First to Fight
Kiffin Rockwell was an American idealist who felt so strongly about preserving democracy that he volunteered to fight for France the day before World War 1 started. Nearly three years before the US joined that war, Kiffin sailed to France and joined the French Foreign Legion. After slogging through the mud and misery of the trenches he was wounded in the leg during a bayonet attack. That wound made marching difficult, so he joined the newest, most high tech branch of the service. He became a fighter pilot during the dawn of combat aviation. He was a founding member of the Lafayette Escadrille and was the first American in that organization to shoot down an enemy plane. He battled the best German pilots and aircraft in the deadly skies over Verdun, flying three miles above the earth in an open cockpit wood and canvas biplane. His relentless drive to clear the skies of German aircraft caused his fellow pilots to refer to him as the “soul” of the Lafayette Escadrille. That drive also led him into the then little understood condition of combat fatigue.
First to Fight is a biography of Kiffin Rockwell. It includes enough background information about the war and the development of combat aviation so that you don’t have to be an expert on World War 1 or combat aviation to understand Kiffin’s experience. It also includes new and previously unpublished information to interest serious history buffs. The book is available in hardback and eBook format through all major booksellers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Photo Supplement: I collected hundreds of photos while researching Kiffin’s life, only a few of which made it into the book. Click here to view a photo supplement to the book.
Review Excerpts for First to Fight:
This book is immediately engaging and kept me wrapped up in the character of an honorable man and the technology advances of artillery and aviation (and lack thereof) during WWI. The book had a wonderful flow and was very honest in its telling. The author describes the ugly reality of WWI as well as the passion of this great man and his fellow trench-mates and pilots who served out of sheer dedication and tenacity. . . . I knew very little about the First World War but the author carefully walks the reader through the physical and mental trauma which does not require prior in-depth understanding. . . . The writing style is quite impressive as I was educated and entertained, and yes, I did cry at the end. I would highly recommend this book to anyone.
I am delighted with First to Fight. I have read every book I could find about the Escadrille since I received Herbert Molloy Mason’s book as a teen-ager. . . . Your book was the best insight ever into the inner sanctum of the relationships of the men. In particular, I had never grasped the slip-shod nature of the level of their training when they first went into combat. The relationships were deeply developed, and animosities, quirks, and behavior exposed which are glossed over in most books. Thank you so much for writing it. It is head and shoulders over everything I have read.
These young Americans fought for a cause not their own but for something greater. They showed great courage and valor. I have never read anything like it. I thought this was going to be a rather normal biography. I was wrong. It was almost as if I were living through these dynamic characters’ incredible experiences.
The author based this detailed and thoroughly researched biography of Rockwell on actual handwritten letters and long-forgotten documents extracted from various archives, so much of it will be fresh material for even the most seasoned reader of history. The fast-paced narrative is expertly written in a straightforward, story-like manner, so that virtually anyone will find it an interesting and easy read.
First to Fight is an excellent read. Rockwell’s letters are used accurately in any situation and the sources he used in gleaning background information are extensive.
The chapter on aviation development is a masterpiece in itself, being accessible for the beginner while not oversimplifying or resorting to cliché.
The author covers the physiological and psychological effects of combat at high altitude and extreme cold and does not shy away from discussing the inter-personal tensions among the American pilots or conflict with the French authorities. These were, after all, highly motivated and individualistic young men with commensurate egos. . . . In every important respect, this excellent book sets the standards for this type of biography.
I picked it up and was immediately captured! Detailed description moved me through the daring story of this WWI volunteer. I was captivated by his determination and patriotism and by his commitment to freedom.
Note: Like most books written in the last twenty years, this book is available for free download from pirate sites on the Internet. These sites claim the books are not copyrighted and it’s perfectly legal to download them. They’re lying. Please do not patronize these sites. They are undercutting the entire publishing industry. And on a personal note, if you download it from a pirate site I get absolutely nothing for the thousands of hours I spent researching and writing the book.