Endorsements | Monique Taylor Autho

Reviews and Endorsements Of Suicide Jockeys: The Making of the WWII Combat Glider Pilot

Monique Taylor, the author of this study, is the daughter of one of the “Suicide Jockeys” who flew their unarmed and unpowered cargo aircraft into unimproved landing grounds in the Mediterranean, European, and Pacific Theaters of Operations during World War II. Ms. Taylor spent over 20 years interviewing U.S. Army veterans and scouring the Army records of the selection, training, and employment of men as glider pilots during the Second World War. As she states in the book’s preface, she feels that her readers will conclude that: “…considering training and supplies, the glider pilot has become one of the most misunderstood, under-appreciated figures in history and one of the most remarkable of men under pressure.” The author has truly succeeded in making her case in this exhaustively researched and well-written account of those men who went to war on silent wings. . . . This study provides excellent information on the initial stages of the American glider force development and explains the dysfunction between the Army Ground Forces (AGF) and the successor to the Army Air Corps, the Army Air Forces (AAF.) . . . Taylor makes full use of official reports and her interviews with veterans. She gained a great deal of information in letters sent from glider training camps, and those from the Mediterranean and European Theater of Operations (ETO) and from the China Burma-India (CBI) Theater. These letters were forthright and often quite detailed when describing the difficult situations in which the glider pilots found themselves once they were on the ground. . . This book tells their story very well indeed and certainly deserves a place in the records of American airborne operations in World War II.
~ John W. Mountcastle,. BG, Army Chief of Military History, USA Ret.

These pilots were a vital part of the greatest generation and Monique Taylor reminds us that our obligation is to never forget their sacrifice. Glider pilots did not fly and fight to conquer nations but to provide freedom to oppressed people. Well done! ~ Colonel Mike Thornton, U.S. Army (Retired) Loudon, Tennessee

This is an outstanding work, identifying pilots and soldiers by name, highlighting major developments, events, locations, and conclusions. The author’s intent is fully satisfied, while adding comprehensive documentation to the present limited existing glider program information.
~James C. Pollard LTC (R.), Former Army Paratrooper

I’d wager most historians and students of the Second World War and avid readers of military literature know little about the thousands of young men who took to the skies on one-way missions in craft made of plywood, fabric, and glue to deliver men and materiel to the battlefield. To fill the knowledge gap, and to bring long overdue recognition to these extraordinary aviators, Taylor combed through military archives, read countless wartime reports, and conducted firsthand interviews with experts in the field. Then, she deftly interwove her narrative with anecdotes that sit the reader on that thin plywood seat as the glider approaches the earth soundlessly and in the black of night. Hold on tight, dear reader, for a fabulous ride with these unsung heroes!
~ Rona Simmons, author of A Gathering of Men and The Other Veterans of World War II

After reading Suicide Jockeys: The Making of the WWII Combat Glider Pilot I have a new appreciation of the role of the glider pilots. I honestly did not realize how significant their role was. I found myself getting angry, sympathetic and respectful of their role. No one certainly had it easy, but I think the glider pilots did double duty. There were many unsung heroes in the war, but especially those glider pilots who stepped forward despite the odds against them that brings them to the top of the bar.
~ P. Brown, son of WWII 11th Infantry Airborne paratrooper