Pushing the Envelope

Autobiography of a fighter and test pilot during World War II and Vietnam Among first marines to fly a helicopter First Marine to be named to the Navy Carrier Aviation Test Pilots Hall of Honor First published in 1994, this stirring autobiography of a fighter and test pilot takes readers full throttle through Carls imposing list of`firsts. Beginning with his World War II career, he gained such commendations as first Marine Corps ace, among the first Marines ever to fly a helicopter, and first Marine to land aboard an aircraft carrier. His combat duty included the momentous battles at Midway and Guadalcanal. Not one to rest on his laurels, however, he participated in photoreconnaissance operations over Red China in 1955 and flew missions in Vietnam. In peacetime he gained fame for `pushing the envelope as a test pilot, adding the worlds altitude and peace records to his wartime feats and becoming the first US military aviator to wear a full pressure suit. Such achievements also led to Carls being the first living Marine admitted to the Naval Aviation Hall of Honor, as well as the first Marine to be named to the Navy Carrier Aviation Test Pilots Hall of Honor. This very readable memoir is as forthright and compelling as the man it chronicles. The late MARION CARL retired in 1973 with eighteen aerial combat victories, having clocked 14,000 flight hours. Award-winning aviation writer BARRETT TILLMAN has also written books on the Corsair, Crusader, Hellcat, and Dauntless Dive bomber, all published by the Naval Institute Press.