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Courage Sacrifice Devotion
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by:
ISBN:
0-7414-2912-8
©2006
Price:
$35.95
Book Size:
8.5" x 11"
, 554 pages
Category/Subject:
BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military
This is the story of the last bastion of aviation exploration- the Antarctic. This is a story of young aviators going were no one has gone before, than opening up the continent.
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Abstract:
This revised second edition of Courage Sacrifice Devotion has new material spread though out the book, with 35 additional pages including six pages of Antarctic maps and 'cutaway' drawings of the Douglas R4-D's 'Gooney Bird' airplane. This new additional material was gleamed during my recent visit to Rhode Island to attend the Old Antarctic Explorers Association reunion.
A truly remarkable story of endurance, bravery, so immersed in the demands placed on them by the US Navy- the Puckered Penguins’, a group of men and women flighting the odds in the name of Antarctic exploration, carrying out their duties on the frozen continent with danger was lurking everywhere. This epic story is an insight and challenging chronicle of their young life’s flying aircraft on the world’s harshest continent- yet their compassion for their mates will leaves readers stunned.
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Customer Reviews
COURAGE SACRIFICE DEVOTION
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08/16/2007
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Reviewer:
Paul Harrision
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The preface of the book dedicates it to the proud American men and women who served their country in Antarctica as members of the US Navy’s VX-6 and VXE-6 Squadron in the Southern Continent from 1955 – 1999, where the extremes of operating machines and the limits of human endurance were tested. Fifty Americans died in Antarctica during ‘Operation Deep Freeze’ as the annual forays to the south were called.
Noel Gillespie has approached the recording of these years through background narratives of the events, interlaced with personal anecdotal recollections of individual flights, achievements, accidents and incidents.
As an aviation historian, this reviewer found new information on the endeavors of aviators on the Antarctic continent and from the bases of operations in New Zealand. However, this information is often tainted by technical inaccuracies when referring to various aircraft, and repetitive stories. The frequent spelling mistakes and the ‘Americanization’ of RNZAF ranks (i.e. Flight Lieutenants are referred to as ‘Lieutenants’ is an annoyance. Notwithstanding the above gripes, the book does provide a detailed account of the problems faced when operating aircraft and machinery in the harshest climate in the world.
The development of ski-equipped aircraft shows initiatives that eventually lead to the purpose-built LC-130 Hercules the squadron operated from the mid 1960s until it was disbanded in 1999.Stories of ‘in-field’ operations by aircraft and their crews are a revelation. Flying blind onto the polar ice cap without the benefit of marked runways, or the knowledge of what may lie beneath the surface (crevasses were a particular danger) took courage and dedication of the crews supporting the scientific field parties. There was a price to pay and write-offs included thirteen R4-Ds (DC3 equivalents) and several other DC3 variants, Neptune’s, Hercules, and helicopters. Supporting the American Scientific programme in Antarctica, the USAF also lost several aircraft -C124 Globemasters, C121 Super Connies, Hercules and helicopters.
When funding became tight in the 1970s some of the Hercules that had been abandoned after crashing several years earlier were repaired on site, and flown back to New Zealand for rebuild by NAC. There is frequent reference to the strong connection between the US Navy and the RNZAF. Operation Deep Freeze was based at Wigram from 1955 to 1959, and after the shift of operations to Christchurch International Airport, the close relationship continued until the Squadron was disbanded in 1999.For environmentalists this book will both delight and disturb. The delight is that it is printed on recycled paper, despite making it similar to a telephone book, with a consequent degradation of the photos.
They will be disturbed by the earlier practices of the US missions in Antarctica who discarded surplus or damaged aircraft and other material at the end of each season by simply pushing it to the edge of the Ross Sea ice shelf. When the next summer thaw came it sank to the bottom of the Ross Sea. Overall, a book with a wealth of knowledge of US Navy aviation in Antarctica, and one those researchers and those who have experienced Antarctica conditions will enjoy.
Paul Harrison RNZAF Air Force News
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COURAGE SACRIFICE DEVOTION
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07/08/2006
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Reviewer:
Kevin Hardt ,OAE 93/97
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I bought my copy of it, and would like to tell you how nice of a book it is. As I was reading through it, I came upon a photo on page 493. I was surprized and happy to see the photo of myself and my crew. I showed my wife, and her reply was.. Now we have somebody famous in the family. We both had a good laugh about it. It also brought back some very good memories, both of the Ice and New Zealand. I was wondering if there might be away for me to send you my copy of the book, and have you sign it for me?
Thanking you
Kevin Hardt, OAE 1993/97 Atlanta,Georgia,USA
[ A crew of Crew 4-aircraft modes number 00 or 'Double Nuts'
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Courage Sacrifice Devotion
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11/17/2006
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Reviewer:
Craig Frankiewicz. San Deigo
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Good evening Noel
I just today finished your book on the Antarctica. I want
to say that you book is really outstanding and I have learned a lot
about the cold world down south!!!!!! Plus have learned more about my
Dad and the experiences of his adventures in the brutal freezing
southern most continent. I can't fathom what my dad went through and
many more men did!!!!!! As I read of all the men that lost their lives
to the polar world, I think it could have been my dad too. My dad swore
by the Gooney Bird, that it was a great plane to fly in those extreme
conditions, then you write about one man that sort of said, how did they
do it in those antiques. My dad had a lot of experience in the R4D. He
flew them across the North Atlantic. in blizzards, rain,wind, white
outs, and whatever else nature and God through at him. You write about
how my dad's emotions got out of control, and you are right. He was a
stressful person. If you are up in an airplane and a stressful situation
comes up, you have to learn to deal with it, try to control it, and not
let your emotions get out of control. Stress on top of stress is not
good.
I believe now from reading your book, why my dad did not advance to
Captain from Commander. But to me my Dad is a hero in what he did for
the U.S.N. down south, and I love him. He put his life on the line for
his country. I told my Mom, jokingly, he only went down there because
there are no trees and my dad hated racking leaves. Well he probably had
to dig out some snow, so you can't win for losing!!!!!!!!! I kinda
wished my Dad had named his RFD after my Mom, Betty Lou, but I guess
that wouldn't have gone over very good with my Mom, because his bird was
given a sea burial. I want to conclude by saying, thank you very much
for writing Courage Sacrifice Devotion, excellent excellent book!!!!!!!!
One of the best books I've read on the Antarctica, and have read a lot
on the subject. Take care and keep writing.
Eddie's Son, Craig Frankiewicz
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COURAGE SACRIFICE DEVOTION
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02/05/2008
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Reviewer:
Charles Swuthinbank
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This is not a book to read through but to dip into. It is a fine collection of flying stories largely complied from the accounts of the airmen involved. The title Courage Sacrifice Devotion is taken from the inscription on the US Antarctic Service Medal and is the Squadron’s motto. The stories extend from 1955 until the squadron was decommissioned in 1999 and includes not only the aircraft of VXE-6 but also other aircraft that visited McMurdo.
Excitement there is aplenty. Whilst overall this is a story of success in overcoming obstacles to support the US Antarctic Program, the illustrations show dozens of crashed aircraft and list the 50 or so members of the task force who lost their lives in the course of the 44 year history of the squadron. Daunting as these figures are, they come into perspective when the author described how an AIR New Zealand DC-10 on a sightseeing flight crashed into Mt Erebus on November 28 1979, killing all 257 souls onboard. It turned out in the subsequent enquiry that the aircraft had not understood the nature of an Antarctic whiteout. A chapter of the book is devoted to this accident because VXE-6 helicopters flew more than 100 hours to take out human remains during the months that followed. Wreckage was still visible on the mountain 25 years after.
There are 160 pages of photographs at the end of the book, representing a valuable historical archive. Unfortunately the publisher’s use of poor quality recycled paper does not do justice to their importance. The illustrations includes 17 pages of pre VXE-6 photographs, starting with Robert Falcon Scott’s balloon ascent in 1902, the Wilkens-Hearst expedition in 1928-29, Richard E Byrd’s expedition of 1928-30, Lincoln Ellsworth’s expedition of 1933-35 and Operation High Jump of 1946-47.
The author, Noel Gillespie, a journalist rather than a scholar- this is a thrilling narrative of pioneering aviation in perhaps the most challenging environment on earth- a great read. The book is a prime reference for the history of VXE-6. As one who participated in six seasons with USAP, all of them involving flying, you can be sure that my copy will be well used.
Charles Swithinbank. Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, England
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