COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (November 2021) – Almost half a century has passed, since American troops were pulled from South Vietnam. Typically, they came home to family, friends and colleagues who had no interest in hearing what those warriors had experienced.
Aging Vietnam vets finally are being asked, “What was it really like to fight in that ugly war?” And they’re sharing their stories, many for the first time:
• An A-6 Intruder pilot’s private pre-mission musings, asking, “Am I ready to die?” • A gutsy Marine calling in more than 450 five-inch rounds fired by two ships, wiping out an entire enemy battalion—half of which were Chinese regular troops. Why was that horrific battle at the Ca De River bridge covered up for 53 years? • An F-105 Thunderchief pilot being shot down and rescued twice within a few weeks. • A Navy helicopter gunship racing into the enemy’s killing-zone trap and its crew’s miraculous survival, thanks to a superb pilot’s next-to-impossible maneuvers. Then repeatedly flying back into that nightmare of blistering gunfire, because fellow Americans were pinned down.
COMBAT CONTRAILS: VIETNAM comprises 18 stories told by combatants who fought on the ground, in the air and over the water. From rescuing downed pilots as a determined enemy closed in, to dealing with a crazed water buffalo in the back of a lumbering C-123K transport, weathered warriors share their amazing, unforgettable Vietnam War experiences.
Author profits from COMBAT CONTRAILS: VIETNAM are being donated to Show of Support, a wounded-warriors charity (ShowOfSupport.org).
Available at amazon.com and NorthSlopePublications.com