Firebirds: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Combat in Vietnam Ever Written Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a good book, but I wouldn't call it one of the best. I preferred William T. Grant's book. I can think of two things which would have made this book better, which I have seen in other first person accounts: 1) Continuity - the narrative is split into small stories, instead of flowing. 2) Books which deal with Special Forces or their helicopter support seem the most exciting, and the men seemed to have a tighter friendship which makes me empathize with them. The author mentions there were pilots who continually volunteered for LRRP missions.
One unique and interesting thing in this book was an account about the author's 1993 return to Vietnam. He toured several of the battle sites he fought on, and interacted with the Vietnamese tour guides.

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Chuck Carlock volunteered to become a helicopter pilot in August 1966, convinced that by the time he finished training, the Vietnam War would be over. Little did he know that he would see some of the war's most intense action, including the Tet offensives. Carlock portrays countless dangers, from an elusive enemy and treacherous terrain to blinding weather, faulty equipment, and friendly fire. He rides the pendulum between fear and fearlessness during his many brushes with death. Along with the danger and tension, Carlock tells us about the camaraderie and humor shared by men who lived on the edge. Carlock's stories will sometimes shock you, sometimes bring a smile to your face, and sometimes make you angry. Learn about "secret" missions into a neutral country. Discover how the Walker spy ring cost American lives. Most of all, find out what it was like for a twenty-one-year-old farm boy to find himself suddenly immersed in vicious daily combat, making decisions that determined the fate of hundreds of lives.

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Seawolf28: Branded a Maverick as a Junior Officer this is a true account of naval aviation as seen through the eyes of one of the most decorated Navy pilots of the Vietnam era Review

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(More customer reviews)A Navy Maverick With True Grit!
Seldom do I ever read a military aviation book where I come away thinking that I would have really loved to have flown with the author of that memoir. Author Al Billings is a veteran's veteran! He is a man among men. It was men like Al that made flying in Hueys the heroic aviation adventure it was. His book "Seawolf 28" explodes with energy and action and much more. His personality certainly comes shinning through and shows him for whom he was.
Billings was awarded over 40 medals and citations including the Silver Star and The Distinguished Flying Cross. He was a member of the Navy's most decorated helicopter attack squadron in the Vietnam War. I have met several members of the Seawolfs when filming the documentary film "In the Shadow of the Blade." You could not find any better group of honorable men for sure. It is not surprising to read how well they did in combat. This book not only honors the role of the author but also adds to the almost myth like tales of those fine young men.
The book is well written and is a great read. I admit that the last chapters in the book were not the way I would have liked to see it end for the author, but Billings is true to himself all the way to the end and shows a lot of class. When you finish reading his book you will be left with many emotions about the war, the men, leadership in the military and what it means to stand up and be counted when someone has to be accountable and honest. Al Billings is a true leader in the real sense. I think most veterans will agree that he would be the guy that you would like to have had in the pilot's seat on your flight!
This is a must read book and receives the MWSA's HIGHEST RATING - FIVE STARS!


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Seawolf 28 SummaryAn exciting action filled novel of one of the top decorated naval aviators of the Vietnam era brings the reader a dramatic story of a twenty-two year career of a Navy helicopter pilot.By the end of the Vietnam War he was a four tour veteran with well over 600 missions and the recipient of more than thirty-nine citations, including the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross.Throughout his career he qualified in over 20 different types of aircraft and rose from the enlisted ranks to squadron Commanding Officer.This is not just another Vietnam combat action story.Seawolf 28 is a timeless, powerful, honest and uncompromising first hand account of a man that knew no limits when it came to standing up for his men and what he believed in.What makes this novel stand out is the unparalleled successes they enjoyed while others stood by and watched to see if they would fail. They took on every challenge including the military bureaucracy and could not be defeated.Driven as a young man to find the person he truly was, he risked everything to complete that journey. Even though it took years, he learned to honor himself for what he accomplished in an environment where he was overmatched and out of his league when it came to politics and manipulation.Through it all he was able to maintain his integrity, and loyalty to his men.These actual accounts are a testament of the determination of one individual to meet life head-on and challenge those intrusions and aggression of others.He was labeled a Maverick by the Navy because he would not compromise his beliefs or the men he served with.Even with his directness and at times boldness they were unable to stop him as long as he had the support of his men.The story spans the gamut from a young cadet full of exuberance and high ideals to nine engine failures and dozens of life threatening incidents and hair raising combat stories, to his biggest battles challenging senior officers to do the right thing, at the risk of his own career. As his distinguished career comes to the end he finds himself battling the crippling results of medical mismanagement from the doctors at Balboa Naval Hospital.Even then he refuses to accept the inevitable and fights back to restore his dignity and physical well-being.The story ends with the Naval Hospital doing everything they can to cover up their incompetence and total disregard for the men who served.Through his internal strength and undefeatable character he never loses faith in the Navy and the men who served so gallantly.Out of shear determination and on his own he was able to overcome the debilitating affects at the hands of the Navy doctors.It is a compelling story that will cause young people to think about what lies ahead and let them see the sacrifices that are needed to serve their country and bring back the memories both good and bad for those who were there.

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To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam Review

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(More customer reviews)I finished your book about a two weeks ago.
A totally engrossing read. If you had any question about your success in conveying what it must have been like, you nailed it 100%.
I waited a couple of weeks to see let the story sink in before writing as I thought I'd be able to more adequately describe how much I enjoyed the book and to somehow explain just how much impact it had. I find I'm still short of words, so you'll have to accept that as the best compliment I can come up with.
You and your fellow aviators have my absolute respect and admiration. I turned the TV on a few days ago to see "Tour of Duty" showing on the History channel. There was a Huey dropping off a bunch of guys! I have not watched that series before and having gained some insight from your book, it is something I can watch with considerably more knowledge, respect and interest.
The technical description of how those whirlybirds work and behave is reminiscent of Tom Clancy's writing style in his books that usually involve submarines. In this case, knowing the story is in fact non-fiction adds an entirely new perspective.
I'm still struck with the vision of waking up in your tent - a damp, humid, mucky, muddy, steamy cauldron - I could "feel" what you described.
I am left with very clear visions of: how you "sanitized" your machine by dipping it in the river; the lesson (and practice) of keeping the nose high during a crash into trees; the emotional toll being separated from a young wife; losing friends; crashes and combat; landing without power! WOW.....
I'm still fascinated by the concept of landing a helicopter without power! I'd love to see a video of that. Those things really don't look like gliding is something they do particularly well... That whole auto-rotation thing is hard to accept without actually seeing it work.


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During the Vietnam War, one out of every eighteen helicopter pilots never made it home alive. At age nineteen, Tom Johnson flew in the thick of it, and lived to tell his harrowing tale. Johnson piloted the UH-1 "Iroquois"-better known as the "Huey"-as part of the famous First Air Cavalry Division. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the Vietnam War, and helped redefine modern warfare. This riveting memoir gives the pilot's perspective on key battles and rescue missions, including those for Hue and Khe Sanh. From dangerous missions to narrow escapes, Johnson's account vividly captures the adrenaline rush of flying and the horror of war, and takes readers on an unforgettable ride.

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Maverick Review

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(More customer reviews)As for the persons that gave the book one star I bet they never have been to Vietnam or met Denny in person. I have a autographed copy of Maverick because I use to know Denny as we were in the same area in Vietnam and again met him in 1996 at his work. To think the book is fiction is to not know Denny or much about Vietnam. I have read 99% of the books written about Vietnam and Maverick rates in the top 2% of the books on Vietnam that I have read. If you knew Denny you would know that everything in the book is true as he is not the type person to add fiction just to make a story more interesting. Heck there was no need to add un-truths as there was plenty of truths to fill several books! As the note Denny wrote in my copy of Maverick says... "This book was written so no one would forget"
"You were there no excuses needed"

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In the Sanctity of the Snake Pit Review

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(More customer reviews)very pleased with purchase. Book is in very good shape and received it quickly as promised.


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In the Sanctity of the Snake Pit discloses the tribulations of the Vietnam helicopter war, and provides deeply moving insight into the lives of those crewmen who routinely flew combat assault missions. Written in narrative non-fiction, the book reveals the rarely told account of air to ground combat, and the surreal events of adolescent soldiers, many exposed for the first time to their mortality. In 1969 sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll dominated most of these young lives, but they stood and fought hard believing they were doing the right thing irrespective of politics, and public opinion! Setting the backdrop is the 135th Assault Helicopter Unit, a fighting contingency made up of Royal Australian Navy personnel and members of the United States Army. As the only multi-national experimental military unit in Vietnam, they maintained the highest order of discipline and wrought devastation on the Viet Cong in South Vietnam's delta region. With a year long adventure before him, the protagonist, MITCHELL COLLINS reflects on his desire to fly in the machines he was trained to repair. Almost immediately he is transformed into an aerial combatant of the unit's elite Taipan platoon flying helicopter gunships. Their mission is to protect the troop transport choppers carrying ground forces into the fight. Once the troops are in the landing zone, the Taipan's provided gun support and reconnaissance. His experiences were unlike other combatants who fought on the ground, the intensity and frequency of actions were multiplied by their mobility. Mitchell soon contemplates on his heartfelt emotion of the carnage and of losing comrades. In his last three months he fly's the night missions of the hunter/killers", and his chances for survival dwindle.

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Gunbird Driver: A Marine Huey Pilot's War in Vietnam (Blue Jacket Bks) Review

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(More customer reviews)[[ASIN:1591140196 Gunbird Driver: Gunbird Driver is a remarkable autobiography. Former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, David Ballentine, looks back on his 1966-67 tour of duty in Vietnam, flying the UH-1E (Huey) on a variety of missions, from supporting drops of ground troops into hostile territory, evacuating wounded and dead Marines, to flying high ranking officers around on inspection tours. On one mission, enemy gunfire severs his oil lines and he is forced down. On another, he watches with fascination as a stunningly accurate rocket fired from his ship explodes within a foot of its target-- a luckless man in black-pajamas running for his life through a rice paddy. Lt. Ballentine sees the fellow wobble to his feet and disappear into the underbrush. Ballentine doesn't stop there. He also lays bare the ordinary and wacky details of military life, such as the use of makeshift urinals called "piss tubes" and the hazard of splash-back, "hooch rats" nesting in his helmet, and the stress of finding himself laboring to make small-talk alongside a high-ranking officer inside a crude latrine. Reading this, I often found myself smiling, and occasionally, laughing out loud. This account could not have been authentically written without use of the Marine Corps' incomparable array of four-letter words, and it is not for the faint of heart. No subject is overlooked. Ballentine, who after the war earned a PhD in history, is both sensitive and introspective but understandably proud of his air crewmembers. No macho here. His story is one of a humble young officer's adaptability to the demanding circumstances of war and his emergence as a man. This is a perfect gift for any ex-Marine or anyone, civilian or military, man or woman, who has wondered what it was like to be in combat.


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Ballentine recalls his experiences as a young pilot flying an armed UH-1E with Marine Observation Squadron Six in Vietnam. Like any good war memoir, parts of the book are deadly serious, while others are filled with thrilling, often humorous descriptions of squadron life during the early stages of the war. The book provides little-known details about the missions, operations, and living conditions at Ballentine's base in Ky Ha, shortly before the Tet Offensive. The book preserves not only Ballentine's impressions, but also reflects the experiences of others who crewed the Hueys, and describes scenes that will resonate with all those who served in helos in Vietnam.

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Chickenhawk Review

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(More customer reviews)Being a helicopter pilot myself for the past 6 years, this book has always moved me deeply, thinking about those men, trying to maintain some sort of sanity in a crazy situation.
I have had the unfortunate luck, of evacuating wounded soldiers, from a war which is still controversial in my country, but I never faced the kind of situations that Mason discribes in the book, and I have always wandered how they did it, knowing that every morning and evry mission could spell sudden death, from the enemy, or worse, by your commander's stupidity.
I think it's a book about bravery, about how these helicopter pilots in Vietnam were willing to risk their lives every day for their fellow soldiers. I believe that flying into combat, surviving it, seeing what might happen if it wasn't your lucky day, then doing it again and again and again, takes a special kind of character. Character shown by Mason.
I have read many war books, some about Vietnam, some not. My country is (unfortunately) filled with veterans, including my entire family (my father was also a pilot and my brother was in the special forces, we've all been through combat). I think this book is special in the way it touches you intimately, making you feel, just as if you were hearing the story from the author in person.
This is not about victory or defeat, this is about something else, and to know what this thing is you must read the book and look inside to see the impact it has on you.

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More than half a million copies of Chickenhawk have been sold since it was first published in 1983. Now with a new afterword by the author and photographs taken by him during the conflict, this straight-from-the-shoulder account tells the electrifying truth about the helicopter war in Vietnam. This is Robert Mason's astounding personal story of men at war. A veteran of more than one thousand combat missions, Mason gives staggering descriptions that cut to the heart of the combat experience: the fear and belligerence, the quiet insights and raging madness, the lasting friendships and sudden death—the extreme emotions of a "chickenhawk" in constant danger.

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