Incredible Stories: And interesting tales, in the Air, on Land and at Sea - Paperback

by Uss Hornet Sea Air &. Space Docents (Author)

The authors of the seventy-seven stories in this book are thirty-two former military and now docents serving aboard the USS Hornet, Sea, Air & Space Museum, one of the most highly decorated carriers of WWII.

Docents, a term that defines tour guides in a museum, often share stories with visitors and each other. When the pandemic hit, and they no longer met with guests and each other, they began sharing their yarns by email. The stories were collected and printed by Docent Dale Bervin who put them in a binder for all to read. From that effort it is those narratives that make up this book.

These stories range from tales of the outwardly calm approach of flying in combat, to tales of humor. Others span ship operations to stories they've heard from visitors.

Sprinkled throughout the book is the poetry of a guest docent, Don Purdy a Douglas A-4E Skyhawk pilot in Vietnam. Don writes beautifully about what a pilot in combat experiences, how he may suffer the experience later, and how he honors his friends who lost their lives.

Other pilot stories are from those who flew in the Navy, Army, and Air Force and one that flew for the making of the movie, Tora! Tora! Tora!

Stories in the book are from those who flew or crewed the following aircraft:
Fighters: F-8 Crusader, F-9 Panther, F-9 Cougar
Bombers/Attack Aircraft: , AD/A-1 Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, B-47 Stratojet,
Anti-Submarine: S-2 Tracker
Cargo: C-1 Trader, C-130 Hercules, C-69 Lockheed Constellation.
Trainer: T-6 Texan, BT-13 Valiant, TA-4J Skyhawk
Helicopters: UH-Huey, AH-Cobra, SH-3A Sea King