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This military memoir chronicles the author’s active duty experiences, particularly as a senior medical officer on board the aircraft carrier the USS Forrestal. Dr. Bohnker provides a detailed account of the ship, including his own duties and responsibilities and the larger missions of the military. He includes accounts of various deployments, drydocking, drills, accidents, and anecdotes of shipmates and their experiences. The result is a thorough and deeply respectful rendering of day-to-day life on an aircraft carrier. Dr. Bohnker recalls his career with calm candor and dispassionate assessment. He delivers a straightforward compilation of vignettes that reveal the authentic and true experiences of ships and sailors.
Dr. Bohnker tracks the rhythms of military life with this career recollection that keenly observes the ordinary and the extraordinary occurrences that impact the crew throughout the ship. He highlights the resourcefulness required to meet the demands of his career and illuminates the layers of life and the moving parts that keep an aircraft carrier thriving with purpose. Infused with insight and authenticity, Dr. Bohnker's memoir effectively captures the constant flow of work and the persistent health problems that arise among the sailors. Dr. Bohnker writes with clarity and provides keenly observed descriptions that will help readers understand, appreciate, and value military preparedness.
This insider view of life as an aircraft carrier's senior medical officer allows readers to come aboard and explore the daily trials and tribulations of this part of the military. For anyone contemplating a career in the Navy, this book is a must-read to see the possibilities, camaraderie, and realities.