Salute

In Short

This novel is a character-driven drama set in the 1920s among Army Air Service pilots stationed in Texas. It centers on the volatile friendship between the narrator, "Slim" Evans, and the pint-sized, pugnacious Lieutenant Penoch O’Reilly. Their bond is threatened when Ralph Kennedy, a former sergeant with a history of swindling and bad faith, arrives at their field. The story explores the complexities of human morality, sacrifice, and the enduring nature of loyalty, ultimately serving as a testament to the messy, often contradictory grace found in unconventional people.

The Story

The narrator, "Slim" Evans, a lanky and self-deprecating pilot, introduces himself and his close friend, the diminutive and high-energy Penoch O’Reilly. Their lives on the remote Texas airdrome are defined by the camaraderie of the flight line and the occasional, rowdy antics of off-duty officers. This equilibrium is shattered when Penoch learns that Ralph Kennedy—a man who once dragged Penoch into a disastrous mine-salting swindle during the war—is assigned to their squadron. Penoch fears Kennedy is a parasite who will use his knowledge of their past to destroy his career.

Kennedy arrives with a veneer of charm and a reputation for being a gambler and a womanizer. He quickly becomes involved with Shirley Curran, a spirited local woman, much to Penoch’s horror. Penoch tries to warn Kennedy off, leading to a tense showdown where they acknowledge the bitterness between them. Kennedy, revealing a cold, predatory nature, ignores these warnings, yet an odd, unspoken thread of mutual admiration—and a lifetime of shared history—lingers between them.

The tension comes to a head at a poker game at the Curran home. Kennedy, seemingly deciding to sacrifice his own happiness to protect Shirley from his own corrupt influence, intentionally cheats in an obvious, clumsy manner. His goal is to make himself so detestable that Shirley will naturally turn away from him. The scheme works; he is cast out in disgrace, breaking Shirley’s heart. Despite the public shame, Penoch and Slim begin to see that Kennedy’s calculated self-destruction was, in his own twisted way, an act of love.

The final act of the drama takes place in the sky. During a final flight, Kennedy’s plane catches fire. In a desperate, final display of character, Kennedy holds the burning, uncontrollable aircraft steady so that Penoch—who had gone up with him—can climb onto the wing and be rescued by Slim, who flies his own plane beneath them to catch his friend. Kennedy, trapped in the cockpit, perishes in the flames. The story concludes with Slim reflecting on the man who was both a scoundrel and a hero. He acknowledges that Kennedy’s final act redeemed his life, offering a silent "salute" to a man who, at his ultimate moment, proved he was more than the sum of his mistakes.

How It Unfolds

The arrival of a shadow Penoch discovers that Ralph Kennedy, a manipulative figure from his past, is being transferred to their squadron. This news plunges the usually boisterous Penoch into a state of visible, anxious dread.

The game of masks Kennedy settles into life at the field with a surface-level charm that masks his predatory instincts. He begins courting Shirley Curran, forcing Penoch to attempt an intervention to protect her from his former associate.

The act of disgrace During a high-stakes poker game, Kennedy deliberately cheats to ensure he is caught and ostracized. He hopes that by revealing himself as a fraud, he will spare Shirley from becoming further attached to a man he knows is essentially broken.

The final flight In a show of final, quiet resolution, Kennedy agrees to a last flight with Penoch. When the plane ignites, Kennedy keeps the flaming wreck stable, sacrificing his own life to ensure Penoch has a chance to escape.

The salute Slim reflects on the tragedy from the ground, forever haunted by the sight of the burning ship. He reconciles the man he knew—a thief and a liar—with the man who died to save his friend, ultimately honoring Kennedy’s final, redemptive sacrifice.

The People

"Slim" Evans is the observant, six-foot-five narrator. He is a weary veteran of the air who has seen enough of the world to be cynical about easy judgments. He serves as the emotional anchor, trying to bridge the gap between Penoch’s moral rigidity and Kennedy’s moral chaos.

Penoch O’Reilly is a short, barrel-chested captain who radiates raw energy. He is a man of intense, often conflicting emotions—loud and raucous in his fun, but deeply vulnerable when his past catches up to him. His growth stems from his realization that the man he hates, Kennedy, is capable of a selfless act that forces him to re-evaluate his own capacity for forgiveness.

Ralph Kennedy is the catalyst of the story. He is a man of "cold, diamond-hard" character who hides his lack of traditional moral grounding behind a mask of charm and confidence. He is a classic anti-hero who understands that he is fundamentally a "parasite," yet he finds, through his love for Shirley, a spark of self-sacrifice that allows him to end his life with a final, heroic act.

Shirley Curran is the nineteen-year-old local woman who falls for Kennedy. She is portrayed as a "streak of flame"—independent, lively, and intelligent. While she is the victim of Kennedy’s calculated deception, her genuine feelings for him provide the emotional weight that drives his decision to destroy his own reputation.

In Its Own Voice

"People who’ve lived long enough and seen enough to comprehend a little bit of the complexity of human beings and the motives which spur them to their daily performances, will never be too hasty in damning a man to his eternal roast."

The narrator offers this reflection early on, cautioning the reader against making simplistic judgments about the characters’ complicated histories.

"He was hanging from the edge of it by his hands as I flew my ship up into position, my left wing underneath the other’s right one."

Slim describes the harrowing, precise maneuver he performs to rescue Penoch from the flaming wreck of Kennedy’s aircraft.

"I hope he has time to tip his halo in acknowledgment of the salute of Slim Evans to a crook and a hero, a scoundrel and a man."

In the closing lines, Slim synthesizes the duality of Kennedy’s life, acknowledging the man’s profound moral contradictions.

What It's Really About

This book explores the tension between public reputation and private reality. It argues that morality is not a binary state of "good" or "bad," but a shifting, complex landscape shaped by desperation and circumstance. The narrative consistently probes the question of whether a person’s final actions can retroactively define the nature of their life. By contrasting the "smug" judgment of society with the messy, lived experience of the pilots, the story suggests that true character is often found in the moments where a person chooses to act against their own self-interest. It is a quiet, meditative look at how we measure the worth of a human soul when it is caught between the roles of villain and savior.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy character studies and aviation history will find this an evocative read. Its strength lies in the authentic, world-weary voice of Slim Evans, whose perspective on the "ghosts in the closet" of every wanderer feels timeless. The prose carries the rough, informal rhythm of post-WWI military life, marked by a blend of dark humor and genuine melancholy.

However, a modern reader should be prepared for the period-specific attitudes and the occasional, jarring transition from lighthearted pranks to life-and-death stakes. The book’s unflinching, almost brutal honesty about the "scum of the earth" and the harsh realities of the era might feel raw compared to more polished contemporary fiction. The dialogue reflects the slang of the 1920s, which can be an acquired taste, though it effectively places the reader in the cockpit of a DeHaviland on a Texas runway. It is a haunting, short book that lingers long after the final page, perfect for those who want a story that refuses to provide easy answers about its characters. If you appreciate a narrative that treats its scoundrels with as much complexity as its heroes, this story will stay with you.