The First Hellcat Ace
Hamilton McWhorter III and Jay Stout, Casemate, Philadelphia, 2024, 240 pages
Book Review published on: May 20, 2025
Flying combat fighter airplanes from naval aircraft carriers initially conjures thoughts of excitement and adventure; however, this was probably one of the more daunting missions faced by U.S. military pilots in World War II. Launching from and landing on ships, flying across vast stretches of open sea, and fighting an enemy with formidable air forces and air defense systems was far from easy and many U.S. Navy aviators were lost in combat as well as in training. One of the Navy's aviators who saw more than his fair share of action was Navy Cmdr. Hamilton McWhorter III. With the assistance of author Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jay Stout, U.S. Marine Corps, McWhorter recounts his experiences as a combat aviator during World War II in The First Hellcat Ace.
McWhorter became interested in aviation after experiencing a ride in a Ford Trimotor airliner as a young boy and was inspired to become a fighter pilot after watching several Army P-26 Peashooters take flight at a local airport. He eventually worked his way through college and obtained a private pilot's license by the time he was twenty years of age. McWhorter applied for the U.S. Navy's aviation cadet program and reported for duty in June 1941. He was midway through the program when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and he graduated in February of 1942. The timing of his graduation enabled him to participate in Operation Torch during November 1942, and afterward he completed several combat tours in the Pacific, credited with twelve aerial victories, by the time the war ended in 1945. After the war, he decided to stay in the Navy and eventually retired in 1969.
The book is written in first-person narrative with McWhorter describing his upbringing and then his service in World War II. The first part is relatively brief and mostly focused on how McWhorter became passionate about aviation, while the rest is about his service in the U.S. Navy during the war. McWhorter explains the training he underwent to become a Navy aviator and describes the numerous missions he flew, which involved offensive and defensive counter-air operations, ground interdiction, and close air support. Interwoven with his combat experiences are his recollections of fellow aviators he served with in various units, as well as his personal reflections about the challenges of living through a war. While much of what he describes about flying F-4F Wildcats and F-6F Hellcats in battle is exciting, McWhorter also conveys the dangerous and sad realities of the war.
The First Hellcat Ace is an excellent book about a young man's service as a U.S. Navy aviator during World War II. Hamilton McWhorter and Jay Stout deliver a historical narrative that enables readers to understand the nature of naval aerial combat. Readers will also gain an appreciation for the impressive accomplishments of McWhorter, his peers, and the numerous other Navy personnel who fought and died in the Mediterranean and Pacific campaigns. Anyone interested in World War II naval history should find this book informative and intriguing.
Book Review written by: Dirk C. Blackdeer, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas