(USA Ret.) Col. Kirk Warner - A Hoot in Hells Island: The Heroic Story of World War II Dive Bomber Lt. Cmdr. Robert D. Hoot Gibson

PRAISE FOR A HOOT IN HELLS ISLAND

Most pilots fly the plane. The great ones put it on.... Hoot was a great stick.

Joe Mavretic , Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps, Retired, AKA Leper, F8 (Crusader) and F4 (Phantom) Driver, Former Commanding Officer, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251: 19731975, and Former Speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives

If you want to be reminded of why America is known as the home of the brave, then you need to read A Hoot in Hells Island .

Santo J. Costa , Retired Vice Chairman and President, Quintiles Transnational Corporation, Author of Humanity at Work

Honestly, I could not put A Hoot in Hells Island down, and I highly recommend it to anyone in a leadership position or who aspires to be in one. Colonel Kirk Warner has done a masterful job in capturing his uncles attack pilot stories and adding accurate, historical context. Although Hoot called himself an average American, there was nothing average about this Navy Cross recipient. Tom Brokaw called his generation the greatest, and I agree with him. Hoot and his squadron mates personified the finest qualities of true warriors: vision, passion, total commitment, loyalty, heart, sense of humor, and courage, just to mention a few. Reading this book made me feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to wear the same Navy Wings of Gold as LCDR Hoot Gibson, a true hero!

Ralph E. Benny Suggs , Rear Admiral, US Navy, Retired, Naval Aviator (attack aircraft A2, A6, A7, F14 Tomcat) and Former Commander, Carrier Group Six, Aircraft Carrier USS America (CV-66), and Attack Squadron VA-55

Presented for the first time in full length, the wartime memoirs of decorated World War II dive bomber pilot Robert Hoot Gibson are an enlightening look into an important era of American history. His nephew, Colonel Kirk Gibson Warner, has tastefully blended Hoots full story from training through carrier combat with other historical segments to keep the action in perspective. Gibson was a true American hero, and Warner has done him great justice by sharing a rare snapshot of life under fire as documented by a man who survived one of the most challenging periods of the war, establishing himself as a flattop fighter of the first degree. No library of naval carrier aviation would be complete without this valuable narrative.

Stephen L. Moore , Author of Pacific Payback and The Battle
for Hells Island

In the era of industrial-scale warfare, conventional wisdom holds that single combatants exert little influence. But in the Pacific Theater of World War II, the individuals who determined battles and ultimately the fate of nations often were dive bomber pilots. Ranking high among them was Robert D. Gibson, who compiled an exceptional record in the carrier battles of 1942. Kirk Warners tribute to his uncle is a valuable addition to the literature of the Pacific War.

Barrett Tillman, Author of On Wave and Wing: The 100-Year Quest to Perfect the Aircraft Carrier and Enterprise, Americas Fightingest Ship and the Men Who Helped Win World War II

This gripping memoir describes Lt. Cmdr. Robert Gibsons life-or-death exploits as a top Navy dive bomber pilot at Midway and during the desperate struggle for Guadalcanal in 1942. It is both anecdotal and sweeping in scope. Navy Cross winner Hoot Gibson clearly exemplified the very best of the America that won World War II.

Joseph Wheelan , Author of Midnight in the Pacific: Guadalcanal, the World War II Battle That Turned the Tide of War

This book chronicles the history of Navy Cross recipient Hoot Gibson during the critical early days of the Imperial Japanese Navys World War II domination of the Pacific. Gibsons insights, in his own words, provide the reader with a front row seat to experience the development of the USNs operations against the Imperial Navys onslaught. From the cockpit of his Dauntless dive bomber, he repeatedly braved the layers of the defenses thrown against him by Admiral Yamamotos best. From the battle of Midway through the final naval battle of Guadalcanal, the future of the war hung in the balance. Without Gibson and men of his iron-willed determination, the world might have had a different fate.

Thomas C. Waskow, Lieutenant General, US Air Force, Retired, 02-A (Skymaster) and F-15 (Eagle) Fighter Pilot, Former Commanding General, US Forces Japan, and Commander, 5th Air Force

A Hoot in Hells Island is a delightful read. Built on memoirs left by the authors uncle and adorned with historical context, the book brings to life fascinating and critical aspects of World War II in the Pacific, especially the Guadalcanal campaign. The book will flesh out knowledge of enthusiasts, and for those less informed, it provides the compelling inside story of an average Americanwho performed heroic deeds when his nation needed selfless service. Hoot Gibson... a great American!!

Jack L. Rives , Lieutenant General, US Air Force, Retired, Former Judge Advocate General of the Air Force

A captivating read from two great Americans, Hoot Gibson, a highly decorated Navy WW2 Dauntless pilot, and his nephew Col. Kirk Gibson Warner. Kirk brings Hoots memoirs to life, from saddling up on the Japanese heavy cruiser Kinugasa and scoring a direct hit to jinking and side-slipping to avoid certain death as a Japanese Zero Ace pilot runs out of bullets and finally pulls line abreast and salutes Hoot for his superb airmanship. Two magnificent storytellers keep you turning the pages as we learn time-proven lessons of strength, courage, discipline, honor, camaraderie, and life.

William S. Buz Busby , Major General, US Air Force, Retired, F-4 (Phantom) and F-16C (Fighting Falcon) Fighter Pilot, Former Commander, 149th Fighter Squadron and the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan

Lt. Cmdr. Robert D. Hoot Gibson provides a highly descriptive firsthand account as a naval aviator in the Pacific. A Hoot in Hells Island is not your usual wartime memoir. Hoot served in the major naval campaigns in the Pacific War and recounts his experiences in a natural prose style with exceptional detail. Colonel Warner blends his uncles narrative with clear and insightful historical notes, which seamlessly add to the flow and perspective of the accounts. This is a substantive work which will be invaluable to professional historians and to the public at large.

Joseph W. Caddell , PhD, Teaching Associate Professor of History, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of History, North Carolina State University

Kirk Warner and his uncle, Bob Hoot Gibson, have created a WWII Navy pilots version of the classic by E. B. Sledge, With the Old Breed! Using the language of the times, Hoot describes the harrowing and bitter fighting that our wounded and diminished Navy endured during the early part of the conflict from his front row seat in a Dauntless dive bomber. Often outnumbered and outgunned, our naval forces would return to the fight time and again, with little hope of surviving intact, and even more uncertain of victory. Often, our forces were given no relief or chance to recover. Carriers went into battle being repaired as they sailed! Their story redefines what is meant by NEVER QUIT. It is a remarkable and enjoyable read that reminds us why that generation of Americans truly exemplified the best of our citizen warriors.

David L. Hayden , Colonel, US Army, Retired, Former Staff Judge Advocate of NORTHCOM, XVIII Airborne Corps, and 82nd Airborne Division

A fantastic tale of air combat in World War II, told directly from the perspective of a tenacious and talented aviator. From incredible techniques of flight leadership, bombing, and strafing to humorous anecdotes of the Pacific War, Hoots stories are a must-read for war historians and aviation enthusiasts alike. After reading A Hoot in Hells Island , I wanted to jump back into the cockpit myself!