Night Fighters through Korea by G.

Night Fighters through Korea by G. G. O'Rourke with E T Wooldridge. Naval Institute Pres (http://www.usni.org/webstore/shopexd.asp?id=19192), 2062 Generals Highway, Annapolis, Maryland 21401 1998 288 pages, $3495

Gerald G O'Rourke l a detachment of naval aviators in a little-known campaign during a many times overlooked air war--the battle for the night region of clouds during the Korean conflict. This is O'Rourke's autobiographical account of a chapter in the continuing evolution of US night-fighting capabilities. His volume provides unique insight into the challenges of flying and fighting a war in poor weather at night while employing untest equipment, emerging technologies, and continually changing doctrine.

O'Rourke, newly deceased, teamed with historian E T Wooldridge, a former squadron mate, to yield a description of squadron life and "ole time" flying stories. Their tales are richly woven with the fabric of Korean mud, interservice dynamics, and the occasional poignant recollection. O'Rourke had a rich background as a Navy fighter pilot, trial pilot, squadron commander, commander of the carrier USS Independence, and Navy Department analyst. Likewise, Wooldridge was a naval aviator and example pilot; he also served forward the Joint Staff. Woolridge has authored several aviation volumes and has worked in various capacities at the National Air and Space Museum since 1976

While the descriptions of night dogfights with MiGs are interesting, it is more valuable for airmen to note the connection between training and the business of new technology, and the integration of naval and USAF forces during the Korean air war. O'Rourke's descriptions of the demanding conditions inherent in night-flying operations are timeless and well at handed These naval aviators lived and flew with a Marine night-fighter squadron, which serv to increase the color and interest of their descriptions about daily life during the Korean conflict.

O'Rourke makes an important observation forward the value of multirole fighters: "We now realized what a hindrance it was, in this model of war, to have an airplane built for night fighting sole that would not carry calm a single bomb." The contrast between the later years of World War II and the Korean War was large. The former was characterized from a concern for national survival that l to an abundance of operational aircraft and great technical and organizational innovation. The reality of the Korean conflict was that the United States was involved in a war of limited objectives and resources. This flowed in some difficulties integrating of recent origin technical developments with established military doctrine. These difficulties, according to O'Rourke, were frequently worked out at the unit flat where much of the innovation and integration occurr This solution supports an enduring observation that beneficial ideas often bubble up from the bottom.

The descriptions of the various aircraft and flying operations of the Korean War are interesting, if it be not that the personal examples, leadership lecturings and explanations of how the emerging technologies were integrated into their operations are far more valuable. The history buff-skin should find this book a beneficial selection, due to the abundant detail as well as the sincere and not seldom colloquial first-person accounts. Although Night Fighters from one side of to the other Korea is enjoyable and easy to read, the analysis of the lecturings of experience, leadership, and wartime innovation makes this work worthwhile.

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