Off I Went into the Wild Blue Yonder

ISBN-13 : 9781589804944
AUTHOR: John James Knudsen 
PAGES: 304
ILLUSTRATIONS:  7 photos, 3 illus.
FORMAT: Softcover

Written in the personable and matter-of-fact voice of someone reflecting honestly on his life’s journey, this autobiography is full of anecdotes of a Depression-era Montana boyhood that culminates with the author’s service as a B-17 pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II.

Conveying both heroic and light-hearted stories, from hunting and fishing in Great Falls to attending college in Los Angeles, from his Army training at camps like Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, to his flight training experiences in San Antonio, Texas, and Columbus, Ohio, the author paints vivid images of his formative experiences and explains what shaped his values, perspectives, and evident pride for his family and his country. His accounting of his 1942 enlistment and all that followed offers an insider’s view of basic training, flight training, Instructor’s School, and the role of a flight instructor.

Knudsen’s frank and detailed descriptions will appeal to anyone seeking a “behind-the-scenes” look at army training as well as an authentic portrayal of a bygone time. The author admirably captures the American values of self-sufficiency and self-improvement in this recounting of a life fully lived.