A Most Desperate Situation: Frontier Adventures of a Young Scout,1858-64 Book

The heart of this book is in the many letters LaCroix's father wrote to his family while serving in Southeast Asia as an air force pilot during WW II. They show the spirit of the man and the closeness he felt with his family as he reveals his exploits and his fears as well as the pleasure he finds in battle.

Although I was intrigued by the historical aspects of the book and admire the author for his extensive research, his superfluous writing style made it difficult to read. I found the history of Japan's feudal society that led to their Banzai style of warfare fascinating, as was the history of the Philippines with its centuries of foreign occupation. The details that encompass the training of fighter pilots was especially interesting to me as my older brother was a jet pilot in the Navy in the 50s. His bravado became clear to me. The cultural differences in our two countries, especially as manifested in the Shinto religion, also added to making this a worthwhile read.

However, that being said, Frederick LaCroix's lack of confidence as a writer in continuously relying on quotations from other writers to express himself, was more than disappointing. It's too bad LaCroix didn't emulate the sincerity found in the writings of his father and let his own emotions come through.