The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship Between John Glenn and Ted Williams

I got this as a gift for my dad and he said he really enjoyed reading it. This book came up as a suggestion on my Amazon account, so I looked at the description to see if it would make a good gift. My dad loves to read, but he has read so many books that I don't always know what he's into. He liked the story and that's saying something coming from such an avid reader like him!

One need only glance at the cover of "The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship Between John Glenn and Ted Williams" to conclude that Glenn and Williams were close friends. However, upon reading Adam Lazarus's excellent account, we realize that this 'untold story' of an indivisible fifty-year affinity between two American icons in their respective fields transcended friendship. They forged their unique relationship in the crucible of combat during the Korean War, the challenges and shared hardships of war bonding them like no other human endeavor. Those of us who have served in uniform understand this phenomenon all too well. Glenn and Williams could not have been more different in personality and character. In "The Wingmen," Lazarus does a fine job of tracing the careers of these two uncommon men and detailing how those careers intersect throughout their lifetimes. Whether it was while flying together during the Korean War or meeting later in life, for instance, when Glenn attends a Boston Red Sox game featuring ‘the Splendid Splinter,’ they enjoy each other’s company. Though they do not agree on everything, they support one another through thick and thin. As brothers by different mothers, they are always there for each other. While opening our eyes to the unusual ties between two famous friends makes for an enjoyable read, Lazarus's book offers a great deal more. He reveals much about both men's personalities. For example, he discusses Ted Williams's ambivalence about being recalled to active-duty U.S. Marine Corps service in Korea in 1953. On the one hand, Williams wants to serve his country in its time of need. On the other hand, he laments forfeiting a Major League Baseball player's salary during his tour of duty, and, of course, he expresses concern at the prospect of incurring severe injury and even death while flying combat missions over North Korea. In contrast, Glenn, a career Marine, never wavers in his commitment to the nation and the Corps. Ever the dutiful Marine, he is relentless in his quest for excellence as a pilot, whether flying the F9F Panther on bombing runs with VMF-311 or the F-86 Sabre with the 25th FIS in dogfights in North Korean airspace. After the war, he goes on to become a test pilot, breaking the U.S. coast-to-coast speed record in a F8U-1P Crusader. He eventually joins NASA's Mercury program as an astronaut and, in 1962, orbits the Earth three times on Friendship 7. He flies a second time into space in 1998 aboard the shuttle Discovery, becoming the oldest American in history to don a NASA flight suit. Additionally, in "The Wingmen," the reader learns of Williams’s frailties as a man, including his broken personal relationships and his love-hate relationship with the Boston sports media. If he were only half as successful in controlling his mouth as he was at wielding a bat, he doubtless would have saved himself considerable frustration and heartache. Glenn, always carefully measured in his public comments, appears as the alter ego of the six-time American League batting champion. The self-possessed Glenn, a walking Norman Rockwell painting, originated from a small-town Midwestern Presbyterian upbringing, was a committed family man, and embodied an all-American patriotism. However, he was far from perfect. For instance, we discover his stumbles in politics, and due to questionable decisions, the office of the U.S. presidency eludes him. Despite their all-too-human struggles, we can appreciate both of these men as quintessential American heroes, yes, with warts and all. Their accomplishments, Glenn's ability to coax the seemingly impossible from a flying machine, and Williams's ability to perform magic with a baseball bat inspire countless young Americans to dream. Finally, what makes "The Wingmen" so compelling is Lazarus's steady focus on Williams's and Glenn's enduring friendship. Notwithstanding their differences, for example, being on opposite ends of the political spectrum, they find a way to remain connected and supportive of one another. According to the author, "… they both had wives, children, and demanding high-stress, high-paying positions." Nevertheless, he goes on to say, "As different as they were, as much as they disagreed on so many issues, especially politics, Ted Williams and John Glenn enjoyed each other's company." Their relationship endured whether as young men experiencing the camaraderie of Marines in the mess hall at K-3 between combat missions, or as graying senior citizens sitting around the dining room table in a Florida retirement community. Ultimately, Lazarus's message is clear and straightforward. Glenn and Williams respected and admired one another, perhaps recognizing some of themselves in each other. Most significantly, irrespective of their fame, whenever they were together, they could revert to their bygone experience in South Korea, once again finding a way to be two young Marines sitting in the K-3 mess hall and shooting the bull. Their reminiscences of the time shared many years ago as wingmen flying in contested airspace over the Korean Peninsula reminded them of how much they learned to depend on one another for their lives. Again, the challenges and hardships of war bond men like no other human endeavor. They were Brothers in Arms.

A really good read about two heroes with a connected life. I think the author captured the character of each man. Another example of war bringing together two people who otherwise would not be friends. It makes it obvious that we need more shared experience to avoid being a divided country.

I just finished “Wingman” by Adam Lazarus, the story of the lives and friendship of an American Hero, John Glenn and an all time Baseball Great, Ted Williams. Their friendship was forged by their time as jet fighter pilots in Korea and lasted until Williams’ death. This book has everything — war stories, politics, space, sports — even a poem (sonnet by Glenn) and will, in my judgement, hold the attention of even those with no interest in baseball. It is the history of a friendship of two highly district individuals, both stars in their own universes, highly competitive, each with a flair for the dramatic, with highly different political views — yet close friends for years, each admiring the other. I was so taken with the book that, over rearing the early chapters in a hardcover book, I also bought the Kindle version so that I could read it wherever i was on my my tablet.

Well couple things here. First, Really? Mike Barnicle as an endorsement? Second, Lazarus starts out the book with a virtue signaling foreward where he gushingly distances himself from certain terms he found abhorrent....presumably the word "gook". Oh, please, get over it. Now, the book. Overall well written. Couple of typos - "Waste" for "Waist". Not sure why the whole cryogenics thing was put in there as this was about the friendship between glenn and williams; not their individual lives or foibles. You could make the case that the same goes for Glenn's political career, but at least there were links to that when the author pointed out how Williams couldn't bring himself to endorse him. As far as the protagonists, well, while Glenn was the all american hero, I've never squared his liberal politics with his blood and guts anti-communism and enthusiasm for killing Russian mig pilots and dropping napalm on people. never could understand his enthusiasm for the Marxist wing of the democrat party when he was a guy thrilled to take it to them in the skies. Just a disconnect I never could fathom. I grew up a Yankee's fan so the greatest hitter was Mickey Mantle, and Williams was always talked about in a hushed voice as if acknowledging his greatness but with sideways glances about his standoffishness, spitting at the press, lackadaisical attitude, etc. In fact at the end someone descripts Ted Williams as a perfectionist; hard for me as a baseball fan to consider someone who wouldn't run out a ground ball or give chase to outfield flies as a "perfectionist". But recently, especially when my son in law named his first born theodore (after Williams) I was forced to confront the fact that this ball player was something else, PLUS he missed 3 productive years that would've probably given him numerous career records, PLUS he was a patriot and fought in WWII and went back to fight in Korea... Well, not. I had no idea he never saw combat in WWII. So that took him down a peg or two. And I always thought, wow, this guy not only fought in WWII, he volunteered to go back as a pilot in Korea! Wow. They don't make 'em like that any more. Well, they didn't make them like that then either. He was absolutely furious that he was recalled for service in Korea, but it was his own fault for remaining active in the reserves. He was constantly trying to get out of his obligation. Took him down several more pegs. But he was a talented pilot, the criticism of him notwithstanding. I found it interesting that several of his marine colleagues felt he was lazy and a slacker. Wonder if his fans were just fawning over his celebrity. He was a troubled guy, astonishingly talented, and I came to appreciate him for his demons and complexity, and likely he was the greatest hitter baseball has ever seen. So overall a good book.

Many of the facts and situations were in my lifetime, however to see two completely different men treasure a friendship over forty years was inspirational. My dad was a huge baseball fan, so much about Ted Williams was lost on me (under 12) but it brought back memories of his passion for baseball. I always admired John Glenn, he was definitely a hero to most Americans as well as me. I loved the book, it was well done.

Great story full of military and sports history. It seems unlikely these two would be lifetime friends as John is prim and proper and Ted is a potty mouth. A good read.

A fascinating story of two Marine aviators who left lasting legacies with their later accomplishments.