Actually, it's been out for some weeks now. I was asked to write a review on another site - I think so much of the book that I just have to share my thoughts with a few of my other favorite sites as well. I hope this review influences you to pick it up:
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I just finished reading the book last night. What a great story! Highly recommended. What follows is my 'review', FWIW.
Steve has always been one of the prominent "notables" in a group of notables - mainly due to the original 4th FG pilot cadre's highly unique method(s) of becoming US military aviators. The 4th remains unique as the only US fighter group in history constituted in-theatre.
It was great fun reading about his decision as a very young man, after realizing that an appointment to the Greek Air Force Academy was not forthcoming, to get a job on a merchant ship hoping that it would dock in America where he could steal away and continue flying lessons and maybe chart a path in aviation. His eventual landing on our shores not able to speak English, and his pre-war life of myriad menial jobs and English lessons - all the while taking flying lessons which consumed most of his money - was a lesson in perserverance!
His wartime life with the RAF and 8th Air Force and later close-call adventures as an evadee in various safe homes and with the French Resistance, including participating on sabotage raids and using guns "up close and personal" with German troops and his later very distinguished career in the USAF, where he rose to the rank of full Colonel, is fascinating and the stuff of movies - in this case nobody would believe it if his story made the silver screen. No way a poor Greek boy could stow away on a ship with hardly any money, not knowing the language, and end up a 'winner' like he did. He had a secret weapon, I believe - meeting the man even now you feel it immediately ... his extremely positive attitude and outlook on life is a model for all of us. Yes, you really can do anything you set your mind to! He's living, breathing proof.
What a pleasure to meet the man in 2006 in Colorado. As he signed my
Escort to Berlin book, I asked him, "Do you see who you're signing under?" (he was signing his name under Edith Gentile - sister of Don, probably Steve's best friend ever - I met her at the 2002 4th FG memorial monument dedication at the USAF Museum) and he looked up a notch at the signature and laughed out loudly since he knew her well back in the day, of course. In "Escort" there is a picture of he and Don Gentile next to a Spit Vb in one of 336FS's blast pens. I had him sign that picture in the book as well, and I asked him if he remembered that photo being taken. He immediately looked up and said (in his wonderful accent), "He had just come back from a patrol, and I went over to visit him." In the book, you come to know just how good friends he and Don were - best man at each other's weddings, served as test pilots together (Don steered Steve into that line of work), and if Don hadn't been killed in that January 1951 T-33 crash (Steve had been invited two days earlier to join Don on that flight, but Steve had to study for upcoming exams), they'd probably still be hanging out together!
His subsequent career with the Air Force, after a brief stint as a postwar TWA pilot, is outlined in detail, including Steve's pivotal role in the decision of the Greek Air Force to buy the F-4 (which influenced Turkey's decision to do likewise), among many other accomplishments. His voluntary service as a C-7 ops officer/squadron commander in Vietnam supplying Special Forces camps (I bet my dad, a multi-tour Green Beret, was probably on the receiving end of Steve's C-7s numerous times in 'Nam) and CIA operative camps was interesting and capped a stellar career. He retired in the early 70s after 30+ years of uniformed service to his beloved adopted country.
A wonderful book - highly, highly recommended for a better-than-Hollywood story that is not only entertaining, but greatly inspiring.
Amazon.com or autographed via Steve's site here:
http://theflyingreek.com/
Wade
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