Barry Smith grew up in Roseburg, Oregon. R.C. Good, the main character in World WWII History, taught him to fly and soloed him on his 16th birthday in July of 1966. Barry's early writings caught the attention of his mentor and Good invited him to attend several VF-17 squadron reunions on the USS Hornet in Alameda, California.

After meeting the VF-17 pilots they asked if he would write their story. The one stipulation the squadron had was that they wanted it written in the form of a story… not a dry, statistic-laden account which often occurs when transcribing history.

After years of researching WWII Naval History, and the Pacific Air War in particular, Smith has documented the fascinating history of one of the most iconic fighter squadrons of WWII… The Jolly Rogers. Personal stories and letters were gleaned from the pilots and a copy of the Jolly Rogers War Diary, which included their history and combat action reports, were used for historical accuracy.

Over the years he spoke with and interviewed many of the veterans in his hometown of Roseburg to document and preserve their important history before it was lost to time. Also, other veteran's stories, including new information on the Japanese occupation of Guam, are told here for the first time as well.

"I understand now why the boys in the squadron wanted their story to be told in the form of a story. The things they saw and experienced could never be properly comprehended by mere statistical tributes. Unfortunately, I must confess, World War II History pales in comparison with their actual deeds. Heroes all!"