From ‘Jeopardy!’ to Tomahawk missiles — this Tri-City author’s life rivals his thrilling tales

Al Haggerty has a lot of good stories — and he’s good at telling them.

Ask him about his time with the Tomahawk missile program during the Gulf War.

Or the presidential excuse he once used to get out of a speeding ticket.

Or the time he competed on the TV game show “Jeopardy!”

That knack for storytelling comes through in his new book, “The Failover File.”

It’s a mystery thriller — and the fulfillment of dream.

Even though Haggerty spent decades in the worlds of military and defense, he always wanted to write books.

“You get involved in the story as you write it,” he said, describing it as great fun.

“The Failover File,” published by Uncial Press, is available through Barnes and Noble, Amazon and www.alhaggerty.com.

Haggerty will sign copies noon to 2 p.m. Aug. 25 at the Kennewick Barnes and Noble.

He and his wife, Pat, moved to the Tri-Cities about seven years ago.

It was a full-circle moment of sorts, as Haggerty was born not all that far away in La Grande, Ore.

His military service took him across the country — and across the world.

Haggerty was a Navy man like his father, who enlisted after Pearl Harbor and fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf.

The younger Haggerty joined up through the ROTC program at Oregon State University.

During his 27 years in the service, Haggerty did everything from amphibious landings with the Marines in Asia and Africa, to testing experimental missiles off California’s coast, to building new radar systems, his bio said.

He joined the now-famed Tomahawk missile program shortly before the Gulf War.

“It went from being a quiet little development office, to being kind of the center of the universe in a couple of days,” he recalled.

That war marked the missile system’s combat debut.

Haggerty retired as a captain from the Navy in 2005.

He parlayed his military skills into the private sector for a short time before being recruited back into government work as a deputy undersecretary of defense during President George W. Bush’s second term.

When President Obama took office, Haggerty was out of a job — as is customary.

That gave him quite the excuse when he was pulled over while on vacation in rural Oregon a short time later.

The police officer, Haggerty recalled, wondered what Haggerty was doing out there in the middle of January.

“(I said), ‘I’m on vacation. I just got fired by Barack Obama,’” he recounted with a laugh.

In the midst of his long defense and military career, Haggerty left time for fun.

In the 90s, for instance, he appeared on “Jeopardy!” He and his wife loved the show, and he decided to try out.

He did well, but ultimately was edged out by a returning champion.

His parting gift, though, made for another great story: “It was a sea cruise,” he said with a laugh. “I was in the Navy.”

Haggerty now works as a consultant for the Department of Defense, and uses free time to write.

In “The Failover File,” he weaves a tale about a private jet crash that kills a software company CEO. Two National Transportation Safety Board investigators — an ex-Navy officer and a computer expert — take on the case.

Haggerty said he loves creating characters and following them wherever they want to go.

He borrows from his own colorful life to add depth and detail.

“I’ve tried to have a habit of hearing things and storing them,” he said.

To learn more about “The Failover File” and stay up to date on Haggerty’s writing, go to www.alhaggerty.com.