Introducing "Pensacola Days" In 1969, four recent college graduates who all dream of becoming Naval Aviators meet in Pensacola, Florida. Completing Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS), sixteen weeks of intense Marine Corps training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station, is the first step in achieving their dream. They quickly realize that the Marine Corps Drill Instructor training in AOCS was far more rigorous than they ever imagined. In fact, during the first ten days of training, called INDOC, many of the candidates are quickly disqualified by the Drill Instructors or fail to complete the training. In an effort to complete the AOCS program together, the four young men forge a lifelong friendship.In addition, they become friends with their fellow AOCS candidates and two young women who have moved to Pensacola to start new lives after experiencing personal loss. During the course of their training, their lives also become intertwined with three other characters, a veteran Naval Aviator who has returned to to Pensacola to reunite with the love of his life, Medal of Honor recipient Major Stephen Pless, USMC (a real person), and a recently divorced Navy Nurse who has transferred back to Pensacola to continue her career. As the story unfolds, the four men, now renamed Striker, Hound, Sticky, and Bulldog by their Drill Instructor, face success and failure, good times and sudden tragedy, and the changing needs of the United States Navy. "Pensacola Days" recreates an era and places that no longer exist as they were in in 1969/1970. It is set during the height of the Vietnam War, but it is not a war story. It is a romance wrapped in tragedy. "Someone posted last week about a book written by one of us who went through AOCS long ago. Found it and ordered it on Amazon-"Pensacola Days" by Irv Smith. He was in class 05-69 as it turns out. I was in 27-70 so not long after him It's a novel but with AOCS and our experiences-in hilarious detail-at its center. It's a good read and has brought me to tears and raucous laughter several times already. It will bring back a lot of what we went through so long ago. I forgot how demanding and difficult AOCS was. Oh those Marine DI's His class started out with over 100 "poopies" and just 31 made to commissioning. I thought I remembered a large number over 100 starting in 27-70 as well-/and about 40 made it to Ensign. Love the book. All yall will too (hows my southern drawl doing?) Thanks Irv Smith, wherever you are-we are all brothers." "have been there and done that. The book is hard to put down. I know these guys. They were my classmates in Pensacola 60 years ago. The reader shares the roller coaster of ups in anticipation of exciting adventure. Then shares the dashed hopes and dreams in the reality of the real world of military flying. Grabbing real life scenes of friends lost will gripe you as though you were there. It has something for everybody in a series of interlaced stories. Don't miss this one." "Awesome book! It really paints the picture of what it was like to go through Aviation Officer Candidate school in Pensacola Florida. This is where many Navy pilots first became officers. The movie "And Officer and a Gentleman", although it was filmed in Washington State was about this program in Pensacola. I highly recommend getting this book and reading it! It will give you a good idea of where 30 to 40% of all naval aviators came from." "Great book. Well written, good plot, interesting characters. Brought back many memories of my time as an AVROC/AOC Officer candidate and Flight Student at Pensacola during the timeframe of the plot of the book."