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(More customer reviews)Noted aviation historian and photographer Bob Lawson has produced a multi-faceted, well-illustrated and absolutely first-class history of all the officers who led U.S. Navy carrier air groups or wings - the CAGs.
The list of the officers who have served as CAGs reads like a who's who of naval aviation -Jimmy Flatley, David McCampbell, "Jig Dog" Ramage, Frank Ault, Bob Elder and Jim Stockdale, to name just a few. Their exploits are legend and are well-covered in this book.
After relating the development of naval aviation from 1900 to the 1990s, Lawson discusses the genesis and evolution of the CAG billet before jumping into the meat of the book, profiles of over 40 of the Navy's most notable CAGs. These first-person reminiscences give the reader a very human look into the world of these men as they relate highlights from their "CAG tour".
Lawson then caps off the book with a section of color photographs and artwork depicting the various "CAG birds" flown by these men.
Lawson's book is obviously a labor of love. The many fine personal reminiscences he solicited are complemented by a stunning collection of rare photographs of the men along with color profiles of their aircraft. Anyone interested in the development of naval aviation in the 20th Century should have this book on his shelf. It is the definitive book on the subject and a hell of a good read as well!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Carrier Air Group Commanders: Men & Their Machines (Schiffer Military History)
The study of the U.S. Navys air group and air wing commanders is a study of carrier aviation itself. This detailed volume presents a history of the establishment of the carrier air group commander billet and the attendant formal air groups. The book is divided into four sections: Section One A Historical Overview, presents an overview of naval aviation history from 1898 to 1922, when the U.S. Navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier USS Langley (CV-1), with its wood-and-fabric biplanes. The pages next describe carrier aviation from Langley to the 90,000-ton supercarriers of today with their supersonic jets. This section also contains air group organization charts showing their development over the years. Section Two Evolving the System, discusses the genesis and evolution of the air group/wing commander billet, as well as the development of the organizations they commanded. It contains biographical sketches of the first CAGs and their wing commander predecessors. Section Three The Men, profiles more than forty of the Navys more notable CAGs by use of their personal reminiscences and anecdotes. Their stories give the reader a feel for the responsibilities, joys and sorrows that accompany the assumption of the title: CAG. Additionally, the profiles give an insiders view of the U.S. Navys combat operation tactics from World War II to Desert Storm. The books final section The Machines, contains a chronological selection of photographs and some profile drawings of the aircraft flown by wing commanders from 1931 to the present. Heavy emphasis has been given to provide as many high-quality color photographs as were possible to locate. This section should have great appeal to both historian and enthusiast in its coverage as it not only graphically presents the aircraft flown, but also covers the evolution of carrier aviation itself. An appendix listing every known CAG and dates of his command concludes the book. lation of this data to exist. Carrier Air Group Commanders: The Men and Their Machines is an important historical document that will serve both as a reference work and enjoyable reading for many years.
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