Have Blue Sky has depended on far greater expertise than just my own. The many friends and colleagues I have consulted while writing this novel have served as both a sharpening-stone, and a reality check on the story I wanted to tell.
I am deeply grateful to a handful of my fellow F-117 pilots who generously shared their flying and combat experiences with me, particularly Rich Treadway (Bandit 336), Greg Friedman (Bandit 535), Joe Salata (Bandit 295), Mark Dougherty (Bandit 168), Dale Zelko (Bandit 338), Steve Guzek (Bandit 515), and Jack Forsythe (Bandit 460).
I would like to thank many other Bandits as well, out of both respect and appreciation for the experiences we shared. They include Clint Hinote (Bandit 567); Denny Larsen (Bandit 154); Sam Johnson (Bandit 537); Braden DeLauder (Bandit 424); John Snider (Bandit 529); Paul Driver (Bandit 570); Joel Rush (Bandit 463); Bryan Knight (Bandit 437); Randy Eckley (Bandit 458); Greg Feest (Bandit 261); Kevin Sullivan (Bandit 519); Jack Hayes (Bandit 505); Keith Butler (Bandit 690); Phil McDaniel (Bandit 306); Kurt Cichowski (Bandit 452); Bill Lake (Bandit 252); our F-117 Electronic Warfare Officer Jim Carnahan; Joe Corso (Bandit 532); Gary Woltering (Bandit 454); Ken Tatum (Bandit 527); Mace Carpenter (Bandit 499); Klaus Klause (Bandit 283); Christina Szasz Beck (Bandit 671); John Mihaly (Bandit 685); Cole Seckman (Bandit 255); Wally Morehead (Bandit 171); Steve Charles (Bandit 263); Rick Glitz (Bandit 210); Adam Quale (Bandit 665); Randy Parker (Bandit 495); Angelo Eiland (Bandit 364); Skip Hinman (Bandit 486); Stamp Walden (Bandit 492); Chip Rice (Bandit 518); Rich Baumann (Bandit 503); Chandra Beckman (Bandit 680); Travolis Simmons (Bandit 664); Bob Hood (Bandit 536); Lou Alden (Bandit 651); David Gossett (Bandit 669); Mark Hoehn (Bandit 554); Chris Knehans (Bandit 633); Thad Darger (Bandit 528); Mark Engeman (Bandit 369); Brian Adkins (Bandit 703); Glenn Baugher (Bandit 410); John Massee (Bandit 372); Matt McKeon (Bandit 392); and Don Temple (Bandit 695).
I want to extend a special thanks to Dave Goldfein (Bandit 708), for his leadership as the wing commander of the 49th Fighter Wing, and later as the 21st Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.
Bobbi Doorenbos graciously shared her experiences with me as one of the first women selected to fly fighter aircraft in 1993 when the Pentagon changed the combat exclusion rules. And Bobbi did, in fact, arm wrestle Robin Olds on the night she graduated from flight school. In addition to Bobbi, several members of the CFPA (you can look up the acronym in the glossary) helped enormously with this project; ensuring I accurately captured the voices of women fighter pilots. They include Michelle Kilgore, Heather Penney, Jessica Boss, Jaina Donberg, Kristin Wehle, and Staci Landers. Heather Penny was particularly generous, later sharing with me in detail her experience on 9/11.
Cathryn “CJ” Yerage and Michelle Ruehl provided key feedback in the development and improvement of the early drafts of the novel. I am deeply grateful for their assistance. Wes Spurlock provided crucial insight and feedback on in-flight air refueling.
For their assistance helping me understand the workings of a newsroom I would like to thank Tom Johnson, George Cotliar, Robert Pondiscio, Mark Thompson, Bob Cox, Kathy Freeman, and Cindi Williams. For their insights into firefighting, I would like to thank Brenda Berkman and Mike Teslar. I would also like to thank Jess Baker who witnessed the crash of the F-117 on the night of July 11, 1986, and called in the emergency response.
I would like to thank Jen Anschel and Bill Frederico for their steadfast support and assistance over the past 10 years, and for helping me create the Have Blue Sky website. Chef Colleen added flavor to the novel with her descriptions of the meals in the book. Erin Greb expertly created the maps and illustrations for Have Blue Sky. I am also indebted to Catherine McKenna for leading me on a deep dive into the “War in Kosovo” to better understand the underlying currents of history in the Balkans.
Dakota Roberson’s insights into the design and construction of Iranian nuclear reactors was essential in helping me create an accurate description of the target complex at Natanz.
I want to thank the artist (my father) Robert W. Moore for painting “The Lone Wolf” on the bomb bay door of F-117 aircraft #816. You can see aircraft #816 – and the painting of “The Lone Wolf” – at the Evergreen Air Museum in Oregon.
A number of close friends and family members provided crucial (and very detailed) feedback on the early drafts of Have Blue Sky to help me sharpen the tale. I am profoundly grateful to Marilyn Moore, Laura LoGerfo, Scott Leslie, Carla Ford, Robert Marbut, Mary Kate Cary, Lizzie Bentrup, Ann Friedman, Barb Jardee, and Geoff Shepard.
I would also like to thank several friends who read the manuscript and also provided, including Yancy Mailes, Cara LaPointe, Madeline Gillan, John Wood, Jeanne White, Kathleen Hall, Amy Eggler, Erica Shaffer, Kate Corliss, Sean Church, Helena Chaves, Bruce Shahbaz, Frank Leija, Dawn Dunlop, Mark Rodgers, Andy Rotherham, Kathryn Spletstoser, Daryl Waits, Checker Finn, Harrison Hines, and Kapil Parakh.
I am deeply grateful to my editors, Bob Roe and Dante Ciampaglia, for helping me transform a “big shaggy dog” into an actual novel.
I want to thank the team at Amplify Publishing Group and Subplot for their incredible support, particularly Jack Callahan, Will Wolfslau, Naren Aryal, Nina Spahn, and Debbie Nosil.
Every aviator loses friends over the course of a flying career. I am glad to have had the opportunity in this book to remember several fallen comrades, including Melanie Gillan, Dave Buteau, Tamara Archuleta, Lonnie Ledet, George Boudreaux, Ross Mulhare, and Dan Holt.
“Throw a nickel on the grass…” If you are not sure what that means, ask a fighter pilot friend.
I am profoundly grateful to Rider, Ian, Cassandra, and Anne for having lived so many of the stories told in the novel.
Finally, I would like to thank my wife Stefanie, on whose personality, if not her flying credentials, I have based the character of Eve Riley, the protagonist of Have Blue Sky.