Pushing the Envelope

With award-winning writer Barrett Tillman as navigator, this autobiography of the Marine ace who made history as both a fighter and test pilot takes readers full throttle from Marion Carl's humble beginnings as an Oregon farm boy to his life as a leading-edge aviator. Carl's imposing list of "firsts" begins with his World War II career, when he garnered such commendations as first Marine Corps ace, among the first Marines ever to fly a helicopter, and first Marine to land a jet aboard an aircraft carrier. Such achievements also led to Carl's being the first living Marine admitted to the Naval Aviation Hall of Honor, as well as the first Marine to be named to the Navy Carrier Aviation Test Pilots Hall of Honor. Marion Carl's combat duty included the momentous battles at Midway and Guadal-canal. Not one to rest on his laurels, however, he participated in photoreconnaissance operations over Red China in 1955 and flew missions in Vietnam. In peacetime he gained fame for "pushing the envelope" as a test pilot, adding the world's altitude and speed records to his wartime feats and becoming the first U.S. military aviator to wear a full pressure suit. This very readable memoir is as forthright and compelling as the man it chronicles and makes an important contribution to the history of Marine aviation development.