Barry Smith

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The Jolly Rogers
On USS Hornet A Squadron at War

From the runways of Alameda to the blazing skies over the Pacific, this book follows the men of VF-17 as they trained, fought, and carried the skull and crossbones into the most decisive battles of World War II.

Through carrier launches, combat missions, and sacrifice at sea, their story unfolds in full.

Read the story

From Carrier Deck to Combat Sky

The Story Inside These Pages

This book traces the journey of VF-17 from training fields in California to the fiercest naval battles of the Pacific. Through carrier qualifications, combat missions, and devastating loss, the Jolly Rogers became a hardened fighting squadron.

From Tarawa to the Marshalls, from Midway’s turning point to the elimination of Yamamoto, the narrative follows the men who flew, fought, and endured.

Discover the Squadron

Marshall Beebe, Command Under Fire

From the loss of Liscome Bay to rebuilding VF-17, Beebe forged discipline through experience and resolve.

Robert C. Good, Earning His Place

From hunting fields in Oregon to Hellcats over the Pacific, Good’s rise reflects the making of a naval fighter pilot.

Marc Mitscher, The Carrier Commander

From Hornet to Guadalcanal and back to the fleet, Mitscher shaped the power of naval aviation.

Battles That Changed the War

Tarawa, Coral Sea, Midway, Kwajalein, Guam, stepping stones across an unforgiving ocean.

A Look Inside This Book

This work captures the courage, discipline, and sacrifice of the Jolly Rogers Squadron as they trained, qualified, and fought across the Pacific. Through real events, real men, and decisive battles, it presents a grounded account of naval aviation during World War II.

Kindle

6.99

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Paperback

$19.95

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eBook

6.99

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Hardcover

$24.95

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Voices Connected to This History

Barry Smith has captured the spirit of the men who flew with VF-17. The attention to detail and respect shown to their stories make this more than history, it feels lived.
— R.C. “Bud” Good, Jolly Rogers Squadron
The account of carrier life, combat losses, and leadership under pressure reflects the realities these pilots faced. It honors their discipline and sacrifice.
— Marshall Good, Family Contributor
This work preserves the legacy of naval aviators whose experiences might otherwise have faded. It is both personal and historically grounded.
— Family and Research Contributor
Nunc eleifend auctor arcu consequat egestas. Integer vehicula lac
— Bryce Nolan, Startup

The Men Behind the Missions

From young ensigns learning carrier landings to seasoned commanders shaping strategy, this book traces the lives of the pilots and leaders who carried naval aviation across the Pacific.

Their training, losses, victories, and resilience unfold through documented events and personal accounts.

Inside the Squadron

Why This Story Matters

This account follows real men in real conditions, from the loss at Liscome Bay to carrier qualifications off California, from the Coral Sea and Midway to the Marshalls and Guam. It preserves not only the battles, but the discipline and character that shaped the Squadron.
  • Leadership forged after a devastating loss.
  • Carrier aviation at its most demanding
  • Turning points that altered the Pacific War
  • Personal letters and firsthand accounts

Pacific Theater Campaign

From Guadalcanal to Okinawa

Interested in the Story of VF-17? Step into the Pacific Campaign

Discover the pilots, commanders, and battles that shaped the advance across the Pacific during World War II.
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reviews and feedback

This work captures the courage, discipline, and sacrifice of the Jolly Rogers Squadron as they trained, qualified, and fought across the Pacific. Through real events, real men, and decisive battles, it presents a grounded account of naval aviation during World War II.

Accurate and moving account of men in war. Wonderful book! It arrived yesterday and I read it all in one sitting. I was very excited about his reference to my uncle, Ens. Wendell Schurse Harrington, USNR, a photo recon pilot, who was killed in a collision with Cmdr. Charles L. Crommelin on March 28th, 1945. Mr. Smith gave a detailed and compassionate description of the event. As a side note, not in the book, my uncle's plane and remains were discovered on June 2, 1955, by an Okinawa fisherman. They were recovered and returned home for burial. This is just one of many emotional stories as remembered by the men who lived them through the pen of Barry Smith.

Rusty Wilson

Great story - historical and very accurate This is very interesting and a well researched book. It has so much about what went on with the men who were fighting, flying and how them made it through such a difficult time. The author wrote about the background of each man before and after the experience of the war. He wrote about civilians and how the war affected them. He has a good understanding of the men and their experiences and is quite knowledgeable about aviation and all the different aircraft and boats. I give it a 5++ rating.

Kindle Customer

War Experiences from Veterans I have read about and many from those I haven't! War Stories I've Heard is a great read. I enjoyed learning more about Marshall Beebe and learning about the experiences from other Veterans I have never read about. The Aircraft Carriers' of WWII and the Pilots were true Pioneers of today's Military and this book tells some of the tales of what these men endured. Their courage led into the Jet Age and on into Space. Totally Enjoyable!

mocmol57

A fascinating Read, well written; brings specific stories alive as never before This is a really interesting read. Unlike a lot of documentaries or books you read that give you a broad look at WWII and the battles, these stories really personalize and bring to life the war like never before for me. The back cover of the book explains better than I can. I love that the author, Barry Smith, was asked to write the story of the squadron- as a story and not just dry facts. So Mr. Smith took these stories personally told to him and also actual letters but in addition, spent years researching the background to the Pacific War effort. The result is a fascinating, up close view of Pacific battles. You get a real feel for the personalities involved and the situations they were faced with. This includes information on the technical capabilities of the war machine on each side. A couple of times, while reading this book, I slipped away into feeling like I was actually there in the midst of a campaign and could really visualize the scenes, see the planes, smell the smoke and hear the officers give their orders and get a real feel of what they were up against... A great combination of accurate information on who, what, where but very personalized through the eyes of real people and their stories. If you enjoy books about WW2, you will love this one. It should be part of your collection. (Note: although Mr. Smith and I share the same last name, we are not related)

Shannon Smith

A very good read. I have just completed reading a very special book titled War Stories I've Heard: Jolly Rogers on Hornet. The story follows the activities and battles of Navy Fighter Squadron VF-17, The Jolly Rogers, from before the landings on Tarawa and Makin in 1943, until the end of the war. This book also has a human-interest side as it follows these war heroes even into their later years of life. I thought I knew a lot about naval aviation in the Pacific War; but I learned much more from reading this masterpiece. Some of the information was gleaned by intensive study; but some, not found in the public domain, could only have come from personal interviews. It is so well-written, that I could visualize the air battles as I read each page. I especially learned much about tactics in the air battles of 1944-1945 in preparation for the Okinawa operations and for the anticipated invasion of the Japanese home islands. These descriptions were so complete, that a Hollywood producer could make a great movie using this book as a script. I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in aviation history not written elsewhere; or someone just looking for a very interesting narrative.

Victor A. Nelson, M.D.

Well written, and we’ll researched. Shares real life first hand reports from those on the front lines.

Dennis Moore

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