Kenneth F. Schanke

Pigeons to Peshawar Kenneth F. Schanke

An amazing story-even more so because it's all true. City-born and country-raised, Ken developed a need to fly and found a way to do it. While recalling his career as a USAF navigator, he relates to the history of the '60s, '70s and '80s-linking people, places, aircraft and adventures that circled the globe. In an early chapter, Ken describes in detail crossing the Atlantic, southern Europe and the Middle East to ferry a rare jet bomber to Peshawar, Pakistan. Later, the decorated aviator recollects a dangerous flight to the South Pacific, through a hurricane, becoming lost overwater with only a sextant to find a tiny island and procure the safety of his crew. After that, following three years in the C-130 aircraft in Europe, he transitioned to the F-4 Phantom II fighter for the rest of his career. He details missions and the use of smart weapons during his year in combat in Southeast Asia. During the '70s, he returned to Germany for six more years in the F-4, which involved sitting nuclear alert and training for all other missions. Twenty-one years in the USAF with more than 5,600 hours of flying provides for many intriguing war stories from the backseat.