha.
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