The Saga of Pappy Gunn is a kindly testimonial to a great airman from his commanding officer, General George C. Kenny. "Pappy" Gunn was part of the first class of naval aviators, an enlisted man who beat the odds to became one of the first carrier pilots. He retired from the Navy in 1939, retiring to the Philippines to try his hand at running an air line. He didn't have long to enjoy his retirement. World War 2 struck, and Pappy signed up in the Army Air Force. McAurthur's Far East Forces were a world onto their own, and in the desperate defense of the Philippines Pappy coordinated aerial evacuations, repairs, and patrols. His own family was captured and interned, but Pappy managed to bring vital planes and pilots south to Australia.

There he met up with General Kenny, who recognized a man of exceptional talents. Pappy was promoted from Wing maintenance officer to head of special projects. He had an uncanny talent for field modification, turning A-20 and B-25 medium bombers into machine-gun bristling strafing ships. These modifications played a key role in the Battle of the Bismark Sea, and became an official B-25 variant. Pappy kept up morale with a string of tale tales and irrepressible energy, despite being a generation older than most of the men he served with.

The story has a bittersweet ending. Pappy was severely wounded during the liberation of the Philippines, and had a difficult recovery. He ran a shoestring airline in the Pacific after the war, dying with his boots on in a plane crash. There are some neat anecdotes here, and it's a lovely memorial, but I can't recommend this book on any literary qualities.