Why Read the Book

In history there are events that align, creating historic moments in time. While these events may be small or isolated, they become significant when they have a dramatic impact and affect countless lives. These moments are often supported by heroes whose lives would be forgotten if not recorded.

This is one such story of an American hero, the first African-American aircraft carrier commander, Rear Admiral Lawrence Cleveland Chambers who played a prominent role as captain of the USS Midway during the Vietnam War.

During the evacuation of Saigon—known as Operation Frequent Wind—he famously ordered several UH-1 helicopters pushed overboard to make room for an escaping South Vietnamese Air Force major to land his Cessna O-1 Bird Dog airplane. Chambers, who had only commanded Midway for a few weeks, gave the order believing (wrongly, it turned out) that he would be court-martialed for the $10 million loss.

This remarkable biography covers Chambers early life in the segregated south, and his military career that included his role in the desegregation of the U.S. Naval Academy and the U.S. Navy during a period racial strife.

 

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