Bookshelf

Two pilots, years apart

The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West

Inspired by real events of a female aviator, The Uncharted Flight of Olivia West follows Olivia, a young pilot, in her attempt to complete an air race from the west coast to her home in Hawaii. She must fight for her right to take part in the male-dominated aviation world of the 1920s, and finally manages to be picked as navigator, officially entering in the dangerous race that will threaten her life, time and time again. Simultaneously, the story follows Wren in the 1980s as she inherits a piece of land on the Big Island that contains clues to a tragic aviation history. She enlists the help of neighbors to uncover Olivia’s story, which leads to discoveries that lie much closer to home than she could have imagined. —Capucine Cordina

Defending the U.S. with civilians

America’s Homefront Air War

Civil Air Patrol coastal air corps historian Roger Thiel brings to light the largely untold story of how U.S. civilian pilots defended the East Coast from German submarines during World War II.

The CAP Coastal Patrol consisted of 21 stations with civilian pilots flying their civilian aircraft and spanned from New England to the Gulf Coast. Shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Thiel writes that engagement moved from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Coast, with underwater torpedoing of Allied ships by German submarines “within eyesight of New York City.” America’s Homefront Air War contains 90 historic black and white photos of Golden Age of aviation classics. Deployed models included the Fairchild 24, Grumman Widgeon, Ryan SCW, Sikorsky S-39, Stinson Reliant and Voyager, and Waco Cabin biplanes. Some were outfitted with bomb doors and many had the capability to drop depth charges on aggressors. The CAP’s Coastal Patrol “influenced the tactics of U-boats” and ultimately led to increased safety of merchant shipping vessels, which helped secure supply chains for the Allied forces. In all, 26 Civil Air Patrol pilots paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. —David Tulis

Secret missions

We Dared to Fly

William Reeder Jr. tells the true story of his assignment to the special mission unit, the 131st Surveillance Airplane Company, call sign Iron Spud. Army aviators flew the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk in Vietnam to capture intelligence for military decision makers and senior officials. When Reeder joined the mission, already three-quarters of the unit’s aircraft had been lost, most to combat action in Laos and North Vietnam. The Army quickly replaced losses in the 131st because of the critical need for the information they collected. Reeder brings the reader into the lives of this group of fascinating brave men in We Dared to Fly: Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War with recently declassified material and his own personal experience. Reeder is a retired U.S. Army colonel who received two Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Purple Hearts.

—Julie Summers Walker