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Ironclaw, Baldwin’s first book, is one of the most compelling accounts yet of life on a carrier at war. He brilliantly captures the excitement and risk faced by naval aviators. He takes the reader from below decks in the mission-planning room, where the day’s combat assignment is handed out, to the deck of the MIDWAY, where jets are catapulted over the Persian Gulf, and into the cockpit – offering an unprecedented look at what it feels like to control one of the world’s most sophisticated – and powerful – military machines.

Ultimately, Desert Shield becomes Desert Storm, and Baldwin propels the reader full force into combat. Whether he is refueling from a KC-135 tanker in midair, flying through flak over enemy territory, or landing on the pitching deck of the MIDWAY at night, Baldwin’s experiences are as unforgettable as they are thrilling. Told with an intensity and expertise that even Tom Clancy would envy, Ironclaw is combat writing at its best.

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There’s an abundance of books recounting the experience of Navy carrier pilots going back to its beginning. Most portray the extraordinary superhuman demands of becoming a carrier pilot, while others depict the exploits of air combat. But few — and in this case draws on experience I seldom find so well written: a pilot’s trepidation, worries and self doubts of being competent enough to become a naval aviator. “Ironclaw” is the definitive book. Baldwin truly opened up his soul to the reader; one could feel the anxiety as his aircraft searches in the dark for the refueling tanker, knowing that if not located soon, he would become an aquanaut. It was not just the event itself, but his thinking that moved the ball to proclaim this as a great book.

I could go on and on passionately citing different tidbits from the book, but it would only soil the drama. My only regret about Ironclas, I wish Sherman Baldwin would continued as a writer. He has a gift that can wrap your imagination as tight as a snake. Buy it. Read it. Recommended reading for anyone contemplating becoming a naval aviator.

As a pilot I enjoyed the insight into the flying involved in carrier operations, a very good read. Pick this book up to find out more about the most challenging flight environment there is.

While Tank’s ride is now passed off to the Marines, with the Prowler being replaced by the Growler … well, same race, just a different horse.

Lends real insight to what it’s like being an electronic attack pilot on a carrier. Very accurate … and anything but sterile or dry. Not tough to see how this pilot got into Yale and then Harvard Business School.

Ironclaw is a fantastic book that had a great effect on me and it serves as a great inspiration for my son. It is a transporting experience few of us can dream about from a deck of an aircraft carrier to the night combat missions. The story is told in such a sincere and direct way that one can truly relate to and be inspired by Sherman’s outstanding experience. Above all, this is a story of character, perseverance, and camaraderie in the face of real combat danger. I highly recommend this book.

Navy pilot Sherm Baldwin ushers you silently into the cockpit of his Navy Jet Prowler in the Gulf War as he lands and takes off both day and night onto the smallest aircraft carrier in our fleet. You feel all his experiences at first hand, right along with him and his crew.

My twelve year old son likes the book as much as I do (“the best book I ever read,” he told me) probably in spite of the fact that “Tank” Baldwin courts his wife to be Alice by daily letter from the Gulf War.

No surprise to me that the Military Book Club has chosen IRONCLAW as its lead selection this Fall.

Give it a try … the first chapter will have you gripping your seat wondering if can land this damn plane