Reaper Leader

by Steve Ewing

"Although Jimmy Flatley made a significant contribution to the U.S. victory over Japan, few outside the close-knit naval aviation community have heard his colorful story. "A naval hero in every sense of the word," according to former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. James L. Holloway III, Flatley was a formidable fighter pilot in combat, an inspiring leader, and a gifted operational planner. This biography examines his combination of talents and shows why he was so vital to the war effort.". "Known to his squadron mates at Guadalcanal as "Reaper Leader," Flatley - with Jimmie Thach and Butch O'Hare - was instrumental in communicating tactical advice throughout naval aviation and proving that, when used properly, the supposedly inferior F4F Wildcat fighter was actually superior to the Japanese Zero. His biographer, Steve Ewing, also explains how Flatley's combat experience established the credibility necessary for a middle-grade officer to initiate sweeping changes in naval aviation, both