Around the World with LBJ: My Wild Ride as Air Force One Pilot, White House Aide, and Personal Confidant

Very well written book and account. I was assigned to the 89th Military Airlift Wing at the end of LBJ's presidency. I know General Cross, or Col. Cross at that time. He did a really good job on the book and it brought back a lot of memories of when I was stationed there. I had the good fortune of seeing General Cross last year at the SAMFOX Reunion and we had a nice talk. Recommend this book.

Why this book caught my attention, I'm unsure. Yet it offers great, informative reading from a first hand encounter with one president and numerous Washington office holders. I, however, cannot agree with the thought that this book will change anyone's view of LBJ. I did not care for the man nor his presidency before reading this book and remain pretty much the same after the reading. At best one may be caused to somewhat temper personal held views or feelings, but it's not probable this book will make one change from not caring for Lyndon Johnson to caring. With all the intimate, day-to-day personal details inserted in the book, I praise University of Texas, Austin, for publishing it, for in numerous places it is LBJ warts and all. But Johnson though a main figure in this book is not always the central one. The author has given us not only a thumbnail of himself and his daily experiences with LBJ but a much larger, in depth view of Washington, the military, and several world leaders as well. His not caring for Robert McNamara, or vice versa, calling McNamara both a "slick-talking academic" and an "arrogant egghead" did not go against my feelings, either. Everything that General James U. Cross has written rings true, and I admire him for putting up with LBJ for almost 7 years. At one point he informs the reader the pressure and stress had gotten to the point he was critically close to resigning. But being a flyer wannabe from early age through WWII and a select chosen pilot for the Air Force One group, he stuck by it. Going from Captain, Major, Lt. Col, Colonel, to General, (which LBJ made him aware was much do to LBJ) worked out very well for the young man from Alabama. I very much like this general officer after reading this book and wish all military personel with whom I served were as reasonable, having the common sense and educated sense of this unique man. We learn about people and airplanes while taking several other things away from this book as well. This is a book you do not want to pass up, no matter your personal feelings for LBJ the man or president. One of the better books I've read in quite a while. Semper Fi.

Fantastic insight to behind the scenes situations at the highest level; apart from politics, the book describes how great and caring some people can be, particularly those who are, or may be, bludgeoned, ruthlessly and ignorantly by the media.

Very well written and tells a lot about the inner being of LBJ. You won't want to put it down.

There are those who disliked LBJ. They probably would have felt differently if they had known the personal man. This book gives highly personal insights into a man often called "bigger than life." And, reading this well written and well-researched book (the author lived it), many would change those negative views. The writing is interesting, well done, and highly engaging. The author, retired Air Force General, Air Force One Plane Commander, and Presidential Military Aide James Cross said he wanted to show the unknown and deep humanity of President Johnson. He succeeds without pandering, but rather just by stating plain-spoken truths from an impressive man himself, General Cross. General Cross started as an Alabama country boy and became a close confidante of the President of the United States. He was not political; he was a highly respected and respectable officer in the U. S. Air Force who did his job and did it well. General Cross is the unsung hero here. The incidental glimpses we get of him in this book - definitely not given to build himself up - show a very decent man serving his president and his country well and with good, old-fashioned patriotism and honor. I would personally estimate that almost anyone who reads this book will enjoy it, be impressed by it, and come away from it with a much more positive image of President Johnson...plus meeting a genuinely nice guy who our country is fortunate to have had that close to the top: General James U. Cross Review by: Dick Stanford The Azusa Gazette Book Reviews May 2008