Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #937679 in Books
• Published on: 2000-07-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 496 pages

Review
"Behind the legend of the 'bad boy' squadron is the true story of the people, places, and events that made the outfit what it was."
-"World War II Magazine
""A sensitive revision of a controversial legend, this book stands out as one of the best extant squadron histories and as a significant contribution to the literature of air power."
-"Publishers Weekly"
"Breathes new facts and new life into the Black Sheep, with not only a comprehensive account of the Marines' most famous squadron, but a detailed evaluation of a legendary subject."
-BARRETT TILLMAN
Author of "On Yankee Station"

"From the Paperback edition."

Synopsis
Recounts the story of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 and its exploits in the South Pacific.

Customer Reviews

Dry, boring recitation of the facts
A good history should focus on the extraordinary events and the good meaty stories, then surround them with details and everyday events and ordinary happenings. All of Gamble's good stories get buried. By drudging up all the minutiae and every little detail, Gamble may be historically accurate, but he's also boring as hell. It seems like time waiting in the chow line gets as many pages as some of the heroic battles. Also, Gamble keeps harping on Boyington, going back to how his claimed kills don't match the Japanese records, his alcoholism, his insubordination, yadda yadda. Bringing these subjects up once, even twice, is appropriate, but Gamble keeps harping on them. And his theory that Boyington didn't suffer while a POW is ludicrous--that he's less of a hero than some others because he didn't lose as much weight? Please. By grinding his own axe, he loses the reader in the process.

A TRUE STORY OF VMF 214 3 SEPARATE PERSONAS
THIS BEST BOOK IVE READ ABOUT A FIGHTER SQUADRON . THE EARLY YEARS OF HUMBLE BEGINGS OF NO PLANES AND NO PERSONAL, JUST A NAME ON A PIECE OF PAPER. TO RISE AS ONE OF THE BEST FIGHTER SQUADRONS IN THE PACIFIC AS FIRST THE SWASHBUCKLERS AND THE THE MORE RECOGNISED BLACKSHEEP SQUADRON TO DISASTER ABORD THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER BEN FRANKLIN WHEN A JUDY DIVE BOMBER CAME IN UNDECTED DROPPED 2 BOMBS ON THE CARRIER AND STARTED THE MASSIVE FIRES ABOARD....

Excellent history of VMF-214
The Black Sheep is an excellent review of VMF 214. From the early days on Guadalcanal flying F4F Wildcats to the later days flying the dreaded F4U Corsair, this book probes deep into the history of the Black Sheep. The book also details Greg Boyington's hard drinking and carousing to his fearlessness in the cockpit. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the Black Sheep or Marine fighter combat.