The Sundowners, Pegasus, and Little Butch: Carrier Air Group 11 and the War in the Pacific, 1943-1945

by Brian D. Laslie

Overview

Much like Carol Reardon’s Launch the Intruders: A Naval Attack Squadron in The Vietnam War, 1972, this book will look at the War in the Pacific from August 1942 through January 1945 and demonstrate that one unit’s example was indicative of a wider whole. This book was birthed out of the August 2019 issue of Naval History titled “The Tale of Eleven,” which details the exploits of Carrier Air Group 11 during World War II. CVG-11 was composed of three to four squadrons of aircraft, most memorably fighter squadron VF-11, nicknamed the Sundowners for the dual nature of downing the rising sun of Japan and for the term indicating hard working sailor. CVG-11 saw action early in the war at Guadalcanal during its first tour and was later assigned to the USS Hornet in 1944 and fought at Leyte Gulf, Luzon, Mindoro, French Indochina, and Okinawa. The fighter squadron produced several aces during the war. The book will also demonstrate the exploits of the other two squadrons, illustrious in their own right: VB-11 and VT-11.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682478790
Publisher:	Naval Institute Press
Publication date:	06/17/2025
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240
File size:	11 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	3 Months to 18 Years

About the Author

Brian D. Laslie is a historian of air power studies. Dr. Laslie received his bachelor’s degree in history from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina in 2001; his master’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2006; and his PhD from Kansas State University in 2013. He is the author of numerous books and chapters on U.S. Air Force and air power history. He lives in Colorado Springs, CO.
Brian D. Laslie is a historian of air power studies. Dr. Laslie received his bachelor’s degree in history from The Citadel: The Military College of South Carolina in 2001; his master’s degree from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2006; and his PhD from Kansas State University in 2013. He is the author of numerous books and chapters on U.S. Air Force and air power history. He lives in Colorado Springs, CO. 

Editorial Reviews

In his new book The Sundowners, Pegasus, and Little Butch, airpower historian and acclaimed author Dr. Brian D. Laslie has crafted a thrilling narrative of the Navy’s Carrier Air Group 11 during the brutal fight for the Pacific in World War II. Using a kaleidoscope of voices and sources, including a wealth of diaries, after-action reports, and oral histories, Laslie takes readers from the skies over Guadalcanal through the Philippines, Hong Kong, and French Indochina. More than just a top-notch history, this is one helluva great read!"—James M. Scott, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Black Snow, Rampage, and Target Tokyo

“In a field crowded with books on top-scoring units and major battles, The Sundowners, Pegasus, and Little Butch is a breath of fresh air. Dr. Laslie deftly moves between operational and unit history, keeping the memories of Air Group 11’s officers and enlisted men at the center of the narrative in fitting tribute to their service and sacrifice. This is an insider’s look at life on dusty shores, aboard pitching vessels, and in thrilling air combat."—Mike Fink, author of Intrepid's Fighting Squadron 18

“Is there more to the naval air war in the Pacific than the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, and the Philippine Sea?  Brian Laslie’s new book, The Sundowners, Pegasus, and Little Butch, answers in the affirmative, using Carrier Air Group Eleven as a lens to sharpen our focus on that conflict.  Although CAG-11 and the carrier Hornet missed the “big” engagements, its men responded when called upon in the Solomons, the Philippines, and Formosa.  Laslie provides a compelling story of ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things during the greatest naval war in history.”—William F. Trimble, Professor Emeritus at Auburn University, is author of Admiral John S. McCain and the Triumph of Naval Air Power

“Brian Laslie has filled a huge gap in the historiography of the air war in the Pacific during WWII.  By focusing on the experiences and careers of the men assigned to Carrier Air Group 11, Laslie provides new insights into how one highly qualified group of naval aviators trained, lived, and fought.  Aviation enthusiasts will find it a compelling read.”—Thomas Wildenberg, author of Destined for Glory: Dive Bombing, Midway, and the Evolution of Carrier Airpower and The Origins of Aegis



 

From the Publisher