Wings Of Valor, Wings Of Gold

Wings Of Valor, Wings Of Gold Synopsis

Naval aviation has undergone immense change since its humble beginnings during the Civil War, via the development of the aeroplane, through to modern day warfare. It now plays a defining role in any nation's defense structure and is on call to respond to military crises around the world. With the decision in 1910 to purchase aircraft and place aviation into the organized structure of the Navy, naval aviation has become a crucial aspect of naval warfare, with aircraft assigned to every major combatant ship in the USN in 1914 by Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels, declaring the point had been reached"where aircraft must form a large part of our naval forces for offensive and defensive operations". This decision changed the way war was fought out on the high seas, and continues to form the basis of any strategic planning by the armed forces today. Wings of Valor, Wings of Gold is the complete oral and photo history of American naval aviation, detailing both the development of the flying machine, supporting naval vessels and the experiences of airmen through to admirals.