The following websites may be of interest. Should you know of others that should be added to this roster, please email the webmaster.

A-7 SITES
A-7 SQUADRON SITES
ASSOCIATIONS OF INTEREST
BOOK BY OUR MEMBERS

Books by
​MAT GARRETSON
​Our Executive Director, Mat Garretson, has been writing professionally about aviation since 1980. In 2019 he was contracted by Schiffer Publishing to write four books, each about a specific US Navy aircraft. His first book for Schiffer was, naturally, about the A-7 Corsair II. Since its release it has remained one Amazon's top-selling books in its category.
Mat also serves as Print Historian for the Blue Angels Association, and in that capacity, he has been busy on multiple book projects related to the Team. Volume One of his multi-volume historical work - Blue Angels Decades - was released last year, and has been hailed as the ultimate historical reference on the first 10 years of the Blue Angels. Other Volumes are in the works, as are other books.

Books by
GIL ​RUD
From the Prairie to the Pacific is the story of one man’s journey from rural North Dakota to the cockpits of US Navy jet fighters and ultimately Captain of a flagship aircraft carrier.  
Gil flew combat missions over Vietnam in A-7 Corsair II aircraft before taking command of his own squadron. His success as a naval aviator led to the ultimate reward—“Boss” of the world-famous Blue Angels aerobatic display team, overseeing their successful transition to the F/A-18 Hornet. 
Gil Rud reflects on his experiences and emotions as a husband and father—as well as a pilot and an “officer and a gentleman." He has mixed with world leaders and movie stars—from the President of the United States to James Bond.  His stories of triumph and tragedy, from nights on the flight deck to nights on the town—and the loss of close friends—reveal deep feelings, great insight and a wonderful sense of humor, as well as meticulous attention to detail.  
Books by
KEVIN MILLER
​We're justifiably proud of our fellow member, Kevin Miller, and the award-winning books that he has written. Widely known as one of the best authors in the aviation techno-thriller genres, "Hozer" started his service in the fleet as an A-7 driver, and later went on to command the Gunslingers of VFA-105.

His books will take Aviators back to their time in the cockpit, and give would-be Aviators a true sense of what it was like. 

​www.kevinmillerauthor.com

FLYING SOLO
Memoirs of an Air Force Pilot
by Craig Gottschang

The Vietnam War, December 2, 1972. One week and a day before his twenty-fourth birthday, Air Force A-7 pilot Craig Gottschang finds himself alone, deep in enemy territory. Barely a month into his combat tour, his flight leader has disappeared, and black smoke is curling up through clouds where he was last seen. Told in his own words, Craig recounts that fateful day as well as the training he received prior to Vietnam, his 150 combat missions, and his Stateside service later as an A-7 and A-10 instructor pilot. Years after the war, he must revisit the past when information surfaces about a newly found crash site, possibly his flight leader, and Craig may hold the key to finally learning his fate. In this gripping and personal account of one man’s aviation journey, we learn of his courage, his fears, and his enduring respect for all who have served in combat and for those who have paid the ultimate price.

US ATTACK AVIATION:
Air Force and Navy Light Attack,
​1916 to the Present
          by RG Head - Foreword by Scott Swift
             *To be released May 28, 2022
               available on pre-order

Attack aviation is intense and dangerous. It necessitates the direct engagement of ground targets at low altitude. Attack aircraft are usually fighters or fighter-sized aircraft, with one or two engines, and one or two crew. This work provides an overview history of American attack aviation from its inception to present, including both the US Navy and Air Force. The pillars of the narrative are several case studies that characterize the evolution of technology and tactics over time: SBD Dauntless, AD Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, A-7 Corsair II, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and F/A-18 Hornet. Each of the cases contains first-person accounts that include a description of the aircraft's origin, competitive procurement, major attack features, and combat employment. Author R.  G. Head (Brig. Gen., Ret.) has extensive experience in combat (325 missions, DFC, Silver Star) and an in-depth understanding of doctrine (taught future pilots at the Air Force Academy) and gained first-person exposure to the policy and engineering aspects of the aircraft procurement process while serving at the Pentagon and later as a private consultant working in collaboration with the US Navy. This is a story about flying. It is told by Naval Aviators, Air Force fighter pilots, and the men who built the airplanes the pilots flew.

A-7 CORSAIR II ILLUSTRATED
       by Lou Drendel

120 pages of history, photos, painting and TINS tales...many from our own Members. This is a must for any A-7 bubba's bookshelf. Available in both print and Kindle versions through Amazon.
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     IN MY FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS
       by John "Rat" Leslie

       "This is not just another book about Aviation and a generation gone by. It is a thoroughly enjoyable            read. I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. Mr. Leslie has written a book that is of the            same quality and ease of reading as authors such as David McCullough. I recommend this book to all."   ​                                      - Review on Amazon.com 
​
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      SEASONS OF TRIUMPH 
        by Kenny Wayne Fields
​
​         "As gifted a story-teller as he must have been a Navy jet pilot.... Kenny has a way with words. Like                  (Homer) Hickam, he has a simple but engaging storytelling style."
                                          - Audrey Stanton, West Virginia South Magazine​                                  

THE RESCUE OF STREETCAR 304
by Kenny Wayne Fields
​
"The author draws on Air Force radio logs, after-action reports, and extensive interviews with all
participants—including the wives at home—to tell the story from all perspectives. The result is a 
gripping tale of courage and brotherhood on both battlefield and home front."    
​                                     - Naval Institute Press
TIMING WAS EVERYTHING
by James "J.J." McBride
​

​                                     - Book not yet reviwed



MISC. SITES OF INTEREST
Vietnam Air Losses A staggering database constructed by Dave Lovelady of over 3,100 entries that detail the loss of all military aircraft during the Vietnam War. You can search by aircraft type, pilot name, date, home base and/or ship, etc. Based upon Chris Hobson's amazingly-researched book of the same name, now out of print.
Remembered Sky Ed Beakley's website began so as to tell the ’72-’73 story of USS Midway, Carrier Airwing Five and to further focus primarily on the Attack mission side. It emerged out of revisiting and reflecting on his career as a Naval Aviator in light of the 100th year anniversary of Naval Aviation, in addition to a re-sparking of a long term frustration with, and almost impossibility of finding anything on the carrier and airwing that set the record in the Vietnam War for days on the line, and one of only four to receive the Presidential Unit Citation – equivalent of Navy Cross at the unit level – USS Midway and CAG Five.
​Cruisebooks (Lots of cruisebooks from every aircraft carrier over many years)
CVW Deployments (Great database of every Carrier Air Wing deployment; includes description of squadron/aircraft deployed)
Voughtworks (A blogsite managed by ex-Vought employee, Bill Spindel. Occational postings of photos and info on A-7s from the Vought archives)
Vought Heritage (A website that celebrates the history of Vought/LTV, and provides links to both the Vought Retirees Association and the Vought Aircraft Heritage Foundation)

ARTWORK
Hank Caruso is famous for his 'aerocatures'. He's created some art for our Association, and accepts commissions, too.
David Tipps accepts custom aviation art commissions.
Steve Tack has a great piece of art depicting an A-7 prepping for launch. 

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