Published: 1 June 03
Air & Space Power Journal - Summer 2003

Tailspin: The Strange Case of Major Call by Bernard F. Conners. British American Publishing (http://www.britishamericanpublishing. com), 4 British American Boulevard, Latham, New York 12110, 2002, 512 pages, $26.95 (hardcover).

Armchair detectives should enjoy pondering the proposition that Air Force major James Arlon Call was the "bushy-haired man" in the infamous Marilyn Sheppard murder. Her convicted husband, Dr. Sam Sheppard, claimed that a bushy-haired intruder had killed her. That suspect became the one-armed man in The Fugitive television series and movie. Whether or not that was truly the case, the book does document Call’s extensive "life of crime." That life included a shoot-out in which Call killed a police officer and eluded police during the ensuing 106-day manhunt. The author is a former FBI agent who wrote the book as a dramatized narrative, blending known facts with his own speculations. The last 140-plus pages present the evidence the author uses to implicate Major Call. The truly interested reader can delve deeply into the crime-scene evidence, court exhibits, police reports, and various witness testimonies; others will likely give this part of the book only a cursory glance.

The book details Call’s life and actions between 1949 and 1956, illustrating them with several photos of his family and other aspects of his life. Although the book paints him as a "war hero" (he is indeed credited with 17 Korean combat missions), his awards, decorations, and excerpts from his officer-performance reports are not as glowing or impressive as the author implies. As is often the case today, some excerpts from 1949–52 sound very good but say very little! His lifestyle appears to have been less than impeccable. After his wife’s untimely death in October 1952 left him with a year-old son, his gambling habit spiraled out of control. In May 1954, he deserts his unit and turns to a full-time life of burglary, robbery, and murder. It’s interesting to read how he used his Air Force survival and other general training to avoid apprehension for more than 100 days in the face of a dedicated manhunt.

In accordance with his plea bargain, Call served 13 years in jail for killing the policeman. After his release, he appeared to live a law-abiding life- one perhaps financed by previously ill-gotten gains- and eventually remarried. Call’s death in a 1974 auto accident brings a disappointing end to the story and forever leaves unanswered many questions about his role in the Sheppard murder. An interesting read, Tailspin will intrigue most Air Force members because it was "one of their own" who committed criminal acts.

Maj David Van Veldhuizen, USAF
Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

Disclaimer

The conclusions and opinions expressed in this document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression, academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air Force or the Air University.