Post by corsair67 on Dec 10, 2007 11:27:13 GMT 12
Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail -
by Rick Newman and Don Shepperd.
ISBN: 0345465385.
Number Of Pages: 480.
Format: Paperback.
Language: English.
Dimensions (cm): 20.98 x 14.223 x 2.768.
Another Vietnam War era book completed over the weekend, and another one I'd highly recommend to anyone with an interest in this period of air combat.
The "Mistys" flew the F-100F in the Fast Forward Air Control role over the Ho Chi Minh Trail from 1967 until 1970 in an effort to stem the flow of men, weapons, food and other supplies down the trail into South Vietnam. As can be imagined, this was one of the most dangerous aerial missions undertaken during the Vietnam War, and because of this, the unit only accepted volunteers, for a tour lasting only 4 months. Several pilots did extend their tours, and went on to complete over 100 missions each - one of whom was Dick Rutan, with 105 "Misty" missions under his belt.
The book also briefly details some of the political to-ing and fro-ing that was taking place in the US and Vietnam at the time, and also the experiences of the families of the pilots while they were on active duty. Another sad fact of the war covered is the fate of POWs, and of the MIA who seemed to simply disappear off the face of the earth, and in some cases even today there is nothing conclusively known of what happened to them.
Highly recommended.
(I'm now having a break from the Vietnam War period - my current read is a biography of Mao!)
by Rick Newman and Don Shepperd.
ISBN: 0345465385.
Number Of Pages: 480.
Format: Paperback.
Language: English.
Dimensions (cm): 20.98 x 14.223 x 2.768.
Another Vietnam War era book completed over the weekend, and another one I'd highly recommend to anyone with an interest in this period of air combat.
The "Mistys" flew the F-100F in the Fast Forward Air Control role over the Ho Chi Minh Trail from 1967 until 1970 in an effort to stem the flow of men, weapons, food and other supplies down the trail into South Vietnam. As can be imagined, this was one of the most dangerous aerial missions undertaken during the Vietnam War, and because of this, the unit only accepted volunteers, for a tour lasting only 4 months. Several pilots did extend their tours, and went on to complete over 100 missions each - one of whom was Dick Rutan, with 105 "Misty" missions under his belt.
The book also briefly details some of the political to-ing and fro-ing that was taking place in the US and Vietnam at the time, and also the experiences of the families of the pilots while they were on active duty. Another sad fact of the war covered is the fate of POWs, and of the MIA who seemed to simply disappear off the face of the earth, and in some cases even today there is nothing conclusively known of what happened to them.
Highly recommended.
(I'm now having a break from the Vietnam War period - my current read is a biography of Mao!)
