Review (PDF) Hornets Over Kuwait
Already a classic, this book is the brash, unbridled and politically incorrect account of a Marine fighter pilot's actions during Operation DESERT STORM. Impetuosity aside, Stout's account reads real and has stood up to challenges from within and outside the Marine Corps. In this, his first book, Stout provides plenty of action and accurately describes tactics and combat actions that were typical for the short, sharp war that drove Saddam from Kuwait. At the same time he paints a self-effacing picture of his own performance, a factor that makes this work that much more credible and readable. A "must read" for anyone interested in air combat.
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Naval Institute Press; 1st edition (May 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1557508356
ISBN-13: 978-1557508355
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #1,597,090 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #44 in Books > History > Middle East > Kuwait #214 in Books > History > Military > United States > Operation Desert Storm #690 in Books > History > Middle East > Iraq
Don't turn to Hornets Over Kuwait for enlightenment on the "grand strategy" of the Gulf War; none is forthcoming--nor should it be. This is a is a first-person memoir of the war from the cockpit and the author's perspective is only as wide as his FA-18's windscreen. It's a lively narrative history told in the patois of the fighter pilot. The author, a USMC Captain at the time of the war, is not a dispassionate observer. Rather, he brings genuine enthusiasm to his story; enthusiasm for the Hornet, for Marine Corps aviation, and for his comrades-in-arms. He does, however, display the junior officer's typically irreverent attitude toward superiors and "the system." In the midst of his tale, he makes brief "detours" to take pot shots at the Navy, the Air Force, two-seat FA-18s, Harriers, women in the military, and assorted "boobs and doofs." His ebullience for the Hornet is understandable--like a cowboy's love of his horse--but his analysis of the Hornet's efficacy in delivering "dumb" bombs accurately in a modern high-threat environment should be balanced with less passionate opinion. The author can be forgiven his bursts of enthusiasm for as Winston Churchill once said "There is nothing so exhilarating in life as to be shot at without effect." Turn to other books for strategic analysis of the Gulf War air campaign, but read this one to get the view from the cockpit.
Take a sunny 4th of July, hamburgers grilling in the backyard, a cold beer at hand. You sit down and chew the fat with a man who flew Hornets for the Marines during the Gulf war. He tells you his stories from an anecdotic point of view. Put that chat into a book and you get "Hornets over Kuwait". It does not put you "in the cockpit", not lay any literary claim. It dose leave you though with the pleasant feeling of a friendly Holiday chat.
Its not a pretentious book, and its not a complete history of the region, but it gives a good feel for the problems and solutions faced by the F18 Hornets during the Gulf War. It illustrates everything that has to go on, to make the package work. Very good on tactics.
A good, honest, and detailed view into the world of a Marine pilot during the Gulf War. Definitely not a Hollywood take on what it takes to go to war, but the thoughts and experiences of a person in the middle of it. Not a Clancy techno-thriller, but loaded with technical information for those of us who can only imagine what it would be like to be strapped in the seat of multimillion dollar high tech jet. Good insight into how the different branches of the service cooperate, and sometimes don't cooperate, in their different roles. Doesn't pull the punches when bureaucrats muddy up everything, whether on the military or political side. In an era when the politicians have made the military a social experiment and a plaything to push their agendas, this was probably the last looks at a time before it was neutered as the fighting force it is supposed to be to protect us from our enemies.
From my point of view, this is a very entertaining book about the Gulf War. The author share with us the life at the battle field on the gorund & up in the air flying. The author said all about what he & his team mates do when not flying any mission & this was really entertaining & fun. Further more, the most interesting part is about the missions that the author flew which most of them are bombing mission & telling us the danger that they faced & the enjoyment after hitting their targets. Actually, this book is just like the dairy of the author, telling us everything he had been doing during the Gulf War. Although there isn't any air to air combat, it's still very interesting because of the amazing bombing missions that he & his team mates flew together. Further more, they were using the FLIR(Forward looking infra-red) pod to find there targets in the dark. The author is flying the F/A-18A Hornet from VMFA-451 Worlords at that time. They were also join by others Marines fighter squadrons too & have been working together during the war. Surprisingly, the Marines perform more strike missions than the Navy did & that's very impressing. I may have said a lot of interesting stuff but you'll have to read it to find out for yourself & I'm sure whoever bought this book will enjoy it a lot, just like I did. You just got to read this book & that's all I can say.
A very down to earth accountant of Marine aviation in the Gulf war. A no holds barred view of the strategy and tactics of the Gulf air war with a first hand perspective not afraid to say it like it was.
well written and informative. I usually don't hold out much hope that free books are going to be worth what I paid, but this book was well written and gave a first person view of a war I watched on tv. I recommend anyone who cars about our vets and service men read it and find out how things really work "over there", I am sure the same crap is still happening even now to those who are fighting in the name of our country.
A good read from a marine pilot flying a twin engine Hornet fighter/bomber aircraft in Kuwait in the first gulf war. Written with a military pilot's humorous point of view, this book will entertain you as well as inform you. Buy it.
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