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Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds
Fighter Pilot is the memoir of legendary ace American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force, Robin Olds.
Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—and an ace with 12 aerial victories.
But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn't a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace.
Olds, who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007, was a unique individual whose personal story presents one of the most eagerly anticipated military books in recent memory.
Please This ebook edition does not include the photo insert from the print edition.
Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—and an ace with 12 aerial victories.
But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn't a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace.
Olds, who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007, was a unique individual whose personal story presents one of the most eagerly anticipated military books in recent memory.
Please This ebook edition does not include the photo insert from the print edition.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 7, 2010
409 people are currently reading
3201 people want to read
About the author
Robin Olds
5 books8 followersROBIN OLDS "was an American fighter pilot and general officer in the U.S. Air Force. He was a 'triple ace', with a combined total of 16 victories in World War II and the Vietnam War. He retired in 1973 as a brigadier general.
"The son of regular Army Capt. Robert Olds [who had served as a flight instructor in France during the First World War and later became an advocate of strategic bombing in U.S. Army aviation circles], educated at West Point, and the product of an upbringing in the early years of the U.S. Army Air Corps, Olds epitomized the youthful World War II fighter pilot. He remained in the service as it became the United States Air Force, despite often being at odds with its leadership, and was one of its pioneer jet pilots. Rising to command of two fighter wings, Olds is regarded among aviation historians and his peers as the best wing commander of the Vietnam War, both for his air-fighting skills and his reputation as a combat leader.
"Olds was promoted to brigadier general after returning from Vietnam but did not hold another major command. The remainder of his career was spent in non-operational positions, as Commandant of Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy and as an official in the Air Force Inspector General's Office."
http://us.macmillan.com/author/robinolds
"The son of regular Army Capt. Robert Olds [who had served as a flight instructor in France during the First World War and later became an advocate of strategic bombing in U.S. Army aviation circles], educated at West Point, and the product of an upbringing in the early years of the U.S. Army Air Corps, Olds epitomized the youthful World War II fighter pilot. He remained in the service as it became the United States Air Force, despite often being at odds with its leadership, and was one of its pioneer jet pilots. Rising to command of two fighter wings, Olds is regarded among aviation historians and his peers as the best wing commander of the Vietnam War, both for his air-fighting skills and his reputation as a combat leader.
"Olds was promoted to brigadier general after returning from Vietnam but did not hold another major command. The remainder of his career was spent in non-operational positions, as Commandant of Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy and as an official in the Air Force Inspector General's Office."
http://us.macmillan.com/author/robinolds
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November 11, 2024
Robin Olds was one of those larger-than-life people that were plentiful during the early part of the 20th century and lived a full life. I knew about Olds as a WW2 ace, but that was it. This book tells one of the most interesting life stories of a fighter pilot from that time, and that is saying a lot. He was an army brat and went to West Point where he became a star athlete and then chose to become a pilot when their wartime class was accelerated. He served in Europe and scored 12 victories in the air war there before the war ended.
After World War 2 he served in many capacities in the air force, but missed the fighting in Korea, but more than made up for it in Vietnam when he went there as an "old man". His leadership skills came to the fore here and he transformed his unit into probably the most effective air force unit in the skies of Vietnam. He also scored four more victories here to make him a triple ace.
Along his journey we meet many interesting people whom he crossed paths with and who also impacted his life. This was a great book written so well that the story just flows of the pages, and a great example of leadership and personal bravery. Highly recommended.
After World War 2 he served in many capacities in the air force, but missed the fighting in Korea, but more than made up for it in Vietnam when he went there as an "old man". His leadership skills came to the fore here and he transformed his unit into probably the most effective air force unit in the skies of Vietnam. He also scored four more victories here to make him a triple ace.
Along his journey we meet many interesting people whom he crossed paths with and who also impacted his life. This was a great book written so well that the story just flows of the pages, and a great example of leadership and personal bravery. Highly recommended.
November 25, 2021
I never even heard of this guy. How could that be? What a joy. He is like Patton but in a fighter instead of a tank. The Robin Olds biography is the surprise book of the year for me. Honest to a fault, the book made me nod my head in agreement and laugh often. I was thoroughly entertained by the story of the WW2 fighter ace, Vietnam near ace (4 kills), West Point football hall of famer, Air Force Academy Superintendent, and husband to a Hollywood heartthrob, etc.
The only slight criticism I have is that Robin would often talk in slang and acronyms that made it hard to follow in an audio book. Also, each time he flew a new plane he would compare it to the previous one and this was a little hard to follow because I just didn’t understand some of the terminology but I think an aviation enthusiast would love it. It was still, very much worth my while and I think anyone that likes a fast-paced, brutally honest memoir of a aviator will like this one.
The only slight criticism I have is that Robin would often talk in slang and acronyms that made it hard to follow in an audio book. Also, each time he flew a new plane he would compare it to the previous one and this was a little hard to follow because I just didn’t understand some of the terminology but I think an aviation enthusiast would love it. It was still, very much worth my while and I think anyone that likes a fast-paced, brutally honest memoir of a aviator will like this one.
August 4, 2012
Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds is a fantastic read, a 5 Star permanent shelf addition that is very easy to follow and doesn’t get bogged down anywhere. Robin Olds was a true warrior, a very young fighter squadron commander in WWII (and a multiple ace) and a Wing Commander in Vietnam during the hottest part of the airwar, where he could have been an ace all over again-you need to read the book to find out why he didn’t get his fifth kill. This book is an excellent explanation of what it is like to be a fighter pilot, although, sadly, many of the more boisterous antics are no longer countenanced. I was trained by the Vietnam era fighter pilots, in awe of their
River Rat
patches and associations. He gives much more detail explaining his Vietnam War experience than his WWII flying. As a fighter pilot myself, I felt a lot of connections to his story but none stronger than this one:
I am sure you will be amazed at his story, none more than who he was exposed to as a kid. His “family” connections would play a big part in his career. He had a challenging career, not every tour was fun but he did his duty. He was born and lived for combat and those stories are just riveting. He also has some excellent advice, applicable to anyone who has to take command and lead people.
Take a little time and get to know the story of Robin Olds, Fighter Pilot. You won’t be bored.
I am sure you will be amazed at his story, none more than who he was exposed to as a kid. His “family” connections would play a big part in his career. He had a challenging career, not every tour was fun but he did his duty. He was born and lived for combat and those stories are just riveting. He also has some excellent advice, applicable to anyone who has to take command and lead people.
Take a little time and get to know the story of Robin Olds, Fighter Pilot. You won’t be bored.
September 12, 2011
Wow. You want to read a story about a life lived large? You want to read this.
Robin Olds lived the life I would have liked to live when I was a kid, before I realized there would be no more aerial dogfights between rival fighter pilots. It's all missiles over-the-horizon, now. Oh, sure, it'd still be hella fun to fly a modern jet fighter, but the glory days of the business are in the history pages. Which is where we now find Robin Olds, having died a couple of years back.
His memoir has it all, and I mean that. He grew up the son of a WW1 fighter pilot and some of the biggest names of military aviation sat at his father's dinner table talking about the future. Olds would live the future they dreamed, as a P-51 ace in WW2, then as one of the pioneers of jet fighters, and the leader of the famed F-4 Wolf Pack in Vietnam, where Olds downed four MiGs.
He also married a movie star, told President Johnson off to his face (sorta), and spent time as the commandant of cadets at the Air Force Academy.
The book is stupendously well written. Lots of military memoirs are filled with boring details and skip the "lifestyle" elements of the writer's life. Not this one. This one is jam-packed with only the good stuff and reads like a thriller. The pages fly by as you read about his exploits, both in and out of the cockpit. He lets you know what life was like in the military without bogging you down, and his descriptions of aerial combat are just lean enough to not confuse.
One of the best things about it his the writing style (he's aided by his daughter and a professional writer), which is so easy that it's almost as if he's sitting on a bar stool next to you with a pint, amiably telling you whatever you ask. It's just easy to read and flows effortlessly.
And the story has an ending, which is a little odd for memoirs, which often just end abruptly. The last few pages are a brief reflection on his life, with a nod to how it all began and that at the end of it all, Olds is still at a bar in heaven, drinking beer with his pals, telling the stories they've always told, and having a grand old time.
Robin Olds lived the life I would have liked to live when I was a kid, before I realized there would be no more aerial dogfights between rival fighter pilots. It's all missiles over-the-horizon, now. Oh, sure, it'd still be hella fun to fly a modern jet fighter, but the glory days of the business are in the history pages. Which is where we now find Robin Olds, having died a couple of years back.
His memoir has it all, and I mean that. He grew up the son of a WW1 fighter pilot and some of the biggest names of military aviation sat at his father's dinner table talking about the future. Olds would live the future they dreamed, as a P-51 ace in WW2, then as one of the pioneers of jet fighters, and the leader of the famed F-4 Wolf Pack in Vietnam, where Olds downed four MiGs.
He also married a movie star, told President Johnson off to his face (sorta), and spent time as the commandant of cadets at the Air Force Academy.
The book is stupendously well written. Lots of military memoirs are filled with boring details and skip the "lifestyle" elements of the writer's life. Not this one. This one is jam-packed with only the good stuff and reads like a thriller. The pages fly by as you read about his exploits, both in and out of the cockpit. He lets you know what life was like in the military without bogging you down, and his descriptions of aerial combat are just lean enough to not confuse.
One of the best things about it his the writing style (he's aided by his daughter and a professional writer), which is so easy that it's almost as if he's sitting on a bar stool next to you with a pint, amiably telling you whatever you ask. It's just easy to read and flows effortlessly.
And the story has an ending, which is a little odd for memoirs, which often just end abruptly. The last few pages are a brief reflection on his life, with a nod to how it all began and that at the end of it all, Olds is still at a bar in heaven, drinking beer with his pals, telling the stories they've always told, and having a grand old time.
March 22, 2017
As a member of the U.S. Air Force assigned to the 8th Fighter Wing it seemed only fitting that I read the memoirs of the man who led the unit to fame in Vietnam and who coined the unit nickname “Wolfpack.” I have mixed feelings about this book. Robin Olds was unquestionably a great pilot who led from the front and inspired his men during our nation’s most frustrating and challenging war. His no-nonsense attitude, initiative, and commitment to being the very best at his craft are traits I highly admire. Yet at the same time you can’t help read his book without getting the feeling that anyone less than a fighter pilot is a second class citizen or something less than a real man. He displays an arrogance and egotism that at times are infuriating. I suppose those are essential qualities that you want in your nation’s fighter pilots. Everyone takes pride in their unique role in the military but it takes a certain amount of bravado to fly an aircraft into the teeth of surface to air missiles over some God-forsaken jungle…you hardly want the nice guy next door in the cockpit and you should expect that attitude to come across in his story. Olds possessed a single-minded devotion to flying and aerial combat which was at times commendable and at others very tragic (I’d argue it was THE contributing factor to both his failed marriages). Robin Olds has come to epitomize the fighter-pilot mentality…he is the standard by which modern fighter pilots are judged despite the fact that there really is no such thing anymore. The era of over-the-horizon, long range missiles and stealth aircraft make “fighter pilots” something of an anachronism in modern warfare. Nevertheless, Robin Olds’ legacy continues to shape the “fighter” community and for that reason it was worth reading if only to gain some insight into the “fighter pilot” mentality.
May 25, 2012
I was in Thailand at Udorn shortly after Col. Olds' tour ended at Ubon. Even a couple of years after and at a different installation, his reputation and zeal as a "balls out" fighter pilot and leader were the standard against which everyone else was measured, both individuals and units.
For those reasons and my own life-long passion for all things that fly and the Air Force, I have been waiting to read his biography. While it is a good read and there are many details and stories that will be of interest to readers I found it a bit too self-serving in tone. It is his story so he was certainly allowed to tell it as he saw it, I just found it a little too much so.
That said, it is a good read (listen in my case). Written in a conversational and colloquial language it expresses the hard-nosed fighter pilot image for which he was so well known alongside the daily routine and occasional surprise of military life. For those unfamiliar it will be a good presentation of the nomadic military life. For those who have had the experience it will ring true and bring to mind one's own experiences.
I especially enjoyed learning of his early childhood, West Point and WWII experiences. These are parts of his life that precede the legend and enable us to understand the confidence and context of later years. But I strongly suspect there is an untold tale as well. One of personal demons and battles.
Like everything else he did, married life was lived in the fast lane...and not always within the lane markers. His wife had her own issues and I suppose the fact that they made it as long as they did as a couple is testament to their commitment and love for each other and their children. But this part of life was not kind to the good General. I suspect reality is that he shared a bit more of the responsibility for that than the book admits to, but that is purely my hunch.
All of which proves that he was merely human after all, despite the glory ascribed to him by fact and legend. I enjoyed this book immensely and would rate it higher if I didn't have this nagging feeling that it isn't as honest as it could have been.
For those reasons and my own life-long passion for all things that fly and the Air Force, I have been waiting to read his biography. While it is a good read and there are many details and stories that will be of interest to readers I found it a bit too self-serving in tone. It is his story so he was certainly allowed to tell it as he saw it, I just found it a little too much so.
That said, it is a good read (listen in my case). Written in a conversational and colloquial language it expresses the hard-nosed fighter pilot image for which he was so well known alongside the daily routine and occasional surprise of military life. For those unfamiliar it will be a good presentation of the nomadic military life. For those who have had the experience it will ring true and bring to mind one's own experiences.
I especially enjoyed learning of his early childhood, West Point and WWII experiences. These are parts of his life that precede the legend and enable us to understand the confidence and context of later years. But I strongly suspect there is an untold tale as well. One of personal demons and battles.
Like everything else he did, married life was lived in the fast lane...and not always within the lane markers. His wife had her own issues and I suppose the fact that they made it as long as they did as a couple is testament to their commitment and love for each other and their children. But this part of life was not kind to the good General. I suspect reality is that he shared a bit more of the responsibility for that than the book admits to, but that is purely my hunch.
All of which proves that he was merely human after all, despite the glory ascribed to him by fact and legend. I enjoyed this book immensely and would rate it higher if I didn't have this nagging feeling that it isn't as honest as it could have been.
April 20, 2020
Riveting!
I had fully expected a great Sierra Hotel book full of combat engagements from a triple-ace, but this memoir is more. Much more. Perhaps the most striking revelation is Robin's incredible sense of loyalty. When Scat Davis, his best friend at West Point, couldn't qualify medically for a pilot slot, Robin offered to take him into vicarious combat by naming his planes (every one of them) "Scat". When his friend Karl Richter was killed in Southeast Asia, he adopted Karl's pet monkey. When the Air Force tasked his wing to fly nuclear one-way missions in Europe in the event of hostilities, he said he would lead the strike force, even though he abhorred the use of nuclear weapons.
Even though I have experience in the F-4C, D and E, I learned a lot. For example, I had been unaware of the problems in mating AIM-9 missiles to the D model when it was initially sent to Southeast Asia. Robin dealt with that and made it work.
Every fighter pilot is aware of Operation Bolo, but this book gives real insight into everything that went into the planning and execution, and leaves those of us wingmen (who simply put the light on the star) in awe. And every fighter pilot has heard about Robin's entrance into the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, and how he totally transformed morale in record time. The 8th still proudly calls itself the Wolfpack, the appellation Robin created.
If you're a fighter pilot, you need to read this book. If you're not aa fighter pilot, you really need to read this book.
I had fully expected a great Sierra Hotel book full of combat engagements from a triple-ace, but this memoir is more. Much more. Perhaps the most striking revelation is Robin's incredible sense of loyalty. When Scat Davis, his best friend at West Point, couldn't qualify medically for a pilot slot, Robin offered to take him into vicarious combat by naming his planes (every one of them) "Scat". When his friend Karl Richter was killed in Southeast Asia, he adopted Karl's pet monkey. When the Air Force tasked his wing to fly nuclear one-way missions in Europe in the event of hostilities, he said he would lead the strike force, even though he abhorred the use of nuclear weapons.
Even though I have experience in the F-4C, D and E, I learned a lot. For example, I had been unaware of the problems in mating AIM-9 missiles to the D model when it was initially sent to Southeast Asia. Robin dealt with that and made it work.
Every fighter pilot is aware of Operation Bolo, but this book gives real insight into everything that went into the planning and execution, and leaves those of us wingmen (who simply put the light on the star) in awe. And every fighter pilot has heard about Robin's entrance into the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, and how he totally transformed morale in record time. The 8th still proudly calls itself the Wolfpack, the appellation Robin created.
If you're a fighter pilot, you need to read this book. If you're not aa fighter pilot, you really need to read this book.
April 26, 2010
When I first opened the book I felt I was going to get a bare bones honest look into Robin Olds life based on interviews I had seen of him. Fighter Pilot doesn't disappoint on this level in fact it exceeded my expectations. Usually a memoir like this will try to hide warts that the author doesn't want to the reader to see. I'm sure there are a few things that Olds didn't want to expose but he exposed more than I expected him to expose which made this book candid and refreshing.
After reading the book I reflected that I wished I had the opportunity to know Brigadier General Olds and wished/prayed that there are more like him. This is a great book of leadership and the advice Olds was given by General Spaatz while meant for the military is true in any organization. This book is highly recommended to understand the early Air Force, WWII European fighters and leadership. I will be rereading this book because I found it difficult to put down and know I'll be reflecting on it for years to come.
After reading the book I reflected that I wished I had the opportunity to know Brigadier General Olds and wished/prayed that there are more like him. This is a great book of leadership and the advice Olds was given by General Spaatz while meant for the military is true in any organization. This book is highly recommended to understand the early Air Force, WWII European fighters and leadership. I will be rereading this book because I found it difficult to put down and know I'll be reflecting on it for years to come.
December 26, 2014
I have never been left so humbled as reading this book did. I am afraid anyone can even dare say differently for this was a man who dedicated his life to the love of flying with a knife sharp focus.
Also, amongst the many lessons I learnt reading this book, one will remain etched in my mind forever - if you believe you deserve better, go after it. Mr. Olds in this memoir recounts so many events where he has grabbed success from the yawning mouth of despair and defeat because he knew he was the best.
That and he doesn't disappoint his fans too, he has recounted all his famous dogfights with a few more bonus's sprinkled - lets just say there is a small episode he had with a tanker, absolutely stellar stuff that will leave you heaving like a fighter pilot pulling 9g's - total actiongasm I tell you.
A thoroughly fulfilling read.
Also, amongst the many lessons I learnt reading this book, one will remain etched in my mind forever - if you believe you deserve better, go after it. Mr. Olds in this memoir recounts so many events where he has grabbed success from the yawning mouth of despair and defeat because he knew he was the best.
That and he doesn't disappoint his fans too, he has recounted all his famous dogfights with a few more bonus's sprinkled - lets just say there is a small episode he had with a tanker, absolutely stellar stuff that will leave you heaving like a fighter pilot pulling 9g's - total actiongasm I tell you.
A thoroughly fulfilling read.
June 18, 2014
Robin Olds graduated from West Point Military Academy and among his many credentials he later served as commandant of the Air Force Academy. The top notch fighter pilot with strong leadership skills remained on cutting edge from WWII to Vietnam as a “triple ace”.
The man with convictions was not a “yes” man and true to his character he spoke out against the rules of engagement in Vietnam. Brig. General Olds’s assessments were spot on and his grit in later years elevated my status of the man to a role model for the common citizen. I’m thankful for his dedicated service and others who display his spirit today.
The man with convictions was not a “yes” man and true to his character he spoke out against the rules of engagement in Vietnam. Brig. General Olds’s assessments were spot on and his grit in later years elevated my status of the man to a role model for the common citizen. I’m thankful for his dedicated service and others who display his spirit today.
September 30, 2024
Beklediğimi bulamadığım bir kitap oldu. Robin Olds gibi, ismi hava muharebesiyle özdeşleşmiş bir pilotun anılarında havacılık adına daha çok şey bulacağımı sanıyordum, ancak havacılık açısından beklediğimden çok daha az şey sunan bir kitapla karşılaştım. Belki bunda, kitabın esasen Robin Olds'ın kızı tarafından yazılmış olması da rol oynamaktadır, bilemiyorum.
Güzel yazılmış, kolay okunan bir kitap, ancak havacılık ve hava muharebesi açılarından çok doyurucu değil.
Güzel yazılmış, kolay okunan bir kitap, ancak havacılık ve hava muharebesi açılarından çok doyurucu değil.
December 1, 2013
Loved this book! This book covers the span of Robin Olds military career starting from his time at West Point through his WWII and Vietnam fighter pilot days to his time as commandant of the U.S. Air Force Academy and eventual retirement and everything in between. The retelling of specific aerial battles isn't always top-notch, but the true essence of this book shines in regards to giving an insiders' view into fighter pilot culture and mentality. His love for flying is readily apparent, and you can't help but want to take to the skies yourself as you read. After reading this book, there is no doubt that Robin Olds was a fighter pilot through and through, and this book does not shy away from showing the good and bad impact that has had on his career and on his family. In addition, sage advice about being a military officer is sprinkled throughout. I highly recommend this book to fighter pilots (obviously), military officers, and anyone that has a love for the skies.
April 18, 2013
My Take
An excellent book about a unique man – one that many wanna-be fighter pilots look to emulate, but can’t hold a candle to the real deal. In my time in UPT and in the Air Force as a pilot, I saw many guys trying to be like Robin Olds, but they were all phonies. I have a feeling he would have rooted them out on the spot for faking it – I’m sure he could have sensed it.
Enjoyed the book – Olds was a true American patriot who led men in combat. Enjoyed reading about his dad (a WWI pursuit pilot) and all the famous people he grew up with (and later would call on when needed). The Vietnam section was especially interesting, about how he fought off all the bullshit of that war just to try and fight the enemy (that’s the eternal question of that war – who was the enemy?). He pulls no punches about Chappie James; calling him a friend but someone who was a bit of a coward who preferred headlines to actual combat sorties. I’d also heard about the F-105 flight that blew out all the windows at USAFA but it is explained in more detail here. Would have loved to have been here when he was Commandant!
A very good book about a very unique man.
Amazon Description
Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—and an ace with 12 aerial victories.
But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn’t a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace.
Olds (who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007) was a unique individual whose personal story is one of the most eagerly anticipated military books of the year.
From a former cadet
This is a substantial book (about 400 pages) about the life of one of the most famous fighter pilots of all time, Robin Olds. It is largely a compilation of Olds' diaries, documents, letters, articles, etc, put together by his daughter, Christina Olds, after Robin's death in 2007. Indeed, before he died, Robin and Christina were able to share a fair amount of time together in preparation for the completion of his unfinished memoirs. Appropriately, the book is written in the first person. It's a well written book, not because it contains highly polished writing (it doesn't), but rather because it reads as you'd expect it to read coming from a maverick fighter-pilot. (I was fortunate to hear Robin Olds speak a number of times, and this book is true to his rather abrupt style of speaking.)
The book begins right where you'd expect a fighter pilot to begin--in the air, in combat ("We had been taking the war to Hitler...")--but then settles back to develop Olds' life story, starting from the beginning. His mother died when he was four, and he grew up the son of an Army officer. (There was no Air Force at that time.) The reader learns about his interest in football (6' 2", captain of his high school team, later played for West Point--including once in front of 100,000 fans at an Army - Navy game, back when that game was a big event to all sports fans).
The heart of this book, like the main theme in his life, is flying, especially in conflict. Olds flew P-38s and later transitioned to the marvelous P-51 (with the Merlin engine) during World War II. On his second P-51 training flight he almost crashed the aircraft trying to land (they didn't call it the Mustang for nothing). His experiences in Europe during World War II and his Air Force career thereafter read almost like a stream-of-consciousness. D-Day. His kills. His eye for women. Taking command of a fighter squadron. V-E Day. His temper. Life in the fast lane. The P-80. His marriage to Hollywood star Ella Raines. Exchange duty with the Royal Air Force, reportedly becoming the only U.S. Air Force officer to command a RAF squadron. The F-86. And so on.
Olds tried hard to get assigned to combat duty during the Korean War, but apparently his wife (and her TV directors) managed to persuade Laurence Rockefeller to use his considerable political influence to get Olds' name off the Korea assignment list every time it came up. Olds almost resigned his commission in 1952 to become a civilian test pilot, but remained on active duty. Then, more stream-of-consciousness. Libya. An assignment to the Pentagon. And more.
But then there was the Vietnam War. Olds was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, where he (and close friend Chappie James) became a legend. In preparation for this combat assignment in the F-4C, Olds describes wanting to experience the F-4's noted "adverse yaw" on only his second training flight. In doing so, he lost both engines and almost his life. He wrote, "If I had been a North Vietnamese pilot, I would have been an ace ten times over." (He was only an ace once in the Vietnam War.) The reason he said that was that while the F-4 could fly at Mach 2, dogfights typically don't take place at supersonic speeds, and there was no way an F-4 could turn with a MiG-17. On the cover of the book is a famous photo of Olds being carried on the shoulders of his men--tears in his eyes. Robin Olds was seemingly made for commanding men in combat, and he did that very well. His men loved him, and that probably says it all. Speaking of photos, there are about 16 pages of black-and-white photos in the book that bring back lots of memories.
After returning from the Vietnam War, Olds was promoted to Brigadier General and made Commandant of Cadets at the Air Force Academy, after he shaved off his trademark handlebar mustache. (One of his cadets was Sully Sullenberger.) He tells of an experience when an F-105 was brought to the Academy to be dedicated as a reminder of all those who fought in the air above Vietnam. A flight of F-105s flew over the 4,000 cadets assembled before lunch, and these aircraft accidentally broke the sound barrier, resulting in the equivalent of millions of dollars of broken glass (in today's dollars). I was there at the time, and it was an unforgettable experience.
In closing this review, I'd like to relate one personal experience about Robin Olds. It was during the time he was Commandant of Cadets at the Academy, and he was talking to an auditorium of cadets. While he was speaking, he spotted one cadet with his foot resting on top of a chair. From the stage, Olds proceeded to chew out this cadet for not sitting up straight. When he asked the terrified cadet whether he had anything to say for himself, the cadet responded that his leg was in a cast, and he could not sit up straight. Olds replied, "Well, I'm sure I've been embarrassed this much before--but I really can't remember when." Everyone laughed, and Olds went back to his lecture as if nothing had happened. That's the way I'll remember him: intense, yet human.
An excellent book about a unique man – one that many wanna-be fighter pilots look to emulate, but can’t hold a candle to the real deal. In my time in UPT and in the Air Force as a pilot, I saw many guys trying to be like Robin Olds, but they were all phonies. I have a feeling he would have rooted them out on the spot for faking it – I’m sure he could have sensed it.
Enjoyed the book – Olds was a true American patriot who led men in combat. Enjoyed reading about his dad (a WWI pursuit pilot) and all the famous people he grew up with (and later would call on when needed). The Vietnam section was especially interesting, about how he fought off all the bullshit of that war just to try and fight the enemy (that’s the eternal question of that war – who was the enemy?). He pulls no punches about Chappie James; calling him a friend but someone who was a bit of a coward who preferred headlines to actual combat sorties. I’d also heard about the F-105 flight that blew out all the windows at USAFA but it is explained in more detail here. Would have loved to have been here when he was Commandant!
A very good book about a very unique man.
Amazon Description
Robin Olds was a larger-than-life hero with a towering personality. A graduate of West Point and an inductee in the National College Football Hall of Fame for his All-American performance for Army, Olds was one of the toughest college football players at the time. In WWII, Olds quickly became a top fighter pilot and squadron commander by the age of 22—and an ace with 12 aerial victories.
But it was in Vietnam where the man became a legend. He arrived in 1966 to find a dejected group of pilots and motivated them by placing himself on the flight schedule under officers junior to himself, then challenging them to train him properly because he would soon be leading them. Proving he wasn’t a WWII retread, he led the wing with aggressiveness, scoring another four confirmed kills, becoming a rare triple ace.
Olds (who retired a brigadier general and died in 2007) was a unique individual whose personal story is one of the most eagerly anticipated military books of the year.
From a former cadet
This is a substantial book (about 400 pages) about the life of one of the most famous fighter pilots of all time, Robin Olds. It is largely a compilation of Olds' diaries, documents, letters, articles, etc, put together by his daughter, Christina Olds, after Robin's death in 2007. Indeed, before he died, Robin and Christina were able to share a fair amount of time together in preparation for the completion of his unfinished memoirs. Appropriately, the book is written in the first person. It's a well written book, not because it contains highly polished writing (it doesn't), but rather because it reads as you'd expect it to read coming from a maverick fighter-pilot. (I was fortunate to hear Robin Olds speak a number of times, and this book is true to his rather abrupt style of speaking.)
The book begins right where you'd expect a fighter pilot to begin--in the air, in combat ("We had been taking the war to Hitler...")--but then settles back to develop Olds' life story, starting from the beginning. His mother died when he was four, and he grew up the son of an Army officer. (There was no Air Force at that time.) The reader learns about his interest in football (6' 2", captain of his high school team, later played for West Point--including once in front of 100,000 fans at an Army - Navy game, back when that game was a big event to all sports fans).
The heart of this book, like the main theme in his life, is flying, especially in conflict. Olds flew P-38s and later transitioned to the marvelous P-51 (with the Merlin engine) during World War II. On his second P-51 training flight he almost crashed the aircraft trying to land (they didn't call it the Mustang for nothing). His experiences in Europe during World War II and his Air Force career thereafter read almost like a stream-of-consciousness. D-Day. His kills. His eye for women. Taking command of a fighter squadron. V-E Day. His temper. Life in the fast lane. The P-80. His marriage to Hollywood star Ella Raines. Exchange duty with the Royal Air Force, reportedly becoming the only U.S. Air Force officer to command a RAF squadron. The F-86. And so on.
Olds tried hard to get assigned to combat duty during the Korean War, but apparently his wife (and her TV directors) managed to persuade Laurence Rockefeller to use his considerable political influence to get Olds' name off the Korea assignment list every time it came up. Olds almost resigned his commission in 1952 to become a civilian test pilot, but remained on active duty. Then, more stream-of-consciousness. Libya. An assignment to the Pentagon. And more.
But then there was the Vietnam War. Olds was assigned to the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing at Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base, where he (and close friend Chappie James) became a legend. In preparation for this combat assignment in the F-4C, Olds describes wanting to experience the F-4's noted "adverse yaw" on only his second training flight. In doing so, he lost both engines and almost his life. He wrote, "If I had been a North Vietnamese pilot, I would have been an ace ten times over." (He was only an ace once in the Vietnam War.) The reason he said that was that while the F-4 could fly at Mach 2, dogfights typically don't take place at supersonic speeds, and there was no way an F-4 could turn with a MiG-17. On the cover of the book is a famous photo of Olds being carried on the shoulders of his men--tears in his eyes. Robin Olds was seemingly made for commanding men in combat, and he did that very well. His men loved him, and that probably says it all. Speaking of photos, there are about 16 pages of black-and-white photos in the book that bring back lots of memories.
After returning from the Vietnam War, Olds was promoted to Brigadier General and made Commandant of Cadets at the Air Force Academy, after he shaved off his trademark handlebar mustache. (One of his cadets was Sully Sullenberger.) He tells of an experience when an F-105 was brought to the Academy to be dedicated as a reminder of all those who fought in the air above Vietnam. A flight of F-105s flew over the 4,000 cadets assembled before lunch, and these aircraft accidentally broke the sound barrier, resulting in the equivalent of millions of dollars of broken glass (in today's dollars). I was there at the time, and it was an unforgettable experience.
In closing this review, I'd like to relate one personal experience about Robin Olds. It was during the time he was Commandant of Cadets at the Academy, and he was talking to an auditorium of cadets. While he was speaking, he spotted one cadet with his foot resting on top of a chair. From the stage, Olds proceeded to chew out this cadet for not sitting up straight. When he asked the terrified cadet whether he had anything to say for himself, the cadet responded that his leg was in a cast, and he could not sit up straight. Olds replied, "Well, I'm sure I've been embarrassed this much before--but I really can't remember when." Everyone laughed, and Olds went back to his lecture as if nothing had happened. That's the way I'll remember him: intense, yet human.
February 22, 2023
I haven’t read a book that has made me this excited to be in the military in a long time. Robin Olds does not hold back on the glamor and drudgery that is life in Air Force. His virtues and vices are laid out unapologetically, and all the while he weaves an exciting story that follows the twists and turns of his career.
I loved reading about Olds’ time as cadet at West Point and his seemingly endless wait to begin flying training and become a qualified pilot, as well as his time flying over Great Britain in WWII. Robin Olds is the epitome of the American Fighter Pilot, from his pioneering aerobatic demonstrations to his iconic mustache in Vietnam. Olds’ seemed to have a seamless transition from front line aviator to commander, all the while continuing to fly missions and lead by example. I especially resonated with his descriptions of the Air Force Academy and his time as commandant, how many people I know that would have loved to attend the Academy during his assignment there (and reading about the infamous noon meal flyover that broke the sound barrier and shattered all the glass?!)
I appreciated (but understand how others might dislike) that Olds did not shy away or dumb down any of the nuanced and confusing descriptions of military aviation operations. As a student pilot it was refreshing to read about flight operations in a way that is catered towards a military aviator - without sacrificing any of the detail for the sake of a wider audience.
Olds’ no-nonsense method of operation as well as his unwavering commitment to the United States and its military is are traits that many military leaders could benefit by emulating in this day and age.
I loved reading about Olds’ time as cadet at West Point and his seemingly endless wait to begin flying training and become a qualified pilot, as well as his time flying over Great Britain in WWII. Robin Olds is the epitome of the American Fighter Pilot, from his pioneering aerobatic demonstrations to his iconic mustache in Vietnam. Olds’ seemed to have a seamless transition from front line aviator to commander, all the while continuing to fly missions and lead by example. I especially resonated with his descriptions of the Air Force Academy and his time as commandant, how many people I know that would have loved to attend the Academy during his assignment there (and reading about the infamous noon meal flyover that broke the sound barrier and shattered all the glass?!)
I appreciated (but understand how others might dislike) that Olds did not shy away or dumb down any of the nuanced and confusing descriptions of military aviation operations. As a student pilot it was refreshing to read about flight operations in a way that is catered towards a military aviator - without sacrificing any of the detail for the sake of a wider audience.
Olds’ no-nonsense method of operation as well as his unwavering commitment to the United States and its military is are traits that many military leaders could benefit by emulating in this day and age.
December 11, 2023
This book seemed relevant given my career and I was surprised to see the depth it actually went to in regards to the life of a fighter pilot. Oddly enough, the book seemed to 'mature' its takes as Olds got further in his career. The beginning of the book feels very young and juvenile in a lot of Olds opinions of the world but matures very quickly as he gets further along in his career. I thought the book did a great job of speaking to the hardships of career/family balance as a fighter pilot and does not sugar coat the tough times. Even though the beginning of the book is a little hard to read I thought the back half of the book was really incredible in retelling Olds' experiences as a leader.
May 5, 2011
Not quite a year ago, I bought this book and yesterday, I finished reading it.
I first learned of General Olds through the Edward Sims book, "FIGHTER ACE", in the late 1970s, which mentioned only his Vietnam War service. But this autobiography gave me a fuller picture not only of the dedicated pilot/warrior and fighter ace (inclusive also of his Second World War service), but also of Robin Olds the man, warts and all.
Here was a man who was dedicated to his family, his country, and the men that he led throughout his military career.
Let me a cite a passage from the biography that deeply resonated with me ---
"Here's what I learned over the years. Know the mission, what is expected of you and your people. Get to know those people, their attitudes and expectations. Visit all the shops and sections. Ask questions. Don't be shy. Learn what each does, how the parts fit into the whole. Find out what supplies and equipment are lacking, what the workers need. To whom does each shop chief report? Does that officer really know the people under him, is he aware of their needs, their training? Does that NCO supervise or just make out reports without checking facts? Remember, those reports eventually come to you. Don't try to bullshit the troops, but make sure they know the buck stops with you, that you'll shoulder the blame when things go wrong. Correct without revenge or anger. Recognize accomplishment. Reward accordingly. Foster spirit through self-pride, not slogans, and never at the expense of another unit. It won't take long, but only your genuine interest and concern, plus follow-up on your promises, will earn you respect. Out of that you gain loyalty and obedience. Your outfit will be a standout. But for God's sake, don't ever try to be popular! That weakens your position, makes you vulnerable. Don't have favorites. That breeds resentment. Respect the talents of your people. Have the courage to delegate responsibility and give the authority to go with it. Again, make clear to your troops you are the one who'll take the heat."
For anyone who enjoys reading (auto)biographies and wants to learn about a person who lived his/her life to the full --- that is, a full, rich, principled and committed life --- THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
I first learned of General Olds through the Edward Sims book, "FIGHTER ACE", in the late 1970s, which mentioned only his Vietnam War service. But this autobiography gave me a fuller picture not only of the dedicated pilot/warrior and fighter ace (inclusive also of his Second World War service), but also of Robin Olds the man, warts and all.
Here was a man who was dedicated to his family, his country, and the men that he led throughout his military career.
Let me a cite a passage from the biography that deeply resonated with me ---
"Here's what I learned over the years. Know the mission, what is expected of you and your people. Get to know those people, their attitudes and expectations. Visit all the shops and sections. Ask questions. Don't be shy. Learn what each does, how the parts fit into the whole. Find out what supplies and equipment are lacking, what the workers need. To whom does each shop chief report? Does that officer really know the people under him, is he aware of their needs, their training? Does that NCO supervise or just make out reports without checking facts? Remember, those reports eventually come to you. Don't try to bullshit the troops, but make sure they know the buck stops with you, that you'll shoulder the blame when things go wrong. Correct without revenge or anger. Recognize accomplishment. Reward accordingly. Foster spirit through self-pride, not slogans, and never at the expense of another unit. It won't take long, but only your genuine interest and concern, plus follow-up on your promises, will earn you respect. Out of that you gain loyalty and obedience. Your outfit will be a standout. But for God's sake, don't ever try to be popular! That weakens your position, makes you vulnerable. Don't have favorites. That breeds resentment. Respect the talents of your people. Have the courage to delegate responsibility and give the authority to go with it. Again, make clear to your troops you are the one who'll take the heat."
For anyone who enjoys reading (auto)biographies and wants to learn about a person who lived his/her life to the full --- that is, a full, rich, principled and committed life --- THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU.
February 16, 2013
Some good historical context but self serving, aggrandizing, and ultimately the story of a person you don't want as a friend.
February 16, 2016
Outstanding Robin.
July 9, 2019
Life story of an exemplary leader and war fighter.
June 9, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even the ending brought a little tear to my eye. Robin Olds writes wonderfully descriptively. When he flies into combat, he makes you feel like you’re in the cockpit with him. This is particularly true when he describes how sweaty he feels, his palms slipping away on the stick. His crotch wet from perspiration. Then after another life threatening mission, you stink but hit the Officers Club hard for needed respite. Then it’s back to the grind of managing a wing, the paperwork, the BS and then back to the office cockpit where you need to manage yourself, your wing and the entire mission.
He wrote much of the other conflict in his life. That of pursuing a demanding but rewarding career. One to which he had nothing but passion. But then trying to balance that with a beautiful and talented wife whom he adored, had her own goals that conflicted with his and the demands of an Air Force career. It tore her apart trying to be all things to all people. Their daughters caught in the middle. So for a “fighter jock” book, it was far more than I expected. A compelling and moving read. I’ll look at his F-4 in the Air Force Museum with a new lens and appreciation.
He wrote much of the other conflict in his life. That of pursuing a demanding but rewarding career. One to which he had nothing but passion. But then trying to balance that with a beautiful and talented wife whom he adored, had her own goals that conflicted with his and the demands of an Air Force career. It tore her apart trying to be all things to all people. Their daughters caught in the middle. So for a “fighter jock” book, it was far more than I expected. A compelling and moving read. I’ll look at his F-4 in the Air Force Museum with a new lens and appreciation.
November 21, 2019
I expected this to be a fun, easy read about a successful fighter pilot, which it was. However, the reason you should read this book is because within this great, based on truth story are myriad leadership lessons from a proven combat veteran of three wars. While he is certainly a flawed leader like all of us, Olds’ lessons on what to do upon taking command of a unit, how to change unit climate and culture, and how to build and maintain professional relationships with junior leaders while remaining objective challenged me.
August 12, 2022
Lots of powerful lessons on leadership and sticking to ones morals. The book itself is a bit disorganized (it was put together post mortem and can be a bit slow at times) but chapters 16-20 on his time in Vietnam are phenomenal and absolutely worth the read.
February 20, 2018
A fascinating look into the life of a fighter pilot in the WW2 and Vietnam era.
April 13, 2019
A lot of lessons in this book. Leadership styles, management, tactics, history etc. Great read.
April 17, 2024
Incredible story.
May 12, 2023
What a wonderful life an story. Would give it 6 stars if I could
November 20, 2019
I'll rate this (generously) 3 stars. I understand that this book is an autobiography and not a researched history. Olds' writing style is that of a story teller whose words are transcribed onto the page, which makes for light and superficial reading. He was certainly an interesting character, and one whose anecdotes are interesting, but they suffered from too much focus on his failed marriage.
November 23, 2019
Ed Rasimus has a perfect quote about fighter pilots, and that quote fits Robin Olds to a T. This book is Olds' memories, collected into publishable shape by his daughter and Rasimus, and it is one hell of a story.
Olds with his infamous Vietnam War mustache
“Flying fighters is simply an assignment, but being a fighter pilot isn’t. Being a fighter pilot is a state-of-mind. It’s an attitude toward your job, toward the mission, toward the way you live your life. You don’t have to fly fighters to be a fighter pilot. You’ve simply got to have the attitude. There are fighter pilots driving B-52s and fighter pilots hauling trash. They may not have the flash and glamour, but they are the best they can possibly be at the job they’ve got to do. There are pilots who fly fighters and there are fighter pilots. You guys want to be fighter pilots, not pilots flying fighters. Look for the difference.”
Olds was born to aviation nobility. His father was Army Air Forces Major General Robert Olds, and he grew up with WW1 aces over for dinner. Robin was accepted to West Point in 1940, and flight training shortly thereafter. He did everything possible to get into the war as soon as he could, making it over to Europe where he flew P-38s and P-51s, and shooting down 12 planes. Postwar, he transitioned to jets and married actual movie star Ella Raines (though the marriage was often unhappy). Raines used her influence to keep him out of Korea, but even with doldrums in the basement of the Pentagon, a football coach at West Point, and distant training commands, Olds was a fighter pilot to the bone.
In 1966 he was assigned command of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, an F-4 unit based in Thailand that flew strikes into North Vietnam. Olds was an aggressive commander, leading from the front as often as he could. He's most famous for Operation Bolo, an elaborate decoy mission that disguised a flight of F-4s as unwieldly F-105 Thuds for an ambush of North Vietnamese MiGs. In Vietnam, Olds shot down four more planes and then started letting his wingmen take all the shots, because as the first American ace of the war, he knew he'd be called back home. Olds also fiddled with his official mission count to keep flying fighters in combat, flying a total of 152, compared the official tour of 100 combat missions north.
Post-war, Olds served as commandant of cadets at the Air Force academy, and inspector general, rounding out his 30 year tour with distinction. He always advocated for aggressive conventional tactics, dogfighting and attack skills, and real readiness rather than perfect paper record-keeping. Olds retired to Colorado and passed away in 2007. I read a lot of these memoirs, and Olds is better than most, covering WW2, Vietnam, and the battle of bureaucracy, as well as lots of insight into the mind and culture of fighter pilots.
Olds with his infamous Vietnam War mustache
“Flying fighters is simply an assignment, but being a fighter pilot isn’t. Being a fighter pilot is a state-of-mind. It’s an attitude toward your job, toward the mission, toward the way you live your life. You don’t have to fly fighters to be a fighter pilot. You’ve simply got to have the attitude. There are fighter pilots driving B-52s and fighter pilots hauling trash. They may not have the flash and glamour, but they are the best they can possibly be at the job they’ve got to do. There are pilots who fly fighters and there are fighter pilots. You guys want to be fighter pilots, not pilots flying fighters. Look for the difference.”
Olds was born to aviation nobility. His father was Army Air Forces Major General Robert Olds, and he grew up with WW1 aces over for dinner. Robin was accepted to West Point in 1940, and flight training shortly thereafter. He did everything possible to get into the war as soon as he could, making it over to Europe where he flew P-38s and P-51s, and shooting down 12 planes. Postwar, he transitioned to jets and married actual movie star Ella Raines (though the marriage was often unhappy). Raines used her influence to keep him out of Korea, but even with doldrums in the basement of the Pentagon, a football coach at West Point, and distant training commands, Olds was a fighter pilot to the bone.
In 1966 he was assigned command of the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing, an F-4 unit based in Thailand that flew strikes into North Vietnam. Olds was an aggressive commander, leading from the front as often as he could. He's most famous for Operation Bolo, an elaborate decoy mission that disguised a flight of F-4s as unwieldly F-105 Thuds for an ambush of North Vietnamese MiGs. In Vietnam, Olds shot down four more planes and then started letting his wingmen take all the shots, because as the first American ace of the war, he knew he'd be called back home. Olds also fiddled with his official mission count to keep flying fighters in combat, flying a total of 152, compared the official tour of 100 combat missions north.
Post-war, Olds served as commandant of cadets at the Air Force academy, and inspector general, rounding out his 30 year tour with distinction. He always advocated for aggressive conventional tactics, dogfighting and attack skills, and real readiness rather than perfect paper record-keeping. Olds retired to Colorado and passed away in 2007. I read a lot of these memoirs, and Olds is better than most, covering WW2, Vietnam, and the battle of bureaucracy, as well as lots of insight into the mind and culture of fighter pilots.
December 27, 2011
I have an entire collection of biographies and memoirs so I am no stranger to the genre. But it is rare, extremely rare, for me to be moved by one of these works. Inspired often, motivated sometimes, but rarely moved. Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Fighter Ace Robin Olds is a story that moved me. I finished the book in the wee hours last night and I felt like I couldn’t get to my computer fast enough today to write about it.
Before I go further though, I need to admit a certain bias – for me, like many of us who flew fighters in the USAF, Robin Olds holds a god-like status. A triple ace with victories in World War II and Vietnam, Olds is regarded not only as a superb fighter pilot, but also as a superlative leader. As the commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, “The Wolfpack,” during the Vietnam War, Olds is widely considered the best wing commander in that conflict. As a commander who led from the front, Olds helped to develop the tactics for and then led the aircraft of Operation Bolo, a day of air-to-air missions where Olds’ F-4s masqueraded as bomb-laden F-105s and lured several North Vietnamese MiG-21s into the air. At the end of the day, 7 MiGs were shot down with no friendly losses. The tactics and leadership acumen Olds displayed in Operation Bolo have yet to see their equal in any modern air operation and are still discussed with respect and awe by modern-day fighter pilots. When I arrived as a freshman or “doolie” at the USAF Academy in the summer of 1978, Olds’ tenure as Commandant of Cadets still resonated with the Cadet Wing even though he had left the Academy in early 1971. When I served in the 8th Fighter Wing, flying the F-16 at Kunsan AB, ROK in 1994-1995, the pride that Olds had instilled in the wing nearly thirty years before still resonated as well. He is truly one of the giants of the USAF. People forget the names of USAF Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of USAF Major Commands and Numbered Air Forces. But no one forgets Robin Olds.
Olds' memoirs are superbly written and extremely readable. Told from a first person perspective in a manner that is filled with Olds’ personality, the book is damn hard to put down. While much of the research for the book was complied by Christina Olds, Robin’s daughter, the writing chores were largely undertaken by Ed Rasimus, a retired F-4 and F-105 driver who is a charter member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot’s Association, has 250 missions over North Vietnam himself and is an award-winning author. Christina Olds and Ed Rasimus (he goes by “Thunder”) have managed to weave Olds’ notes, stories, anecdotes and the viewpoint of others into a wonderfully told tale of a truly impressive life.
If there is ONE book you read on Fighter Pilots/Fighter Pilot history – this should be it.
Before I go further though, I need to admit a certain bias – for me, like many of us who flew fighters in the USAF, Robin Olds holds a god-like status. A triple ace with victories in World War II and Vietnam, Olds is regarded not only as a superb fighter pilot, but also as a superlative leader. As the commander of the 8th Fighter Wing, “The Wolfpack,” during the Vietnam War, Olds is widely considered the best wing commander in that conflict. As a commander who led from the front, Olds helped to develop the tactics for and then led the aircraft of Operation Bolo, a day of air-to-air missions where Olds’ F-4s masqueraded as bomb-laden F-105s and lured several North Vietnamese MiG-21s into the air. At the end of the day, 7 MiGs were shot down with no friendly losses. The tactics and leadership acumen Olds displayed in Operation Bolo have yet to see their equal in any modern air operation and are still discussed with respect and awe by modern-day fighter pilots. When I arrived as a freshman or “doolie” at the USAF Academy in the summer of 1978, Olds’ tenure as Commandant of Cadets still resonated with the Cadet Wing even though he had left the Academy in early 1971. When I served in the 8th Fighter Wing, flying the F-16 at Kunsan AB, ROK in 1994-1995, the pride that Olds had instilled in the wing nearly thirty years before still resonated as well. He is truly one of the giants of the USAF. People forget the names of USAF Chiefs of Staff and the commanders of USAF Major Commands and Numbered Air Forces. But no one forgets Robin Olds.
Olds' memoirs are superbly written and extremely readable. Told from a first person perspective in a manner that is filled with Olds’ personality, the book is damn hard to put down. While much of the research for the book was complied by Christina Olds, Robin’s daughter, the writing chores were largely undertaken by Ed Rasimus, a retired F-4 and F-105 driver who is a charter member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot’s Association, has 250 missions over North Vietnam himself and is an award-winning author. Christina Olds and Ed Rasimus (he goes by “Thunder”) have managed to weave Olds’ notes, stories, anecdotes and the viewpoint of others into a wonderfully told tale of a truly impressive life.
If there is ONE book you read on Fighter Pilots/Fighter Pilot history – this should be it.
June 25, 2023
Fabulous. I can’t think of another book that so well captures the soul of a fighter pilot and warrior. Its strength is walking a reader through his evolution as a fighter pilot: from young, brash and fearless to middle-aged, brash and fearless to a mature commander, still brash and fearless and crafting a unit—the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing—in his image. The genius of the book is the subtle shift of the target of his rebel courage from the Luftwaffe as a youth, to the peacetime non-combat military of his middle age, to the bureaucracy of Vietnam wartime leadership of his later years: (“How in the name of God could the Air Staff populate a combat theater with people who weren’t interested in combat?”)
Robin Olds grew up immersed in the culture—his father was a World War I fighter pilot—and, by dint of his cocky personality and a friendly instructor—Olds found his way into the fighter community just before D-Day in World War II. Being raised that way and coming of age in daily aerial combat created the man who became the iconic rebel warrior of Vietnam and the 1960s.
Flying P-38s, then P-51s, Olds participated in 12 months of combat during the growth of Allied power and its eventual dominance of German skies. His narrative moves quickly, in a hard-to-put-down style. Because of US rules in the war, Olds was sent home for a month in December of 1944, then returned for a second combat tour through the end of the war. During this break, we get the first hint of the man he would become. Visiting his brother at West Point, Olds commented, “I came to realize the width of the gulf that existed between those who had been there and those who hadn’t.” Another hint comes from his honest reaction to the war’s end: “After V-E Day, things were strange. Now that the shooting had stopped, you’d think everyone would be anxious to get home. Not so. There were many of us who felt let down. It was a weird ‘now what do we do?’ emptiness.” In the end, Olds shot down 13 German aircraft during World War II and ended the war in command of his squadron, the 479th, at only 22 years old. He recounts all his wartime experiences with typical fighter pilot flair, though avoids “notching his gun” as it were by counting his kills. A reader will need to find other sources to know precisely how many aircraft Olds shot down in World War II.
After the war, Olds spent a year as an assistant football coach at West Point, then was assigned to P-80 jets at March Field in California where he met and married Ella Raines, a successful Hollywood actress. Together, they had two daughters and, tragically, a still-born son, while serving in units in the United States, Europe and Libya, missing the Korean War despite multiple requests to be sent there, one gets the sense of his growing frustration with the peacetime military, until it breaks into clarity as he beings a four-year assignment at the Pentagon (“Within a few weeks at the Pentagon, I felt defiled…”).
But, after serving his sentence at the Pentagon, Olds returned to England as commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing just as events were heating up in a faraway corner of the world named Vietnam. Learning he was on the list to become a Brigadier General, and knowing that would preclude him from any further combat flying, Olds recounts how he conjured a scheme to get in trouble—just enough trouble to be taken off the list but not enough to be court-martialed. He chose a formation aerobatic demonstration for the base’s open house, without telling his boss. In Olds’ words, “My transgression produced the desired effect…(His boss:) ‘This, Olds, is a 505 Form, which all general officers fill out on the colonels working for them. I’m forbidden to show it to you, but I’ll tell you this. It says you will NEVER be promoted! NEVER!’ His face grew red and his voice shook. His finger punctuated every exclamation. Then came the shocker. He bellowed, ‘And you, Olds, you’re exactly the kind of officer who should be in Southwest Asia!’”
Most of the book’s final third is given to his year at the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing in Ubon Air Base, Thailand fighting MiGs and SAMs, lethargic staff and logistics officers far from the fighting, intelligence officers who kept vital combat information from him (“Well, it’s highly classified,” a problem that seems to resurface in every air war), and a political regime who, in Olds’ view, did not have winning the war as its aim. It’s a fascinating story of a warrior fighting on two fronts. Along the way, a reader will learn of his remaking of the now famous “Wolfpack” in his image, of resisting Air Force plans to bring him home early because of his notoriety (by stopping his count of combat sorties so that he magically arrived at 100 just as his year in command ended), of his four additional aerial victories (and his claim to have avoided getting a fifth because he knew they would pull him out of the war and back to America for public relations purposes), and his utter disgust at being in a war that no one seemed to want to win.
Along the way, Olds leaves flashes of eloquence:
- Describing what he looks for in a fighter pilot: “Fighter pilot is not just a description, it’s an attitude; it’s cockiness, it’s aggressiveness, it’s self-confidence. It is a streak of rebelliousness and competitiveness. But there’s something else; there’s a spark. There’s a desire to be good, to do well in the eyes of your peers and your commander, and in your own mind, to be second to no one. The sky is your playground and competitiveness is your life…A fighter pilot is a man in love with flying. A fighter pilot sees not a cloud but beauty, not the ground but something remote from him, something that he doesn’t belong to as long as he is airborne. There’s something in the eyes.”
- Or the relationship between the man and machine: “A pilot is a man in love, a man whose emotional ties with a piece of machinery run deep. His bluff expressions are protective devices meant to hide the tenderness in his heart when he turns to flying. Man merges with machine; he doesn’t simply use it. You don’t climb into an aircraft and sit down. You strap the machine to your butt, become one with it…You are tied to it physically and you are part of it emotionally.”
- Or the end of a long difficult day of combat flying: “You and your bird have survived for another day and for the moment tomorrow is a long way off. As you shut down, each switch stills a part of the pulsing energy that has been an extension of you. The radio fades to stillness, gyros unwind, hydraulic pressures fall, radar images fade, lights flicker, dim and are gone to blackness. As the engine clicks down to silence, air pressure from the fuel tank hisses free, like a long sigh before sleep. You love deeply the crewmen who swarm around to care for what has now become ‘their’ bird, and you unfasten yourself from your metal body and climb out. It’s a rare pilot who doesn’t feel these things as an act of gentle severance, and his final, gloved touch at the bottom of the ladder is a secret gesture of parting.”
Olds doesn’t pull punches at his own weaknesses and failures—of tales of stupidity from which God for his own reasons protected him or the sad story of his two failed marriages. But in the end, he leaves us a magnificent portrait of a warrior, fully at home in the heat of combat—wherever it may be—but wholly unsuited to the “drudgery” of combat units with no combat in sight. Every nation needs them. America is fortunate to have had one in Robin Olds.
Robin Olds grew up immersed in the culture—his father was a World War I fighter pilot—and, by dint of his cocky personality and a friendly instructor—Olds found his way into the fighter community just before D-Day in World War II. Being raised that way and coming of age in daily aerial combat created the man who became the iconic rebel warrior of Vietnam and the 1960s.
Flying P-38s, then P-51s, Olds participated in 12 months of combat during the growth of Allied power and its eventual dominance of German skies. His narrative moves quickly, in a hard-to-put-down style. Because of US rules in the war, Olds was sent home for a month in December of 1944, then returned for a second combat tour through the end of the war. During this break, we get the first hint of the man he would become. Visiting his brother at West Point, Olds commented, “I came to realize the width of the gulf that existed between those who had been there and those who hadn’t.” Another hint comes from his honest reaction to the war’s end: “After V-E Day, things were strange. Now that the shooting had stopped, you’d think everyone would be anxious to get home. Not so. There were many of us who felt let down. It was a weird ‘now what do we do?’ emptiness.” In the end, Olds shot down 13 German aircraft during World War II and ended the war in command of his squadron, the 479th, at only 22 years old. He recounts all his wartime experiences with typical fighter pilot flair, though avoids “notching his gun” as it were by counting his kills. A reader will need to find other sources to know precisely how many aircraft Olds shot down in World War II.
After the war, Olds spent a year as an assistant football coach at West Point, then was assigned to P-80 jets at March Field in California where he met and married Ella Raines, a successful Hollywood actress. Together, they had two daughters and, tragically, a still-born son, while serving in units in the United States, Europe and Libya, missing the Korean War despite multiple requests to be sent there, one gets the sense of his growing frustration with the peacetime military, until it breaks into clarity as he beings a four-year assignment at the Pentagon (“Within a few weeks at the Pentagon, I felt defiled…”).
But, after serving his sentence at the Pentagon, Olds returned to England as commander of the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing just as events were heating up in a faraway corner of the world named Vietnam. Learning he was on the list to become a Brigadier General, and knowing that would preclude him from any further combat flying, Olds recounts how he conjured a scheme to get in trouble—just enough trouble to be taken off the list but not enough to be court-martialed. He chose a formation aerobatic demonstration for the base’s open house, without telling his boss. In Olds’ words, “My transgression produced the desired effect…(His boss:) ‘This, Olds, is a 505 Form, which all general officers fill out on the colonels working for them. I’m forbidden to show it to you, but I’ll tell you this. It says you will NEVER be promoted! NEVER!’ His face grew red and his voice shook. His finger punctuated every exclamation. Then came the shocker. He bellowed, ‘And you, Olds, you’re exactly the kind of officer who should be in Southwest Asia!’”
Most of the book’s final third is given to his year at the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing in Ubon Air Base, Thailand fighting MiGs and SAMs, lethargic staff and logistics officers far from the fighting, intelligence officers who kept vital combat information from him (“Well, it’s highly classified,” a problem that seems to resurface in every air war), and a political regime who, in Olds’ view, did not have winning the war as its aim. It’s a fascinating story of a warrior fighting on two fronts. Along the way, a reader will learn of his remaking of the now famous “Wolfpack” in his image, of resisting Air Force plans to bring him home early because of his notoriety (by stopping his count of combat sorties so that he magically arrived at 100 just as his year in command ended), of his four additional aerial victories (and his claim to have avoided getting a fifth because he knew they would pull him out of the war and back to America for public relations purposes), and his utter disgust at being in a war that no one seemed to want to win.
Along the way, Olds leaves flashes of eloquence:
- Describing what he looks for in a fighter pilot: “Fighter pilot is not just a description, it’s an attitude; it’s cockiness, it’s aggressiveness, it’s self-confidence. It is a streak of rebelliousness and competitiveness. But there’s something else; there’s a spark. There’s a desire to be good, to do well in the eyes of your peers and your commander, and in your own mind, to be second to no one. The sky is your playground and competitiveness is your life…A fighter pilot is a man in love with flying. A fighter pilot sees not a cloud but beauty, not the ground but something remote from him, something that he doesn’t belong to as long as he is airborne. There’s something in the eyes.”
- Or the relationship between the man and machine: “A pilot is a man in love, a man whose emotional ties with a piece of machinery run deep. His bluff expressions are protective devices meant to hide the tenderness in his heart when he turns to flying. Man merges with machine; he doesn’t simply use it. You don’t climb into an aircraft and sit down. You strap the machine to your butt, become one with it…You are tied to it physically and you are part of it emotionally.”
- Or the end of a long difficult day of combat flying: “You and your bird have survived for another day and for the moment tomorrow is a long way off. As you shut down, each switch stills a part of the pulsing energy that has been an extension of you. The radio fades to stillness, gyros unwind, hydraulic pressures fall, radar images fade, lights flicker, dim and are gone to blackness. As the engine clicks down to silence, air pressure from the fuel tank hisses free, like a long sigh before sleep. You love deeply the crewmen who swarm around to care for what has now become ‘their’ bird, and you unfasten yourself from your metal body and climb out. It’s a rare pilot who doesn’t feel these things as an act of gentle severance, and his final, gloved touch at the bottom of the ladder is a secret gesture of parting.”
Olds doesn’t pull punches at his own weaknesses and failures—of tales of stupidity from which God for his own reasons protected him or the sad story of his two failed marriages. But in the end, he leaves us a magnificent portrait of a warrior, fully at home in the heat of combat—wherever it may be—but wholly unsuited to the “drudgery” of combat units with no combat in sight. Every nation needs them. America is fortunate to have had one in Robin Olds.
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