We Dared to Fly: Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War

by William Reeder Jr.

We Dared to Fly is the true story of the young men who risked their lives daily on classified missions deep behind enemy lines during the Vietnam War. The Army aviators and enlisted observers assigned to the 131st Surveillance Airplane Company, call sign Iron Spud, flew the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk into the jaws of death to capture timely intelligence for top military decision makers and senior national officials.

The story is the author’s account of his assignment to that special mission unit, of the history that came before and the events that unfolded while he was there. When he arrived, three-quarters of the unit’s aircraft had been lost, most to combat action in Laos and North Vietnam—some of the most hostile threat environments in aviation history. The Army quickly replaced losses because of the critical need for the information they collected. Some downed crew members were recovered; most were killed or missing in action.

In recognition of the exceptional sacrifices made during the war, the unit received the Valorous Unit Award for “gallant actions and extraordinary heroism.”

The book is filled with riveting combat accounts. It is also a human-interest story, bringing the reader into the lives of this group of fascinating brave men.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Military History, War

269 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2024

Reviews

[Maverick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find surveillance and reconnaissance an interesting aspect of war. I was very interested in this, as you don’t really hear about this type of reconnaissance from the Vietnam war especially from those who were there. A well written memoir that takes you through a field not so often talked about.

[Arthur Morrill III · Rating 3 out of 5]

“We Dared to Fly: Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War,” by William Reeder Jr. (ISBN-10: 493085301; ISBN-13:978-1493085309), Publication Date: November 5, 2024), earns three stars.

This is a very personal and interesting memoir of a US Army aviator flying the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk during the Vietnam War. His mission was intelligence collection, collected via a set of different mission profiles, that caused him to fly low and slow in areas populated by a highly capable enemy. He related his story of aircraft qualification, his time in Vietnam, and the different individuals that shaped him, his skills as an aviator, and as an Army officer. It read more like a journal than a formal memoir, which I found to be particularly interesting…being in his head.

Sincere thanks to the author for his service, Lyons Press, for granting this reviewer the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy (ARC), and thanks to NetGalley for helping to make that possible.

[Bekah Heintz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, this book surprised me a bit. After reading Spearhead earlier this year, I wasn't sure if I would find such a narrative history book any time soon. We Dared to Fly changed that thought for me. In this book, we follow the first tour of duty of a Vietnam Army pilot with the 131st. War stories always fascinate me and this was no exception. William Reeder Jr. told his story while also teaching the reader about what life was like during the Vietnam war. The writing was excellent, the story was (to my knowledge) accurate, and I greatly appreciated the follow up for the people we met in the story. I definitely recommend this book for anyone looking to learn more about American Armed Forced Aviation, the Vietnam War, or American War history in general. I am looking forward to picking up the other titles by this author.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

The typical well told war memoir of an Army pilot in Vietnam. It captures all the camaraderie, immaturity, and sacrifice of young men at war. I was unfamiliar with the airframe, the OV-1 Mohawk built by Grumman. It was a surveillance platform with three models or variants: A - cameras; B-SLAR- side-looking airborne radar; C-IR-infrared or thermal.

Based in Phu Bai near Hue the squadron would run up the coast of North Vietnam on SLAR missions. IR was night flying. Most of the missions were along the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Lots of spook missions in Laos with the CIA. Shot down once. A relentless grind. Lots of flying.

My biggest surprise other than the airframe was finding out this propeller plane had ejection seats for the pilot and observer-a feature that I had always assumed was unique to jets.

[Ron Baumer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book on a little known and recognized part of the air war in Vietnam. These pilots flying unarmed reconnaissance missions over the deadliest areas of Vietnam and Laos did not get the recognition they deserved. They never wavered, refused to fly, or quit. Instead, they went up in slow moving unarmed aircraft to do the dirty work of finding the enemy so others could get the glory of the attack. Yet, despite this they continued to fly. These are true heroes who deserve the recognition for their efforts. A great read!

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Andrew Hayslip · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Reeders look into the 131st Spuds. Surprisingly funny. Upon finishing I immediately picked up his prisoner of war book Through The Valley.