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The Man Called Brown ­Condor
The Forgotten History of an African American Fighter Pilot

Rating
2 Ratings |
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Format
Hardback, 352 pages
Published
7 February 2013

How did a black child, growing up in segregationist Mississippi during the early 1900s, become the commander of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Corps during the brutal Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935? In this gripping, never-before-told tale, biographer Thomas E. Simmons brings to life Robinson 's outstanding success in becoming a pilot, his expertise in building and assembling his own working aircraft, his influence on the establishment of a school of aviation at Tuskegee Institute (there would have been no Tuskegee Airmen without him), and his courageous wartime service in Ethiopia during the Italian invasion in 1935 for which he won international fame. It was during Robinson 's service to Ethiopia that he took to the air to combat the first Fascist invasion of what would become World War II. This remarkable hero may have been the first American to oppose Fascism in combat. When Ethiopia was freed by British troops during World War II, Haile Selassie asked Robinson to return to Ethiopia to help reestablish the Ethiopian Air Force. For Robinson and the five men he picked to go with him, just getting to Ethiopia in wartime 1944 was an adventure in itself.

Over the last twenty-three years, the author has performed original research on John C. Robinson when very little information on this remarkable American hero was available. The Man Called Brown Condor encompasses a vast amount of information based on obscure, forgotten, and heretofore undiscovered facts.

This work is more than the definitive biography of a black pilot who became a US hero, only to be unfairly forgotten. It provides insight on racial conditions in the first half of the twentieth century and illustrates the political intrigue within a League of Nations afraid to face the rise of Fascism. The Man Called Brown Condor is a new, exciting, heroic adventure in history, and provides the reader with an unforgettable story of an incredible American hero.

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Product Description

How did a black child, growing up in segregationist Mississippi during the early 1900s, become the commander of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Corps during the brutal Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935? In this gripping, never-before-told tale, biographer Thomas E. Simmons brings to life Robinson 's outstanding success in becoming a pilot, his expertise in building and assembling his own working aircraft, his influence on the establishment of a school of aviation at Tuskegee Institute (there would have been no Tuskegee Airmen without him), and his courageous wartime service in Ethiopia during the Italian invasion in 1935 for which he won international fame. It was during Robinson 's service to Ethiopia that he took to the air to combat the first Fascist invasion of what would become World War II. This remarkable hero may have been the first American to oppose Fascism in combat. When Ethiopia was freed by British troops during World War II, Haile Selassie asked Robinson to return to Ethiopia to help reestablish the Ethiopian Air Force. For Robinson and the five men he picked to go with him, just getting to Ethiopia in wartime 1944 was an adventure in itself.

Over the last twenty-three years, the author has performed original research on John C. Robinson when very little information on this remarkable American hero was available. The Man Called Brown Condor encompasses a vast amount of information based on obscure, forgotten, and heretofore undiscovered facts.

This work is more than the definitive biography of a black pilot who became a US hero, only to be unfairly forgotten. It provides insight on racial conditions in the first half of the twentieth century and illustrates the political intrigue within a League of Nations afraid to face the rise of Fascism. The Man Called Brown Condor is a new, exciting, heroic adventure in history, and provides the reader with an unforgettable story of an incredible American hero.

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Product Details
EAN
9781620872178
ISBN
162087217X
Dimensions
23.4 x 16.1 x 2.7 centimeters (0.51 kg)

About the Author

Thomas E. Simmons grew up in Mississippi and attended the Marion Military Institute, the U. S. Naval Academy, the University of Southern Mississippi, and the University of Alabama. He served as commercial captain of a seventy-foot sailing vessel, has been a pilot since the age of sixteen, has flown professionally, and participated in air shows flying aerobatics in open-cockpit biplanes. In 1960, he served as an artillery officer in Korea. He and his wife live in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Reviews

“[Robinson’s] lifelong triumph over adversity belongs to the greatest of American success stories.” —Peter Hannaford, Washington Times

“The story of John C. Robinson, born in segregated Mississippi at the turn of the century, and his remarkable story of not just becoming a pilot but rising to become the commander of the Ethiopian Air Force during the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935.” —Publishers Weekly

“Simmons spent over 20 years researching the remarkable life of John D. Robinson, who rose from segregationist Mississippi to become a distinguished pilot, founder of the Tuskegee Institute’s school of aviation, a bold defender of Ethiopia during the 1935 Italian invasion, and, finally, founder of the Ethiopian Air Force.” —Library Journal

“An inspiring affirmation that celebrates the old adage that where there’s a will, there’s a way, even against seemingly impossible odds.” —Kirkus Reviews

“[Robinson’s] lifelong triumph over adversity belongs to the greatest of American success stories.” —Peter Hannaford, Washington Times

“The story of John C. Robinson, born in segregated Mississippi at the turn of the century, and his remarkable story of not just becoming a pilot but rising to become the commander of the Ethiopian Air Force during the Italo-Ethiopian War of 1935.” —Publishers Weekly

“Simmons spent over 20 years researching the remarkable life of John D. Robinson, who rose from segregationist Mississippi to become a distinguished pilot, founder of the Tuskegee Institute’s school of aviation, a bold defender of Ethiopia during the 1935 Italian invasion, and, finally, founder of the Ethiopian Air Force.” —Library Journal

“An inspiring affirmation that celebrates the old adage that where there’s a will, there’s a way, even against seemingly impossible odds.” —Kirkus Reviews

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5 out of 5 | From 2 Customer Ratings

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By Anonymous on July 5, 2013
John Robinson was an incredible man who would not allow "can't" to be in his vocabulary. I admire that immensely. Tom Simmons did a remarkable job in his 30 years of research for this biography which honors Robinson in a most respectable way. Whatever race you are, Robinson should stand out above the crowd in your mind and you should strive to succeed in any endeavor you choose with him as your example.
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