Was there to tempt him as he steered toward heaven,
Meanwhile the heat of sun struck at his back
And where his wings were joined, sweet-smelling fluid
Ran hot that once was wax.
- Ovid, Metamorphoses,
translated by Horace Gregory
Dedication
To the memory of Eugene Ely, the first person to land an airplane aboard a ship, and all the men and women of U.S. Naval Aviation who died in the service of their country.
First words
The starboard bow catapult fired, and the A-6A Intruder accelerated down the flight deck with a roar that engulfed the aircraft carrier and reverberated over the night sea.
Quotations
Last words
When the hoist operator pulled them into the helicopter, their hands were locked together.
