David Sears: Such Men As These

Before Neil Armstrong walked on the magnificent desolation of the moon, he and several other courageous pilots had to survive the treacherous mountain terrain of Korea.

In 1951, author James Michener traveled to Korea, where what was officially described as “a police action” had become a bloody stalemate. Michener interviewed several naval aviators – Armstrong among them – to form the basis of his best-selling novel The Bridges at Toko-Ri, which told the story of a dangerous mission to destroy heavily protected supply bridges in enemy territory.

Such Men as These turns historical fiction back to historical fact, using Michener’s notes to follow the real-life aviators from the day they left home to the truce that ended the war. For some, that meant a safe return home or a release from prison camp; for many others who flew those deadly missions, the war had ended long ago. Sears also follows Michener’s own progress in writing the book, which many veterans felt was the best depiction of their experience on the ground and in the sky.

David Sears’ early career included service as a U.S. Navy officer with extensive sea duty aboard destroyer Gearing (DD-710) and a tour of duty as an advisor to the Vietnamese Navy. He is also the author of At War With the Wind and The Last Epic Naval Battle: Voices From Leyte Gulf.