Thomas McElmurry Knihy

This gripping memoir follows United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Thomas McElmurry, a fighter and test pilot, who served as NASA's Chief of Flight Crew Operations and Director of Flight Crew Operations for Skylab. McElmurry's journey begins with his enlistment in the Army at seventeen, predating the Air Force, and spans his military assignments and close calls worldwide, culminating in his pivotal role at NASA. Driven by a passion for flying, he shares thrilling stories from his career, including encounters with aviation legends like Frank Borman, Chuck Yeager, and Deke Slayton. His involvement in the Sidewinder Missile Project and other captivating experiences are recounted, many for the first time. Readers will be immersed in McElmurry's adventures during both war and peace, experiencing moments that evoke smiles and shock alike. With over six decades of flying brought to life, his memoir captures the essence of an adrenaline-fueled life in the skies. "My plan was to put down 20 degrees of flaps and come over the tops of the hills with the aircraft nose depressed and all guns firing. I never pulled the trigger. Every gun in the battery must have had their barrels lowered waiting for me to appear." "One day when things were a bit slow, we decided that changing seats in the BT-13 in flight was something that we should try..."