Marston and me

In Short

This novel follows Lieutenant "Slim" Evans, a cynical, lanky pilot in the post-WWI United States Army Air Service, as he faces a professional and personal crisis. Tasked with ferrying Martin Bombers to a high-stakes testing ground, he discovers that his new flight sergeant is his former tormentor, a man he despises. As mysterious accidents plague the aircraft, the two men are forced into an uneasy alliance. It is a gritty, fast-paced character study that captures the bravado, technical obsession, and raw animosity of early military flight culture.

The Story

The story opens on the Mexican border, where Slim Evans and his fellow flyers are restless, bored, and craving excitement. When the Air Service receives funding to test whether massive, bomb-laden planes can sink warships—thereby proving the necessity of the Air Service—Slim is ordered to Langham Field to help ferry the new Martin Bombers. Upon arrival, he encounters his nemesis: George William Marston, a man who once used his position as a training officer to make Slim’s life a living hell. After being demoted from major to sergeant, Marston is now tasked as Slim’s flight sergeant. The tension boils over in a hangar tool room, where the two men engage in a brutal, no-holds-barred fistfight to settle their past grievances.

Despite the violence, a grudging professional respect emerges. However, their collaboration is soon threatened by a series of deliberate sabotages. While ferrying planes from Cleveland, two bombers are destroyed by fire. Later, during a routine flight, Slim’s plane suffers a terrifying control failure—the cables were filed nearly through—forcing him to leap into a tree just as his aircraft crashes. Slim’s companion, Les Fernald, suffers a similar fate over a river. Slim correctly deduces that the sabotage is the work of a disgruntled, delusional inventor and his unscrupulous associate, Gimbel, who hope to force the government to adopt their own crackpot weapon designs by destroying the reliable Martin fleet.

The climax arrives when Slim and Marston are ambushed mid-air by a hostile plane. In the ensuing dogfight, Slim is severely wounded and loses consciousness as his plane dives toward the ground. Marston, despite being badly injured himself, manages to drag the unconscious Slim from his seat, take control of the bomber, and land the crippled ship safely, effectively saving both of their lives. In the aftermath, the conspiracy is dismantled, and the two men recover in the hospital. While the ordeal earns Marston newfound respect and heroism, it does not magically turn the two men into friends. They return to their duties with a mutual, icy acknowledgment of each other's competence, maintaining a strictly professional distance that recognizes the reality of their deep-seated, persistent dislike.

How It Unfolds

The border stagnates The pilots of the McMullen flight are dying of boredom while patrolling the Rio Grande. They long for action, finally receiving their wish when the Air Service shifts focus to high-stakes maritime bombing tests.

A bitter reunion Slim reports to Langham Field and is shocked to find that his assigned flight sergeant is Marston, the man who once sabotaged his dreams of becoming a flyer. The two men settle their history with a savage, physical brawl that leaves them both battered but temporarily clear-headed.

Sabotage in the air The ferry mission turns lethal when unknown assailants sabotage the flight controls of their bombers. Slim and Fernald narrowly escape death by crash-landing, discovering the filed control cables that confirm a deliberate attempt to ground the Air Service.

The aerial ambush While flying to safety, the pair are attacked by a hostile aircraft intent on finishing the job. Marston proves his worth by fighting back, sustaining a severe wound while keeping the plane in the air.

The final landing Marston maneuvers the plane to a safe landing, saving his pilot’s life at great personal risk. The mystery of the sabotage is revealed to be a corporate-espionage plot, and the two men reach an uneasy, lasting truce based on professional respect rather than friendship.

The People

Slim Evans is the cynical, self-deprecating protagonist who views his own survival as a series of lucky accidents. He is driven by a deep pride in the Air Service and an intense, lingering grudge against his former instructor. He ends the story humbled by his own fragility but secure in his identity as a pilot.

George William Marston is a man of "sullen, scowling" intensity. Once a high-ranking major, his forced demotion has turned him into an embittered, brooding figure who hates the bureaucracy of the Army. His transition from a target of hatred to a savior is not driven by kindness, but by a rigid, disciplined sense of duty.

Les Fernald serves as the steady, unflappable counterpoint to the volatile Slim and Marston. He approaches potential death with a shrug and a request for a drink, providing a necessary, calm stability during the chaotic ferry missions.

In Its Own Voice

"For approximately four months the border patrolmen, of which, at times, I had the honor to be one, were slowly dying of dry-rot."

Slim describes the crushing boredom of life on the Rio Grande before the real action begins.

"I’m not asking you for the pleasure of your company, you may be sure, but you’re supposed to be the best motor man in the squadron."

Slim forces Marston into a professional role, refusing to pretend their mutual hatred has evaporated.

"Marston and I respect each other, and it’s nothing to his discredit that he doesn’t like me."

In the end, Slim acknowledges that their professional bond does not require them to be friends.

What It's Really About

The book explores the tension between personal animosity and professional necessity. The core question is whether character flaws—bitterness, pride, and hatred—can be set aside when the mission demands total cooperation. Slim Evans argues that the Air Service creates a unique, almost tribal pride that supersedes individual feelings, even when those individuals find each other detestable. There is a secondary argument regarding the "amateur" nature of the early Air Service; the plot hinges on the idea that the military was still viewed as a playground for "Boy Scouts" until they could prove their technological worth through the sinking of a battleship.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the technical, hard-boiled prose of the early twentieth century will find this book particularly rewarding. It captures the visceral sensation of flying in the era of open cockpits, "Liberty" motors, and wood-and-linen aircraft. The dialogue is sharp, peppered with the slang of the 1920s, and refreshingly devoid of modern sentimentality.

However, a contemporary reader should be prepared for the casual, often harsh attitudes of the post-WWI era. The book is unapologetic about its characters' prejudices and their brutal methods of conflict resolution. It does not offer a neatly wrapped moral lesson about brotherhood; instead, it presents a refreshingly honest take on the reality of workplace conflict. You will not find a "happily ever after" where enemies become best friends. What remains with you is the haunting, pragmatic realization that you don't have to like the person you work with to respect the skill they bring to the job. It is a brisk, rugged, and remarkably grounded look at a time when flying was still an act of profound, sometimes reckless, faith.