Table of Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Foreword ix
Nickel on the Grass: A Prologue xi
Introduction xiii
Chapter 1 Flight Training: Bug Smasher to Combat-Ready 1
Chapter 2 Getting There Was Half the Fun 27
Chapter 3 My Personal War: An Anti-Climax 46
Chapter 4 Squadron: The Fighter Jock's Tribe 56
Chapter 5 The 'Lucky Devils' 68
Chapter 6 The Wonderful World of Instructing 97
Chapter 7 FWIC: The PhD in Fighter Aviation 105
Chapter 8 Death and Related Unpleasantries 119
Chapter 9 Iran: Training Fred's Air Force 122
Chapter 10 Enter the 'Hog 133
Chapter 11 Dritte Staffel (Third Squadron) 178
Chapter 12 Berlin: Cold War Personified 191
Chapter 13 The Eureka Moment 203
Chapter 14 Paradise Regained: Back to the Weapons School 205
Chapter 15 The Staff Job: Fighter Pilot Purgatory 222
Chapter 16 The Overseas Fighter Wing 246
Chapter 17 Command and Senior Rank: Good News and Bad News 250
Chapter 18 Flying Safety is Paramount 253
Chapter 19 The Idyllic Cruise that Wasn't 265
Chapter 20 The Peace Dividend 267
Chapter 21 Air Warrior: The Last Hurrah 269
Epilogue: Ode to the Missing Man 280
Appendix I Glossary of Terms 282
Appendix II Glossary of Referenced Aircraft 293
Appendix III Chronology of Assignments 295
Appendix IV Maps 297
Appendix V Simplified Organizational Chart 301
Appendix VI USAF Rank Structure 302
Notes 303
Index 304
