Roger Ball!: The Odyssey of John Monroe "Hawk" Smith Navy Fighter Pilot - Softcover

Auten, Donald E.

4.23

70 ratings by Goodreads

9780595385898: Roger Ball!: The Odyssey of John Monroe "Hawk" Smith Navy Fighter Pilot

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0595385893 ISBN 13: 9780595385898

Publisher: iUniverse, 2006

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"Roger Ball!" doesn't just take you into the fighter pilot's cockpit as so many fine books about aviation have done. This book puts the reader inside the skin of one of the Navy's true characters. John Monroe "Hawk" Smith.
-Leighton Warren Smith, Admiral, U.S. Navy (Retired)

Roger Ball! is the personal story of John Monroe "Hawk" Smith's esteemed career as a U.S. Navy fighter pilot from 1963 to 1993. Author Donald E. Auten provides a forceful account of the rollicking fun of deployment, the challenges of leadership, and the adrenaline rush of air-combat maneuvering. But life as a carrier pilot has a dark and frightening side too ...

Suddenly, everything caught up with them at once. The ball dropped to the bottom of the lens, the LSO screamed for more power ...Hawk strained to see the ball but caught only a momentary glimpse of a cherry red ball lying on the bottom of the lens accompanied by brilliantly flashing wave off lights.

KAWHOMPPHH!!! The Phantom came aboard with all the grace of a pallet of bricks. The impact caged his eyeballs and shot a spike of pain through his spinal column. They hit hard-harder than Hawk thought anything could hit without ending up in the hanger deck forty feet below.

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Synopsis:

"Roger Ball is a magnificent read about a great and distinguished 'life well lived.' John Monroe Smith is a living legend in Naval Aviation: an all American boy living his dream.a dream of becoming the best fighter pilot and carrier aviator in the Navy. He succeeded in being the best in a way that only one with unbridled passion, fierce commitment, boundless energy, unconditional dedication and relentless resolve can experience. "If you had the honor and privilege of being part of carrier aviation, Roger Ball brings it all back: the thrill of the first cat shot and arrested landing; that special aroma of JP-5, hydraulic fluid, canopy cleaner and grease; the long hours of Alert 5's; the FCLPs; the SDO, IWO and Boat Officer; ACM with many Fox 1s and Fox2; the leadership challenges of dealing with wayward sailors and senior leaders who were the best and worst; the commitment to persevere in spite of all odds at sea and ashore; the sacrifice of family and shipmates; the satisfaction of being part of something much bigger than self; and the many memories of hearing those special words, especially on a dark, rainy night, blue water ops-Roger Ball.

"From a shipmate, friend and one who holds Hawk in great admiration, and with respect and gratitude." -Ed Allen, Rear Admiral, USN (Retired) "Bravo, fantastic-the good, the bad and the ugly! Realistic, authentic, no holds bar, detailed, down to earth, true fighter pilot, proud, courageous, and all Navy. Wow!!!!! A winner!" -Herb Pierpan, Colonel, USMC (Retired) "Roger Ball!, the Odyssey of John Monroe 'Hawk' Smith, is a 'must read' for any young man or woman considering a career in Naval Aviation. Donald 'Duck' Auten pulls no punches in telling the story of the life of a Naval Aviator-the good times and the bad times. Reading this book, you'll get to live the life of an extraordinary Navy fighter pilot.You'll experience the training required to become a Naval officer and then on to flight training. "You'll know what it's like to join your first squadron and make your first cruise, the long hard hours at sea away from your loved ones and well deserved liberty. You'll know what it's like to make a carrier landing, day or night-any kind of weather, when the rolling and pitching deck is the only piece of solid ground for hundreds of miles around.

Most of all, you'll learn what it takes to be part of a team where your squadron mate's life depend on you and your life on them. You'll share in the camaraderie, the antics, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat that can only be found in these people we call Navy fighter pilots. "Thanks 'Hawk' for sharing your life and thanks 'Duck' for so eloquently getting it down on paper." -Art Martin, F-14 Tomcat Association

About the Author:

Donald E. Auten retired from the United States Navy in 1998 following a twenty-seven-year career in several operational, command, and staff assignments. He became an adversary instructor after graduating from TOPGUN, completed six squadron assignments, and logged nearly 5,000 flight hours.

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