About Mat "Irish" Garretson

Mat Garretson is a lifelong pilot and aviation supporter, and serves as the Print Historian for the Blue Angels Association. In addition, he serves as Editor in Chief of Publications for the Air Traffic Control Association (atca.org), and as Executive Director of both the Red River Valley Association (river-rats.org) and the A-7 Corsair II Association (corsair2.us). He is a lifetime member of the Tailhook Association, Association of Naval Aviation, and Naval Aviation Museum.

Mat has been writing professionally about Naval Aviation topics since 1980. In addition to his Blue Angels' book projects, Mat has written countless magazine articles over the years. 2021 saw the release of his book on the Vought A-7 "Corsair II" book for Schiffer Publishing's "Legends of Warfare" series. More books on the A-7 and other military aircraft are also in the works.

A longtime advocate for Naval Aviation, Garretson has served on committees for the Tailhook Association, and is a volunteer at the Naval Aviation Museum. He also serves as the Director of Friends of Naval Aviation, Inc. which, among other efforts, hosts the largest Nav Air group on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/friends-of-naval-aviation/?viewAsMember=true

When not flying, researching or writing, Mat enjoys travel, golf, cooking, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, and sleep. He divides his time between Eagan, MN and Pensacola, FL, with his wife, Amie, sons Jack and Thomas, and the family's Irish Wolfhound, Fergus.