Makos, author of 'Devotion: 'The story was just that good'

Nov. 10—In his book, "Devotion," author Adam Makos takes us into the cockpit, as two bold young aviators cut their teeth at the world's most dangerous job.

Devotion tells the inspirational story of the Navy's most famous aviator duo — Lieutenant Tom Hudner and Ensign Jesse Brown — and the Marines they fought to defend.

Makos, 41 of Naples, Florida, has roots in Plymouth — his grandparents, his father and uncles all lived there on Cherry Street. His grandfather, Michael Makos, served in the U.S. Air Force in World War II in the Pacific Theater.

Makos, a writer, editor, historian and publisher, specializes in war novels and biographies. He appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list twice for his works "Spearhead" and "A Higher Call." He also authored "Voices of the Pacific," which follows Marines and seamen who served in the Pacific during World War II.

Here is a description of "Devotion" from the book's website:

"A white New Englander from the country-club scene, Tom Hudner passed up Harvard to fly fighters for his country.

"An African American sharecropper's son from Mississippi, Jesse Brown became the Navy's first black carrier pilot to defend a nation that wouldn't even serve him in a bar.

"While much of America remained divided by segregation, Jesse and Tom joined forces as wingmen in Fighter Squadron 32."

Makos' book has been made into a movie that will be released nationwide on Nov. 23. Makos will attend the Hollywood premiere on Nov. 15.

The book was released in 2015.

"This is one of the few books about the Korean War," Makos said. "So people really don't know much about it. I took a risk because the story was just that good."

Makos explained that the story is about an unlikely friendship between two Navy fighter pilots in 1950 — one, Tom Hudner, from the country club scene in Massachusetts, and the other, Jesse Brown, son of a sharecropper in Mississippi.

"Tom was white, Jesse was black," Makos said. "At a time of racial division, they became wing men in Navy Fighter Squadron VF-32 flying the Corsair fighter planes."

Makos said the story follows the outbreak of the Korean War and these two men flying to save the Marines when they were surrounded in November 1950 at the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. The losses at Chosin Reservoir had been painfully high for U.S. troops — the estimated 18,000 casualties included about 2,500 killed in action, 5,000 wounded and almost 8,000 who suffered from frostbite.

"The Chosin Reservoir was one of most difficult battles Americans have ever fought," Makos said. "The temperatures had dropped to as much as 30 degrees below zero and 20,000 U.S. Marines were surrounded by 100,000 Chinese Communist troops. The only thing tipping the odds in U.S. favor was providing air support from Navy carriers off the coast."

Makos said on Dec. 4, 1950, Hudner and Brown were flying in support of the Marines when Brown's plane was hit and he was going down behind enemy lines.

"He crashed and was trapped in his aircraft, pinned by the wreckage that was holding his leg," Makos said. "It looked like he was going to die a terrible death in the fire of the wreckage. But his friend and wing man, Hudner, faced a choice — to watch his friend die, or attempt history's most audacious rescue mission."

A tug-at-the-heartstrings tale of bravery and selflessness, Devotion asks: How far would you go to save a friend?

Makos said he met Hudner at a conference and asked for an interview.

Actor Glen Powell plays Hudner and Jonathan Majors plays Brown.

Makos and Powell traveled to Boston and met Hudner, who was 92. Makos said Powell wanted to play Hudner in the movie and he got the part.

Wilkes-Barre connection

Bob Devans, of Wilkes-Barre, was killed in action at the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950. Devans' photo appears in the book on page 165 when he was a private and he is mentioned a number of times in the book.

Devans was buried in Wilkes Barre in 1955.

His name also appears on the Korean War monument for Luzerne County military killed in Korea.

Devans' family received a dedication to all those who died serving in Korea signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

About the movie

According to the website — whattowatch.com:

Here is the official synopsis for Devotion:

"Devotion, an aerial war epic based on the bestselling book of the same name, tells the harrowing true story of two elite U.S. Navy fighter pilots during the Korean War. Their heroic sacrifices would ultimately make them the Navy's most celebrated wing men."

Those two pilots are Lieutenant Tom Hudner, a white New Englander, and Ensign Jesse Brown, the Navy's first Black carrier pilot.

The cast

Playing Brown and Hudner are two of the biggest rising stars in Hollywood — Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell.

Majors has seen his career sky-rocket in recent years, starting with a breakout performance in "The Last Black Man in San Francisco," followed up with Spike Lee's "Da 5 Bloods," HBO's "Lovecraft Country" and then landing the role of the MCU's next big bad, Kang the Conqueror, appearing in "Loki" and set to appear in "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania."

For Powell, he's no stranger to a fighter jet's cockpit after playing Hangman in "Top Gun: Maverick." Powell also started popping up on people's radars after roles in "Everybody Wants Some," "Scream Queens," "Hidden Figures" and "Set It Up."

Also set to star in Devotion are Christina Jackson ("The Good Fight") as Daisy Brown, Thomas Sadoski ("The Newsroom") as Dick Cevoli and Joe Jonas, of The Jonas Brothers, as Marty Goode.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.