Fateful Rendezvous: The Life of Butch O'Hare

Fighter pilot Butch O'Hare became one of America’s heroes in 1942 when he saved the carrier Lexington in what has been called the most daring single action in the history of combat aviation: he single-handedly shot down five attacking Japanese bombers and severely damaged a sixth. The authors describe in fascinating detail O'Hare’s awe-inspiring feats of aerial combat that won him the Medal of Honor and other awards and explain his key role in developing tactics and night-fighting techniques that helped defeat the Japanese. In addition, they investigate events leading up to O'Hare’s disappearance the following year while intercepting torpedo bombers headed for the Enterprise. First published in 1997, this biography utilizes O'Hare family papers and U.S. and Japanese war records and eyewitness interviews. It is essential reading for a true understanding of the development of combat naval aviation and the talents of the universally admired and well-liked Butch O'Hare.