Ward strapping the late golfer Payne Stewart into the back of a Tomcat (Oct '98).

Ward with Capt. Bill Shepherd, USN, astonaut and SEAL (now retired), flying the "Vomit Comit" out of NASA Houston (June '90).

Ward at a book signing with Ron Chambers, publisher of the Naval Institute Press, and the late Capt. Ned Beach, legendary submariner and author of Run Silent, Run Deep (April '01).

Ward with his good friends Steve and Deb Coonts (May '01).

Ward with Martha Quinn, one of the original MTV VJs (March '94).

Ward holding his first contract (for the hardback of Punk's War) with his agent, Ethan Ellenberg (July '00).

Young lieutenant Ward giving a hangar tour to Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee (Aug '87).

This is Ward's all time favorite Tomcat picture. A few years ago when this made the email rounds the accompanying caption said that the photo is of a young lieutenant in the middle of an unauthorized fly-by and that he lost his wings as a result. In reality, the shot captures the iconic "Snort" Snodgrass, the last of a breed of fighter pilots, Type-A guys who made the business special, magic. Snort now flies an F-86 on the air show circuit.