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| Barbara Marriott with her award medal |
On a crisp afternoon, 1 April 1948, the future of naval aviation was changed forever. Standing near the hangar that once housed the Hindenburg, Captain Clayton Marcy read the orders that established the first two fleet-operational helicopter squadrons. Lakehurst, New Jersey, became the home of Helicopter Utility Squadron Two (HU-2) and for the next 20 years, operating from icebreakers, cruisers and aircraft carriers, they moved thousands of tons of cargo, provided support for scientific research missions and completed over 2,000 at-sea rescues.
This is the story of their missions, from the mundane to the heroic saving of lives. Dispersed throughout is some of the quirky humor that got them through many difficult and dangerous times. It is an insight into the aviation pioneers known as The Fleet Angels of Lakehurst.
Barbara Marriott has won several other awards for her non-fiction writings of the Old West. Her military books, including Banana River (soon to be released in a new edition from Loose Leaves), and The Fleet Angels of Lakehurst, have won praise from both critics and readers. Her PhD in cultural anthropology enables her to get to the heart of the people she writes about.
A national contest, the Starts and Flags Book Awards Program was established six years ago with the purpose of promoting books which have a content connection to the military. Many of the judges are veterans themselves, and others include historians, teachers, and avid readers. The program is facilitated by Nancy Smith of Reeds Spring, MO, owner of starsandflags.com, whose main goal is to support and promote our veterans. The next Stars and Flags program runs from February through Veteran's Day, November 11, 2015. Anyone interested in the program can find more information at starsandflags.com or by email at nancysentertainment@yahoo.com.
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