Low Level Hell by Hugh L Mills
Thread Starter
Low Level Hell by Hugh L Mills
For anyone who enjoyed reading "Chickenhawk" this is a great read. I would particularly recommend it to the "fast and furious" as an eye opener into helicopter combat operations.
....and now that I've read it I'm looking for suggestions for a good read from all you erudite aviators out there!
....and now that I've read it I'm looking for suggestions for a good read from all you erudite aviators out there!
"Terror in the Starboard Seat"....written by a Mozzie Navigator.....one of the funniest aviation books I have read.
"We Were Soldiers and Young" by Joe Galloway.
"Rattler 17" by Chuck Gross.
"Outlaws in Vietnam" by Dave Eastman.
"Snake Pilot" by Randy Zahn.
"Fields of Fire" by James Webb.
"A Rumour of War" by Philip Caputo.
"Everything We Had" by Al Santoli.
"Bonnie Sue" by Marion Sturkey.
"Into Cambodia" by Keith Nolan.
"A Bright and Shining Lie" by Neal Sheehan.
"We Were Soldiers and Young" by Joe Galloway.
"Rattler 17" by Chuck Gross.
"Outlaws in Vietnam" by Dave Eastman.
"Snake Pilot" by Randy Zahn.
"Fields of Fire" by James Webb.
"A Rumour of War" by Philip Caputo.
"Everything We Had" by Al Santoli.
"Bonnie Sue" by Marion Sturkey.
"Into Cambodia" by Keith Nolan.
"A Bright and Shining Lie" by Neal Sheehan.
Last edited by SASless; 8th Apr 2013 at 20:03.
Thread Starter
Great stuff! Thanks SASless. I'm Off, I read Matterhorn, which I found interesting but as a work of fiction it doesn't quite have the compelling force of the narrative of a true story.
Plenty of recommendations here:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...tary-read.html
My personal Vietnam fave is "The 13th Valley" by John M Del Vecchio, a semi-fictionalised account based around the author's experiences in country.
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircr...tary-read.html
My personal Vietnam fave is "The 13th Valley" by John M Del Vecchio, a semi-fictionalised account based around the author's experiences in country.
Last edited by dead_pan; 8th Apr 2013 at 21:02.
Rescue under Fire - the story of Dustoff, a different view of the war in Vietnam
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Most definitely "terror in the starboard seat"- was still relevant in the 70's!, also a novel "Fighter Pilots" by Kelly Rollins (pseudonym) USAF fighters WW2- vietnam, and a book about early USMC F4 flying in vietnam by a USMC major? , name and title escape me- gave the book away & regret it. Remembering 2 out of 3 isn't too bad!!
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N2erk, that was "Phantom over Viet Nam" by John Trotti. Helluva a good read, I survived a weekend at a campsite with my mother-in-law thanks to that book (and some Old Milwaukee Beer!). How about some Martin Middlebrook? Great RAF history, well researched and sobering. It is also worth reading and re reading.
How about "Tail End Charlie" or "In For A Penny, In for A Pound" (Wellington ops in North Africa). There was a book entitled "Aircrew" by Bruce Lewis, a cracking book I acquired for 25 cents at a yard sale in Brampton, Ontario. There are so many great books about military flying, and we haven't even discussed "Only Owls And Bloody Fools Fly At Night" or Alan Cooper's copious works, or Sharp and Bowyer's "Mosquito".
How about "Tail End Charlie" or "In For A Penny, In for A Pound" (Wellington ops in North Africa). There was a book entitled "Aircrew" by Bruce Lewis, a cracking book I acquired for 25 cents at a yard sale in Brampton, Ontario. There are so many great books about military flying, and we haven't even discussed "Only Owls And Bloody Fools Fly At Night" or Alan Cooper's copious works, or Sharp and Bowyer's "Mosquito".
Last edited by 54Phan; 9th Apr 2013 at 02:55.
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MACV-SOG by Major John Plaster.
Although ground orientated, quite a lot is said about helos
and planes and the flying in support of the ground troops
and some amazing descriptions of what the pilots did.
Although ground orientated, quite a lot is said about helos
and planes and the flying in support of the ground troops
and some amazing descriptions of what the pilots did.
Flying Through Midnight: A Pilot's Dramatic Story of His Secret Missions Over Laos During the Vietnam War, John T. Halliday
The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War of Laos, Christopher Robbins
Both rank up there with Chickenhawk and Low Level Hell.
A Rumor of War, Philip Caputo (on SASless' list) is one of the best written and particularly moving for me, since I've been to Danang and seen the hills to the west that are the locations of the combat operations that he writes about.
The Ravens: Pilots of the Secret War of Laos, Christopher Robbins
Both rank up there with Chickenhawk and Low Level Hell.
A Rumor of War, Philip Caputo (on SASless' list) is one of the best written and particularly moving for me, since I've been to Danang and seen the hills to the west that are the locations of the combat operations that he writes about.
Last edited by India Four Two; 9th Apr 2013 at 03:23.
54phan
Lord have mercy, you live in a country with some of the best beers ever brewed and you're drinking that crap? I wouldn't give that to my dog.
Carry on
Lord have mercy, you live in a country with some of the best beers ever brewed and you're drinking that crap? I wouldn't give that to my dog.
Carry on
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Well, I agree, West Coast. However, I was camping in the United States on this particular occasion, and had run out of the good stuff 
, it having been a long weekend.
Strangely enough, I also loaned my copy of "Phantom Over Viet Nam" to someone who never returned it.
, it having been a long weekend.Strangely enough, I also loaned my copy of "Phantom Over Viet Nam" to someone who never returned it.
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A Very Good Read Indeed
I don't think that this has been mentioned previously on PPrunebut apologies if it has:
"Through Eyes of Blue - Personal Memories of the RAF since 1918" by AE Ross DFC is brilliant. Lots of fascinating first-person stories in individual chapters, everything from early combat in 1918 to GW2 and the Balkans, with unique 'bits and bobs' such as spinning trials in the Javelin. I recently loaned it to my 92-yr old neighbour (ex-Catalina, Beaufighter and Spitfires XI and XVI) who was delighted - said it was one of the best books he'd read and it brought back a lot of memories - not all of therm happy, though.
"Through Eyes of Blue - Personal Memories of the RAF since 1918" by AE Ross DFC is brilliant. Lots of fascinating first-person stories in individual chapters, everything from early combat in 1918 to GW2 and the Balkans, with unique 'bits and bobs' such as spinning trials in the Javelin. I recently loaned it to my 92-yr old neighbour (ex-Catalina, Beaufighter and Spitfires XI and XVI) who was delighted - said it was one of the best books he'd read and it brought back a lot of memories - not all of therm happy, though.