
From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog
Memoirs of a Cold War Fighter Pilot
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Narrated by:
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Jeff Bolton
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By:
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Steven K Ladd
About this listen
Fighter pilots! Images of Baron Manfred von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker in the Great War, Johnnie Johnson, Robert Stanford Tuck and Richard Bong in the Second World War, or Robin Olds in Vietnam, all spring to mind. Volumes have been written about them, past and present. Understandably, most of these revolve around the skill, cunning and bravery that characterizes this distinctive band of brothers, but there are other dimensions to those who take to the skies to do battle that have not been given the emphasis they deserve—until now.
You do not have to be an aviation aficionado to enjoy Colonel Steve Ladd’s fascinating personal tale, woven around his 28-year career as a fighter pilot. This extremely engaging account follows a young man from basic pilot training to senior command through the narratives that define a unique ethos. From the United States to Southeast Asia; Europe to the Middle East; linking the amusing and tongue-in-cheek to the deadly serious and poignant, this is the lifelong journey of a fighter pilot.
The anecdotes provided are absorbing, providing an insight into life as an Air Force pilot, but, in this book, as Colonel Ladd stresses, the focus is not on fireworks or stirring tales of derring-do. Instead, this is an articulate and absorbing account of what life is really like among a rare breed of arrogant, cocky, boisterous, and fun-loving young men who readily transform into steely professionals at the controls of a fighter aircraft.
From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog is a terrific listen: the legacy of a fighter pilot.
©2021 Steven K Ladd (P)2021 Pen and SwordListeners also enjoyed...
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Operation Pineapple Express
- By: Scott Mann
- Narrated by: Lt. Col. Scott Mann
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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In April 2021, an urgent call was placed from a Special Forces operator serving overseas. The message was clear: Get Nezam out of Afghanistan now. Nezam was part of the Afghan National Army’s first group of American-trained commandos; he passed through Fort Bragg’s legendary Q course and served alongside the US Special Forces for over a decade. But Afghanistan’s government and army were on the edge of collapse, and Nezam was receiving threatening texts from the Taliban.
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amazing, uplifting, heart wrenching
- By Lisa L. Weinley on 09-13-22
By: Scott Mann
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Descent into Darkness
- Pearl Harbor, 1941, A Navy Diver's Memoir
- By: Edward C. Raymer
- Narrated by: Peter Johnson
- Length: 7 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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On December 7, 1941, as the great battleships Arizona, Oklahoma, and Utah lie paralyzed and burning in the aftermath of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. A crack team of U.S. Navy salvage divers headed by Edward C. Raymer are hurriedly flown to Oahu from the mainland. Their two-part orders are direct and straightforward: (1) rescue as many trapped sailors and Marines as possible, and (2) resurrect what remains of America's once mighty pacific fleet. Descent Into Darkness tells their story.
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A Massive Disappointment
- By Matthew on 10-14-15
By: Edward C. Raymer
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Warrior's Creed
- A Life of Preparing for and Facing the Impossible
- By: Roger Sparks, with Don Rearden
- Narrated by: Roger Sparks
- Length: 8 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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This powerful and inspirational story is as much of a self-help book as it is an edge of your seat military memoir. Warrior's Creed reveals a motivating and mindful approach to overcoming the odds, facing the impossible, and finding mercy and grace in the aftermath.
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Must Read!
- By M Flatten on 03-09-21
By: Roger Sparks, and others
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The Longest Minute
- The Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906
- By: Matthew J. Davenport
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 17 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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At 5:12 am on April 18, 1906, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck San Francisco, catching most of the city asleep. For approximately forty-eight seconds, shock waves buckled streets, shattered water mains, collapsed buildings, crushed hundreds of residents to death, and trapped many alive. Matthew Davenport draws on letters, diaries, unpublished memoirs, and previously unearthed archival records, as well as interviews with engineers and geologists, to combine history and science to tell the dramatic true story of one of the greatest disasters in American history.
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History told from those who survived
- By BamaState on 12-26-23
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Checkmate in Berlin
- The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World
- By: Giles Milton
- Narrated by: Giles Milton
- Length: 13 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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From a master of popular history, the lively, immersive story of the race to seize Berlin in the aftermath of World War II as it’s never been told before.
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Excellent history of the early days of the Cold War
- By Matt on 08-28-21
By: Giles Milton
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Relentless Strike
- The Secret History of Joint Special Operations Command
- By: Sean Naylor
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 19 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Relentless Strike tells the inside story of Joint Special Operations Command, the secret military organization that, during the past decade, has revolutionized counterterrorism, seamlessly fusing intelligence and operational skills to conduct missions that hit the headlines and those that have remained in the shadows - until now. Because JSOC includes the military's most storied special operations units - Delta Force, SEAL Team Six, the 75th Ranger Regiment - as well as America's most secret aviation and intelligence units, this is their story, too.
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Horrible narrator
- By Michael on 08-19-19
By: Sean Naylor
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Way of the Reaper
- My Greatest Untold Missions and the Art of Being a Sniper
- By: Nicholas Irving, Gary Brozek
- Narrated by: Jeff Gurner
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Way of the Reaper is a step-by-step accounting of how a sniper works, through the lens of Irving's 10 most significant kills - none of which have been told before. Each mission is an in-depth look at a new element of eliminating the enemy, from intel to luck, recon to weaponry. Told in a thrilling narrative, this is also a heart-pounding true story of some of the Reaper's boldest missions, including the longest shot of his military career on a human target of over half a mile.
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Listen to this book!
- By JLS on 08-16-16
By: Nicholas Irving, and others
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Riding with Cochise
- The Apache Story of America's Longest War
- By: Steve Price
- Narrated by: Kaipo Schwab
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Riding with Cochise brings the violent drama of the American Southwest to life through the eyes of the legendary Apache chieftain Cochise and three other tribal leaders. Relying largely on the oral histories told by relatives of these great warriors as well as personal diaries of others who were involved, veteran author Steve Price takes listeners deep into the Cochise Stronghold, through Massacre Canyon, and across Apache Pass.
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A lack of information about Cochise.
- By Tlenaai Wahya on 06-01-24
By: Steve Price
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Eagle Against the Sun
- The American War With Japan
- By: Ronald H. Spector
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 23 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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Spector reassesses US and Japanese strategy and offers some provocative interpretations. He shows that the dual advance across the Pacific by MacArthur and Nimitz was less a product of strategic calculation and more a pragmatic solution to bureaucratic, doctrinal, and public relations problems facing the Army and Navy. He also argues that Japan made its fatal error not in the Midway campaign but in abandoning its offensive strategy after that defeat and allowing itself to be drawn into a war of attrition.
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OK as an overview, but too little detail
- By Mike From Mesa on 03-21-22
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Hiroshima
- The Last Witnesses (Embers, Book 1)
- By: M. G. Sheftall
- Narrated by: Brian Nishii
- Length: 17 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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In this vividly rendered historical narrative, M. G. Sheftall layers the stories of hibakusha—the Japanese word for atomic bomb survivors—in harrowing detail, to give a minute-by-minute report of August 6, 1945, in the leadup and aftermath of the world-changing bombing mission of Paul Tibbets, Enola Gay, and Little Boy.
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EXCELLENT
- By JK on 04-29-25
By: M. G. Sheftall
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Index, a History of The
- A Bookish Adventure from Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Age
- By: Dennis Duncan
- Narrated by: Neil Gardner
- Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Most of us give little thought to the back of the book - it's just where you go to look things up. But as Dennis Duncan reveals in this delightful and witty history, hiding in plain sight is an unlikely realm of ambition and obsession, sparring and politicking, pleasure and play. In the pages of the index, we might find "Butchers, to be avoided", or "Cows that shite Fire", or even catch "Calvin in his chamber with a Nonne". Here, for the first time, is the secret world of the index: an unsung but extraordinary everyday tool, with an illustrious but little-known past.
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Maybe a book that should be read rather than listened to
- By Amazon Customer on 11-09-22
By: Dennis Duncan
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The Burning Shore
- How Hitler's U-Boats Brought World War II to America
- By: Ed Offley
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 7 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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On June 15, 1942, as thousands of vacationers lounged in the sun on Virginia Beach, a massive fireball erupted from a convoy of oil tankers steaming into Chesapeake Bay. By the next day, three ships lay at the bottom of the channel, victims of Lieutenant-Commander Horst Degen and his crew on the German submarine U-701. In The Burning Shore, acclaimed military reporter Ed Offley presents a thrilling account of Degen's rampage along the American coast and of US Lieutenant Harry J. Kane's quest to bring him down.
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Ugh, Perhaps a Second Listen is Required?
- By Matthew on 09-05-15
By: Ed Offley
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A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth
- The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America
- By: James Tejani
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 12 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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The Port of Los Angeles is all around us. Objects we use on a daily basis pass through it: furniture, apparel, electronics, automobiles, and much more. Yet despite its centrality to our world, the port and the story of its making have been neglected in histories of the United States. In A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth, historian James Tejani corrects that significant omission, charting the port's rise out of the mud and salt marsh of San Pedro estuary.
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Understanding hindered by the reader
- By Ronald on 04-15-25
By: James Tejani
What listeners say about From F-4 Phantom to A-10 Warthog
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- Steve Hillman MD
- 06-14-23
From the son of a fighter pilot…
When I told his family of his Silver Star earned as he single-handedly attacked a flight of 5 FW-190’s killing 2, strafed convoys of German soldiers, was shot down in the flight of his Ace kill, and escaped twice as a POW, I saw the faraway look in the fading 90 year old eyes of my P-49 fighter pilot father. He also became a Colonel, as did the author.
His story tells the same story, in a different-yet same war.
Salutations to you both!
Gods blesdings,
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- Rick B
- 06-15-23
Throw a nickel on the grass!
This is a very personal audio concerning the career of Steven Ladd and his life in the US Airforce. From the advanced F4 Phantom war machine with it's tactical technologies to the not so advanced A-10 Warthog that had the most awesome armament for close battle support at the time. You will be thoroughly introduced to both technologies and how they compare. Be prepared to laugh and maybe even shed some tears as his story drives to it's conclusion. The epilogue to me created a memory that won't be forgotten. During his time throughout his career, he was supported by his wife Elaine, who he gives credit for allot of his success. The epilogue is actually written by Elaine and it is a powerful tribute to those who have severed and protected the US and her allies over the decades. I highly recommend this audio book, and hope that it gives you a strong appreciation for all those who have sacrificed for our freedom and continue to do so. Remember throw a nickel on the grass, you will understand why.
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- Dubl
- 06-26-22
Absolutely amazing
The life of Steven Ladd is filled with twist and turns far travels while being a fighter pilot during the height of the Cold War. He masterfully tells the story of fighter pilots and their tight knit community
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1 person found this helpful
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- Rachel B.
- 04-10-24
Ghost to pigs
This has been a great, enjoyable book. Like life, the end came before I was ready. Highly recommend for aviation lovers, or once and future pilots.
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- Randy
- 03-30-22
What an excellent book!
Having read countless fighter pilot biographies through the years, this book ranks at the top of the list! Through my professional career working with the USAF, i have encountered many a pilot and can count more than a few as dear friends. Listening to Steve’s book vividly bring all of my fighter pilot buddies to mind as well as his excellent and dare i say it humorous recollections of the well meaning antics that can “sometimes” take place when fighter pilots gather. The book also features excellent narration from someone who is as enthusiastic about the book as the author. Great read!!!!!
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- David H Milton
- 07-09-22
A 28 year history of Air Force fighter duty.
Lucky indeed to have lived a dream for the duration of a 28 year career in the United States Air Force, Colonel Steven Ladd gives a look into the community of the best of the best. well written, well narrated, and a life well lived.
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- barbara s cavuoti
- 11-09-22
Awesome and accurate!
Incredible story - on target - read by a master! Harsh but unfair… exactly as a fighter pilot would want it. Apple Korn for all my friends.
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- Bernard Lenrow
- 04-17-22
The best overall fighter pilot memoir I have read.
Steve Ladd didn't make this book about his daring exploits. in fact, he didn't describe any of his sorties in Vietnam despite flying over 150 missions there. he chose instead to make this book about his 28 year journey as a fighter pilot. he had the good fortune to attain the rank of Colonel with few staff assignments, and rose to run the largest air combat unit in Europe while still flying missions.
The narration was first rate despite occasional audio quality problems.
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- Anita Breland
- 06-28-22
A great review of fighter pilot life.
I loved this book, I was 5 years behind Lad in the USAF, and really enjoyed his story.
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- Amazon Customer
- 04-03-22
Wonderful insight into the life of fighter pilots.
One of these rich consuming audio books that seems only an hour in length before the end comes all too soon. The Colonel states early in the book that he wishes to describe the life of fighter pilots in the time in which he served, the good, the bad and the funny. Which he very much does. This differs from other autobiographical works that delve more into mission related accounts. Providing a much different prospective worth hearing.
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