Lieutenant Colonel Herman Son, USAF (ret.) “grew up on a Missouri farm, where his interest in aviation was sparked by watching the crop-dusters. He entered the service during World War Two, and despite being diagnosed as color-blind, was tapped to become a fighter pilot. His military career took him through the Korean conflict and ended with a stint at the Pentagon. Son's civilian careers include corporate training consultant and real estate broker.” Lieutenant Colonel Herman Son is the author of Eagles Dreams: A Fighter Pilot’s Life Story.

According to the book description of Eagles Dreams: A Fighter Pilot’s Life Story, “World War Two and the Depression shaped the life, character and destiny of an entire generation, and Eagle Dreams offers readers a glimpse into one of those lives. Eagle Dreams describes the life of Herman Son, whose career path took him from a farm in Missouri to fighting combat missions over Korea, and ultimately to a position within the intrigue-laden and politically charged Pentagon during the Vietnam conflict.

Interwoven throughout the story is Son's personal journey. Soon after marriage, he discovered his wife suffered a debilitating mental illness. As her situation spiraled downward, it colored Son's family life, social life and career options like a fine blanket of soot. Son's separation and divorce led ultimately to a second life, opening doors socially and career wise.

Readers interested in military history and aviation will enjoy Eagle Dreams. The book takes readers into the cockpit of a fighter plane flying missions, and allows them to meet other comrades in arms in a manner reminiscent of Ernie Pyle's dispatches from the front. Extensive research offers context to the action, and readers come away with a "big picture" glimpse of American history they may never have the opportunity to garner from reading traditional history texts.

The personal story is equally engaging, and readers who have faced personal challenges will take away the message that bad endings can eventually lead to better, more fulfilling, beginnings. All in all, Eagle Dreams offers readers history, hope, and some humor. Military buffs will relish the details of missions flown, historians will enjoy the extensive coverage of events, and everyone else will love a story well-told.

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One reader of Eagles Dreams: A Fighter Pilot’s Life Story said, “A quick or superficial reading of this book might lead to the conclusion that this is an action oriented book about flying, particularly about combat flying. It is that, but much more. It is also a book about family and the stresses and strains that occur in military family life. It takes a special woman who understands her husband's dedication and who is willing to face up to the stresses of separation and anxiety that go with such a life while keeping the family together. Performing the role of wife and mother under these conditions takes courage that is rare. The reader will meet some who measured up and some who did not. This is also a book about contemporary history.

Many of the author's military assignments took him to the edge of contemporary events such as The Hungarian Revolution and other critical events in the near and far east. The author is no pundit or foreign service expert but he takes advantage of his opportunities to comment on near-current events by asking some penetrating "what if" questions, particularly as they pertain to the Cold War and the West's 50-year confrontation with the Soviet Union. Finally, this is a book about the role of the American Military in America and its relationships with our government, the public and the media. Read this book once - it is a "page turner" that will hold your attention. Read it a second time and look for other dimensions. You may be surprised at what you find.”