The Wingmen by Adam Lazarus

Fascinating factual account of two famous men who became fast friends as Marine pilots during the Korean War.

One of the reasons I was drawn to this book was that it reminded me of one of my maternal uncles telling me a few stories about his time as a soldier in Korea. Additionally, I wanted to find out what these two men, a professional baseball player and an astronaut, might have in common. The book was well researched, the writing flowed and was easy to read, and the men came to life on the page.

I actually started a list of “similarities” and “differences” and realized that the main thing John Glenn and Ted Willams had in common was the trust and admiration that formed between the two men while flying missions together. They both had planes damaged, limped back to base, and survived to return home. Ted returned to play professional baseball while John opted to stay career Marine in various positions till his last as the first astronaut to orbit the earth. There was a lot to take in from how they were raised to how they were buried.

I didn’t know a lot about either man before reading this book but came away with an understanding of and appreciation for the good things they both did. I felt I got to know them and learned a bit more ab the Korean War, too.

NOTES:
1) My father was in WWII, my uncle fought in Korea, I wrote letters to men in Vietnam, and have been through the Gulf War in Saudi Arabia – this book had me thinking about how war impacts the soldiers, their families, and the country the war takes place in.
2) I googled after finishing and found out that Ted’s rather controversial son died a couple years after his choice of burial for his father and chose the same for himself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensginton Publishing – Citadel Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Wow, just wow. The astronaut and the out fielder although they were so much more than that. Heroes, men of principle, men of unstinting national pride. Willing to give up so much to move forward! Their friendship over decades was laudable.

I'm a fan of both men and only had passing knowledge of their friendship. This book was a compilation of documents never shared before and the personal history of these men that many do not know. An excellent read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Citadel for the ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.
3.5 stars rounded up
You can't be a lifelong Red Sox fan and not be an admirer of Ted Williams, even if he retired before you were born. I requested this book partly because of Ted, mainly because of the friendship between these two American heroes, about which I knew little. While I enjoyed the book, I didn't get a sense of their friendship until more than halfway through it. It seems there were years - decades, even? - that they were hardly in contact. It's a fascinating read about each man individually. I guess I was expecting more about the two of them together throughout the years. Admittedly I'm not a history buff so the first 30% took me quite a while to read. (I normally read almost a book a day - this took me over a week.) Also, just so you're aware, the story ends around 75% and the remaining pages are notes/bibliography.

A truly outstanding book about two men whose lives could not have been more different. The bond they formed while serving in Korea carried over the rest of their lives. A great story! The lives that they led was truly interesting to follow. Two great heroes - one in the military and the other in sports.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.