Wingmen are an aviation term used to describe a pilot who is positioned behind and outside a leader in a formation, allowing them to watch for threats to the primary aircraft. It can also refer to a person who helps, guides or supports another. Adam Lazarus’ new release “The Wingmen: The Unlikely, Unusual, Unbreakable Friendship between John Glenn and Ted Williams” is a book that both military and sports history fans will enjoy. Adam was once told to write about what he is passionate about and is the author of four other books in the sports vein.

Ted Williams is considered by many to be one of the greatest persons to play Major League Baseball. He is the last player to bat over .400 in a season and a nineteen time all-star. John Glenn began his military career as a stand-out pilot during World War II.  He became the first American to orbit the earth and would serve as a US Senator. The two men met while flying combat for the Marine Corps in Korea.

Their missions in Korea were principally ground support missions, often referred to as “Blow and Go.”  Glenn developed a reputation for coming around after a bombing run and looking for other targets to engage. This made him very unpopular with his wingmen but Williams didn’t seem to mind because he felt he could learn a lot from Glenn. Williams flew 8 missions as Glenn’s wingman.

Adam’s book sheds quite a bit of light on the controversy that seemed to surround the life of Ted Williams. He debunks the myth that Williams was a draft dodger and shows that he was actually quite the patriot. “The Wingmen” also delves quite a bit into the continuing relationship between the two men after their initial careers were over.