Table of Contents
Dedication 3
Epigraph 4
Foreword 8
Preface 9
Prologue 12
Chapter 1 Behind the Wing Line 16
The "Gunfighters" 16
The Man 16
The Machine: The First "Third-Generation" Fighter 28
The Reunion 28
The Butcher, the Baker, and Everything Else 31
Chapter 2 The Black Lions 32
Lineage of the Black Lions 32
The Fly-In 33
Assault on a Windmill 38
Gator Takes the Conn 39
Leadership 101 40
Friday the Thirteenth: Nightmare on Enterprise 42
The Supply Totem Pole 44
Call Sign "Thunder" 45
Weapons Detachment in the High Desert 48
USS America: First Impressions 50
Workups 51
Chapter 3 America Sails 53
Casting Lines 53
Between a Badger and the Deep Blue Sea 54
Bad Karma 57
Entropy in the Supply Department 58
Ship's Habitability Improvement Team 59
Port Visits 61
Bombing under the Flares 62
Land of Came! Herders and Fighter Pilots 62
Independence Day in the Med 66
Chapter 4 I Relieve You, Sir! 68
Command 68
Harpoon Shoot 71
MAYDAY from Bad Bob 74
The Far Turn 75
Convertible Tomcat 77
America Turnover with Nimitz 79
Chapter 5 Homeward Bound 80
Animal House 80
Chaos at Cannon 82
Budley to the Rescue 84
Home Is the Sailor 85
Chapter 6 "On the Beach" 87
Forging Alliances 87
Stand-Down 89
ADMAT Inspection 89
Hitting the Wall 91
Miss Jenny's Fire 92
Epiphany 93
TARPS Mission 93
Call to Action 94
Gator's Big Push 96
Hawk's Junkyard Dream 97
Renaissance 99
Chapter 7 Hardening of the "Lions" 101
The Young "Lions" 101
The Science of Maneuvering Flaps 102
Scopes for the Fleet 104
Have Drill 105
Mugs McKeown: To Kill a MiG 106
Constant Peg 109
Pride Runs Deep 110
Fastest Gun in the West 112
The Training Carousel 113
Chapter 8 A Clattering of Sabers 114
Fighter Super Bowl 114
Hawk vs. Toado: Gunfight at the OK Corral 114
Lessons Learned … Again 121
Chapter 9 Counting Coup 122
The Debrief 122
All Things in Competition 122
Happy-Hour Banter 123
Pipper's On! 124
On the Podium 126
Chapter 10 Here There Are Lions 128
Ascent to Mount Olympus 128
Change of Command 129
Chapter 11 Blue Skies, White Water 131
Last Romp in the Big Blue 131
Follow-On Orders 131
Full Circle 133
Fly Navy! 134
Epilogue 135
Endnotes 139
Bibliography 147
Glossary 151
Index 164
