Frank "Spig" Wead was an important early Naval Aviators, and later an accomplished screen writer. His best known screenplay was for the outstanding John Ford WW2 film "They Were Expendable". Ford (John Dodge in the film) made this film as a tribute to his friend 10 years after Wead's death, and swore that everything in the film actually happened -- but I doubt if there was a real person Jughead Carson. In many ways it's a sad film. Wead's only son Frank Jr, nicknamed "The Commodore", died at the age one year, two weeks. Wead also chose to concentrate on his naval career at the expense of his family, and spent the largest part of his adult life away from his wife Minnie and two daughters. Wead fought back from an accident that left him paralyzed, and managed to walk with steel braces, only to die from heart failure at age 52. It's not a great film, but it is interesting, sad, and worth watching.
Review of The Wings of Eagles
