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Bury Us Upside Down: The Misty Pilots and the Secret Battle for the Ho Chi Minh Trail
They had the most dangerous job n the Air Force. Now Bury Us Upside Down reveals the never-before-told story of the Vietnam War’s top-secret jet-fighter outfit–an all-volunteer unit composed of truly extraordinary men who flew missions from which heroes are made.
In today’s wars, computers, targeting pods, lasers, and precision-guided bombs help FAC (forward air controller) pilots identify and destroy targets from safe distances. But in the search for enemy traffic on the elusive Ho Chi Minh Trail, always risking enemy fire, capture, and death, pilots had to drop low enough to glimpse the telltale signs of movement such as suspicious dust on treetops or disappearing tire marks on a dirt road (indicating a hidden truck park). Written by an accomplished journalist and veteran, Bury Us Upside Down is the stunning story of these brave Americans, the men who flew in the covert Operation Commando Sabre–or “Misty”–the most innovative air operation of the war.
In missions that lasted for hours, the pilots of Misty flew zigzag patterns searching for enemy troops, vehicles, and weapons, without benefit of night-vision goggles, infrared devices, or other now common sensors. What they gained in exhilarating autonomy also cost of 157 pilots, 34 were shot down, 3 captured, and 7 killed. Here is a firsthand account of courage and technical mastery under fire. Here, too, is a tale of forbearance and loss, including the experience of the family of a missing Misty flier–Howard K. Williams–as they learn, after twenty-three years, that his remains have been found.
Now that bombs are smart and remote sensors are even smarter, the missions that the Mistys flew would now be considered no less than suicidal. Bury Us Upside Down reminds us that for some, such dangers simply came with the territory.
In today’s wars, computers, targeting pods, lasers, and precision-guided bombs help FAC (forward air controller) pilots identify and destroy targets from safe distances. But in the search for enemy traffic on the elusive Ho Chi Minh Trail, always risking enemy fire, capture, and death, pilots had to drop low enough to glimpse the telltale signs of movement such as suspicious dust on treetops or disappearing tire marks on a dirt road (indicating a hidden truck park). Written by an accomplished journalist and veteran, Bury Us Upside Down is the stunning story of these brave Americans, the men who flew in the covert Operation Commando Sabre–or “Misty”–the most innovative air operation of the war.
In missions that lasted for hours, the pilots of Misty flew zigzag patterns searching for enemy troops, vehicles, and weapons, without benefit of night-vision goggles, infrared devices, or other now common sensors. What they gained in exhilarating autonomy also cost of 157 pilots, 34 were shot down, 3 captured, and 7 killed. Here is a firsthand account of courage and technical mastery under fire. Here, too, is a tale of forbearance and loss, including the experience of the family of a missing Misty flier–Howard K. Williams–as they learn, after twenty-three years, that his remains have been found.
Now that bombs are smart and remote sensors are even smarter, the missions that the Mistys flew would now be considered no less than suicidal. Bury Us Upside Down reminds us that for some, such dangers simply came with the territory.
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
April 1, 2018
An interesting concept - from my general military leanings I know about FACs (Forward Air Controllers) and the role they provide, but not in Vietnam, and certainly not in a jet blasting above the ground at a few hundred kilometres an hour.
Bury Us Upside Down goes into detail about the Misty "Fast FACs" - pilot-and-backseater crews who would fly over North Vietnam, spotting trucks, anti-aircraft sites, tanks, basically anything they could and then calling in fighters to take them out. This made it an incredibly dangerous, stressful job - but one that they carried out with aplomb and bravado for the better part of two years.
The majority of the book is taken up with anecdotes and stories from this period, from a couple of dozen different pilots and crewmen. What's left is a study of the effects on those left behind - wives and children of those who were missing in action, as several Misty pilots were.
This is the kind of book I call "soft history" - anecdotal, story-based and written in a kind of pulpy, easy-to-read but not very informative way - as opposed to "hard history", which is usually more dry, with more numbers and statistics and objective analyses. I can enjoy both - usually the sweet spot is where it falls right in the middle, but this book is definitely firmly in the Soft side of the spectrum, to the point where I struggled with parts of it.
Still, an interesting subject for sure, but the book itself unfortunately - unlike the Misties - outstayed its welcome for me.
Bury Us Upside Down goes into detail about the Misty "Fast FACs" - pilot-and-backseater crews who would fly over North Vietnam, spotting trucks, anti-aircraft sites, tanks, basically anything they could and then calling in fighters to take them out. This made it an incredibly dangerous, stressful job - but one that they carried out with aplomb and bravado for the better part of two years.
The majority of the book is taken up with anecdotes and stories from this period, from a couple of dozen different pilots and crewmen. What's left is a study of the effects on those left behind - wives and children of those who were missing in action, as several Misty pilots were.
This is the kind of book I call "soft history" - anecdotal, story-based and written in a kind of pulpy, easy-to-read but not very informative way - as opposed to "hard history", which is usually more dry, with more numbers and statistics and objective analyses. I can enjoy both - usually the sweet spot is where it falls right in the middle, but this book is definitely firmly in the Soft side of the spectrum, to the point where I struggled with parts of it.
Still, an interesting subject for sure, but the book itself unfortunately - unlike the Misties - outstayed its welcome for me.
December 2, 2016
Actual rating: 4.5 stars.
This is an outstanding history of the Misty FAC (forward air controller) squadron and its pilots during the Vietnam war, a legendary unit active for just three years, from 1967 to 1970.
I've been reading up on the air war in Vietnam. When I went through USAF pilot training in 1973-74, my instructors were pilots who had flown in Vietnam. Some were River Rats, some were former Raven FACs, some had been Wild Weasels, some were returned POWs. During my subsequent flying career, these men were the operations officers and commanders I flew for. My first F-15 squadron commander (a man who later attained four star rank and served as USAF chief of staff, Ron Fogleman) was himself a Misty FAC, and we were in awe of him.
Every Vietnam war aviator I've known speaks of the Misty FACs with admiration. Officially known as Commando Sabre, the Misty FAC squadron was part of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat, flying two-seat F-100Fs. Misty pilots were "fast FACs," flying single-ship missions over North Vietnam in search of high-priority targets for Air Force, Navy, and Marine fighter-bombers to attack, going after those targets themselves with the minimal ordnance they carried when no help was available. It was a high-risk mission with a daunting loss rate. There were 157 Misty FAC pilots. Of that number, 34 were shot down. Three of that number were captured and held as prisoners of war. Seven were killed, but it was decades before their deaths could be confirmed.
Misty was an all-volunteer unit, recruiting highly experienced pilots who wanted to do more than bomb dirt. Newman and Shepperd (himself a former Misty FAC) describe the day-to-day operations of the unit, going into detail on specific missions, especially those where pilots were shot down ... some rescued, some taken prisoner, some killed, some to disappear altogether, their fates still unknown.
When I write about flying, I try to convey the experience and environment without condescending to readers by over-explaining the minutia of aircraft and procedures. If the writing is good enough, readers will figure it out. Newman and Shepperd do this masterfully. As an experienced fighter pilot, I was enthralled. At the same time, I won't hesitate to push this book on friends who know nothing about aviation or the military.
The authors fill in as many gaps as they can, describing the experiences of unit pilots who were captured and moved to prison camps in North Vietnam, the heroic but doomed escape attempts made by some of the POWs, the reactions of pilots who watched their brothers being shot down and the extraordinary efforts they made to cover downed aviators until rescue could come, the heartache and anger they felt when enemy gunners kept the rescue helicopters at bay and their brothers were taken or killed.
I particularly appreciated the attention the authors paid to the wives and children of the Misty pilots who were declared MIA. They were not to learn if their husbands and fathers had survived and been taken prisoner until the final peace treaty was signed in 1973. For those whose loved ones did not come home with the POWs, hope, fear, and frustration might last a lifetime.
I have to say, this is one of the best Vietnam air war books I've read.
This is an outstanding history of the Misty FAC (forward air controller) squadron and its pilots during the Vietnam war, a legendary unit active for just three years, from 1967 to 1970.
I've been reading up on the air war in Vietnam. When I went through USAF pilot training in 1973-74, my instructors were pilots who had flown in Vietnam. Some were River Rats, some were former Raven FACs, some had been Wild Weasels, some were returned POWs. During my subsequent flying career, these men were the operations officers and commanders I flew for. My first F-15 squadron commander (a man who later attained four star rank and served as USAF chief of staff, Ron Fogleman) was himself a Misty FAC, and we were in awe of him.
Every Vietnam war aviator I've known speaks of the Misty FACs with admiration. Officially known as Commando Sabre, the Misty FAC squadron was part of the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing at Phu Cat, flying two-seat F-100Fs. Misty pilots were "fast FACs," flying single-ship missions over North Vietnam in search of high-priority targets for Air Force, Navy, and Marine fighter-bombers to attack, going after those targets themselves with the minimal ordnance they carried when no help was available. It was a high-risk mission with a daunting loss rate. There were 157 Misty FAC pilots. Of that number, 34 were shot down. Three of that number were captured and held as prisoners of war. Seven were killed, but it was decades before their deaths could be confirmed.
Misty was an all-volunteer unit, recruiting highly experienced pilots who wanted to do more than bomb dirt. Newman and Shepperd (himself a former Misty FAC) describe the day-to-day operations of the unit, going into detail on specific missions, especially those where pilots were shot down ... some rescued, some taken prisoner, some killed, some to disappear altogether, their fates still unknown.
When I write about flying, I try to convey the experience and environment without condescending to readers by over-explaining the minutia of aircraft and procedures. If the writing is good enough, readers will figure it out. Newman and Shepperd do this masterfully. As an experienced fighter pilot, I was enthralled. At the same time, I won't hesitate to push this book on friends who know nothing about aviation or the military.
The authors fill in as many gaps as they can, describing the experiences of unit pilots who were captured and moved to prison camps in North Vietnam, the heroic but doomed escape attempts made by some of the POWs, the reactions of pilots who watched their brothers being shot down and the extraordinary efforts they made to cover downed aviators until rescue could come, the heartache and anger they felt when enemy gunners kept the rescue helicopters at bay and their brothers were taken or killed.
I particularly appreciated the attention the authors paid to the wives and children of the Misty pilots who were declared MIA. They were not to learn if their husbands and fathers had survived and been taken prisoner until the final peace treaty was signed in 1973. For those whose loved ones did not come home with the POWs, hope, fear, and frustration might last a lifetime.
I have to say, this is one of the best Vietnam air war books I've read.
February 14, 2010
This was one of the best books I ever read. The authors conveyed their feelings of courageousness, fighter-jock bravado and vulnerablity as they flew risky missions, survived, and left friends behind after unsuccessful rescues. Dick Rutan gave us an insight to being a Misty when we met him in 2009. He was the keynote speaker at the final National Biplane Convention in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We talked with him after the opening ceremonies, and he told us stories for at least an hour and explained the attraction/addiction of the Misty missions. My husband's father was a slow FAC in Vietnam, so we understood his missions a little better as he doesn't talk about it much.
April 14, 2017
An excellent retelling of the missions of the F-100 pilots who tried to stop the flow of weapons and supplies that were flowing down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Of 157 pilots who served the unit known as "Misty", from 1967 to 1970, 34 were shot down. Two of those were shoot down twice. Three were captured and imprisoned in Hanoi. Seven were killed in action.
As for the title, you have to read the book to get the meaning of Bury us Upside Down.
As for the title, you have to read the book to get the meaning of Bury us Upside Down.
April 17, 2021
Great insight into the pioneers of 'Fast FAC' and the battles that raged over the Trail in Vietnam.
June 28, 2021
Glad to have this one out of my life. There was way to much exposition about character and feeling, 'John was a loner, who liked to be by himself and furthermore he didn't like to be around people'.
January 12, 2021
This book, written in 2006, is a must read for anybody who has an interest in the Viet Nam war, especially the Viet Nam air war. Written by a flyer in the US Air Force during the war and an American journalist. The story it tells is focused on a narrow part of the campaign, covering specifically the Forward Air Controllers (FACs) assigned to interdict traffic on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in North Viet Nam and Laos.
War requires all sorts of units to be fully integrated. This unit is no different; its major role being target identification for a variety of dedicated fighter and fighter bomber groups, it also worked with a wide variety of other random air groups, fighters, bombers, rescue air (of downed pilots over land or water) and infantry and marine support. The book talks about how cohesion with other air groups was accomplished through rotational transfers and numerous informal practices. The main thrust is how the group (Misty) developed and practiced target identification in its assigned area. As the enemy developed improved defensive measures, the Air Force had to continually evolve and increase the sophistication of its attacks.
The book also details one failed rescue attempt and the post war return of that pilot’s remains. These portions of the book give an intimate look at how pilots families are notified about incidents (shot down), status (MIA vs KIA etc) and how the families are able to cope. It clarified for me the difficult choices faced by families whose MIA member went for extended periods with no communication. These fliers tended to be older than the average infantryman; they had some college, or graduated, training was lengthy and mostly they were not conscripts. If there was no communication between being shot down and beyond POW repatriation in 1973, spouses faced painful choices (KIA?) related to remarriage and what to tell the children.
This is not a dry facts and figures history book; nor is it a memoir. It is written by one author who was there and one who has spent his life telling American stories. It might be hard in places, however you will not want to put it down. This story describes what happened and manages to omit most of the politics.
This is a very good book on the air war in Viet Nam; very little politics. Four stars.
War requires all sorts of units to be fully integrated. This unit is no different; its major role being target identification for a variety of dedicated fighter and fighter bomber groups, it also worked with a wide variety of other random air groups, fighters, bombers, rescue air (of downed pilots over land or water) and infantry and marine support. The book talks about how cohesion with other air groups was accomplished through rotational transfers and numerous informal practices. The main thrust is how the group (Misty) developed and practiced target identification in its assigned area. As the enemy developed improved defensive measures, the Air Force had to continually evolve and increase the sophistication of its attacks.
The book also details one failed rescue attempt and the post war return of that pilot’s remains. These portions of the book give an intimate look at how pilots families are notified about incidents (shot down), status (MIA vs KIA etc) and how the families are able to cope. It clarified for me the difficult choices faced by families whose MIA member went for extended periods with no communication. These fliers tended to be older than the average infantryman; they had some college, or graduated, training was lengthy and mostly they were not conscripts. If there was no communication between being shot down and beyond POW repatriation in 1973, spouses faced painful choices (KIA?) related to remarriage and what to tell the children.
This is not a dry facts and figures history book; nor is it a memoir. It is written by one author who was there and one who has spent his life telling American stories. It might be hard in places, however you will not want to put it down. This story describes what happened and manages to omit most of the politics.
This is a very good book on the air war in Viet Nam; very little politics. Four stars.
November 12, 2021
After 3 tours of duty in Thailand in the United States Air Force, 1969, 1972, and 1975, I am finally getting a clearer picture of what was going on in the air. Pilots and ground personnel lived in separate worlds. We loaded the airplanes, gassed them up, and sent them off across the river (Mekong River). We seldom had a clear picture of what was going on on the other side of the river and the mountains of Laos. This book presents a detailed picture of what pilots were going through, on their missions, and in their personal lives. I thoroughly enjoyed this narrative. It brought some clarity to my mind and a better understanding of the people flying the machines we strived to keep flying. Opposing viewpoints aside, and separated by military protocol and traditions, regardless of political considerations, the pilots who flew missions over the "trail" deserve much respect and admiration for their part in a deadly, pointless conflict.
December 30, 2023
A must read if you have any interest in the US involvement in the conflict in Southeast Asia.
Truly thrilling and an often frustrating and heart-rending book (because of the nature of the war they were fighting). The best written account of aviation and aerial combat I’ve ever read. Incredibly detailed and descriptive, you feel like you’re in the cockpit on each mission recounted. It was thrilling just sitting on the couch reading, I can’t imagine what the real deal entailed. It’s also immediately clear this book was written by and about some of the most impressive aviators ever to strap on the jet. I came into it never having heard of the Misty’s but I feel like I’m coming away something of an expert. Excellent, fast paced writing that holds your interest.
Truly thrilling and an often frustrating and heart-rending book (because of the nature of the war they were fighting). The best written account of aviation and aerial combat I’ve ever read. Incredibly detailed and descriptive, you feel like you’re in the cockpit on each mission recounted. It was thrilling just sitting on the couch reading, I can’t imagine what the real deal entailed. It’s also immediately clear this book was written by and about some of the most impressive aviators ever to strap on the jet. I came into it never having heard of the Misty’s but I feel like I’m coming away something of an expert. Excellent, fast paced writing that holds your interest.
June 21, 2017
An all around fantastic read about F-100 pilots during the Vietnam war. Reads like a series of war stories that old pilots would sit around telling each other and anyone else who would bother to listen. I was also fascinated by the MIA/POW sagas and appreciated the attention the author spent on the families of the missing pilots and everything they went through after their loved ones disappeared. A tiny bit repetitive towards the end, but overall a must read for anyone interested in military aviation and/or the Vietnam War.
May 18, 2018
A really interesting book about a part of the Vietnam War that I didn't know much about. This book ends up being more about the personalities of the people involved, which is not a weakness, but if you're looking for detailed narration about the flying you might be a little disappointed. In fact, the book does an excellent job of covering what the families of the Misty pilots went through during and after the war. As it always seems to be, the part about POW/MIAs is heartbreaking, and to me, like most stories of the Vietnam War, the story seems most like classic tragedy.
September 17, 2018
A fabulous read for anyone interested in aviation, the Vietnam War, prisoners of war, and military history. With Rick Newman's prose and Don Shepperd's firsthand knowledge of the Mistys, it is a must-read. Shepperd, who retired as a two-star general, was one of the Mistys--a top-secrect group of daring pilots who flew over North Vietnam seeking targets for the heavier bombers. Their successes were numerous; their failures sometimes deadly for their own. The book is extremely well-written with an easy-flowing style that keeps you turning pages.
January 22, 2021
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not sure why this only has a 1 star option but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Much like the dangerous missions carried out by SOG teams, the Misty's laid it all on the line over hostile enemy territory doing things that never made the front page. These are warriors of the air attacking the most strategic target affecting the outcome of the war, the HO CHI MINH trail. It took guts to go low in the face of AAA and SAMs and they did what was required to win the war. I call them heros in a war the politicians would not let them win.
I salute them!!
Not sure why this only has a 1 star option but I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Much like the dangerous missions carried out by SOG teams, the Misty's laid it all on the line over hostile enemy territory doing things that never made the front page. These are warriors of the air attacking the most strategic target affecting the outcome of the war, the HO CHI MINH trail. It took guts to go low in the face of AAA and SAMs and they did what was required to win the war. I call them heros in a war the politicians would not let them win.
I salute them!!
January 3, 2024
A kind of combined compilation (not a one-by-one retelling) of a bunch of different stories from the Misty pilots. The combination of both mission and off-time events made it interesting and allowed the reader to get a better sense of the men and their families than if it were strictly missions. Found myself unable to stop mid-chapter, which is good. The last 4 or 5 chapters were a straight-through read because I had to know what happened.
February 5, 2025
Wonderful book about the Misty’s and their fast FAC mission in Vietnam. The risks they took and the different approach to flying combat sorties compared to other units. The book also explores some personal stories and the aftermath of the war, which makes you feel connected to some of the Misty pilots. Definitely a good recommendation
April 24, 2025
Phenomenal read that combines the storytelling of fighter pilots with the hard topic that was the Vietnam War. The gripping firsthand accounts of success and of failure kept me fully engaged in the story. Highly recommend. To the Misty FAC's!
July 8, 2017
Really excellent book on the Misty's - the secret patrol of Forward Air Control pilots who flew the F-100 Super Sabre in North Vietnam. These dudes had cajones....
October 3, 2018
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September 10, 2019
The long-running and ultimately failed effort to shut down the Ho Chi Min Trail.
December 22, 2019
Good read. Interesting information about a once secret Air Force squadron and program from the Vietnam war
May 28, 2022
Interesting, but somewhat repetitive and/or disjointed with the order of events.
February 4, 2021
Great read that covers a little known unit that had some true heroes in it - most notably Col. Bud Day. It also touches on Lance Sijan another MoH winner, although after death.
May 25, 2016
Bury Us Upside Down is a strong narrative look into the minds of some of the most exceptional fighter pilots of the Vietnam War, and the daring and loyalty that had them fly into some of the most dangerous air space in the world. Structured around the saga of MIA pilot Howard K. Williams, and his family and featuring cameos by Dick Rutan (yes, that Dick Rutan), this is a moving history.
Flying in two-seat F-100F SuperSabres armed with cannons and smoke rockets, the Misties were fast FACs, forward air controllers who spotted trucks and supply depots at the base of the Ho Chi Minh trail just north of the DMZ, and directed flights of Phantoms and Thuds onto these elusive, camouflaged targets. They also became experts in tactical reconnaissance, flak suppression, and the art of coordinating the rescue of downed pilots. These rescues, with their Sandies, Jollies, and desperate race against time to find and rescue the downed pilot before NVA troops got to him, are both moments of high tension and a perfect microcosm of Vietnam in a whole, as an entire day's missions would be scrubbed and dozen of lives risked to rescue a pilot shot down while attacking a target of negligible value. That might be the Misties as a whole: for all their courage and skill, assessments by RAND and the JASON group revealed that the Trail was barely interdicted at all. In a war of attrition, the NVA were making good their losses in trucks and flak faster than the Misties could take them out. In the end, nothing mattered, except for the stories and the other pilots.
Flying in two-seat F-100F SuperSabres armed with cannons and smoke rockets, the Misties were fast FACs, forward air controllers who spotted trucks and supply depots at the base of the Ho Chi Minh trail just north of the DMZ, and directed flights of Phantoms and Thuds onto these elusive, camouflaged targets. They also became experts in tactical reconnaissance, flak suppression, and the art of coordinating the rescue of downed pilots. These rescues, with their Sandies, Jollies, and desperate race against time to find and rescue the downed pilot before NVA troops got to him, are both moments of high tension and a perfect microcosm of Vietnam in a whole, as an entire day's missions would be scrubbed and dozen of lives risked to rescue a pilot shot down while attacking a target of negligible value. That might be the Misties as a whole: for all their courage and skill, assessments by RAND and the JASON group revealed that the Trail was barely interdicted at all. In a war of attrition, the NVA were making good their losses in trucks and flak faster than the Misties could take them out. In the end, nothing mattered, except for the stories and the other pilots.
August 21, 2016
The FastFAC war
As Marine pilot that flew the same missions that the Misty's flew over the trail in Laos in the March 1969 to Dec 1969, I found the reading bringing back memories long forgotten. We exchanged pilots with the Misty's and also partied with the Stormy's in Da Bang. I also experienced getting hit at a very bad spot on the trail, my engine stayed running and got me into a safe area before we had to eject. I know this is a report on the Misty's but I felt that there could have been a little more on the Marine attack air on the many missions we flew in support of attacking the traffic on the trail. I agree that our strategy was not very good. Just like today our strategy is being made by politicians rather than by the ones fighting the battles day by day. We should have been able to shut down the flow of supplies on the trail, however the political views came first. The results were American's getting killed and wounded. I also blamed the liberal media for not reporting the truth, but what they wanted to tell the American public. Much like what the media is doing today.
History is repeating itself, will we ever learn? The real value of this stories is how many others are affected and how the media does not tell the true story of the politicians bad decisions. Why do we allow them the media and politicians continue to do this?
As Marine pilot that flew the same missions that the Misty's flew over the trail in Laos in the March 1969 to Dec 1969, I found the reading bringing back memories long forgotten. We exchanged pilots with the Misty's and also partied with the Stormy's in Da Bang. I also experienced getting hit at a very bad spot on the trail, my engine stayed running and got me into a safe area before we had to eject. I know this is a report on the Misty's but I felt that there could have been a little more on the Marine attack air on the many missions we flew in support of attacking the traffic on the trail. I agree that our strategy was not very good. Just like today our strategy is being made by politicians rather than by the ones fighting the battles day by day. We should have been able to shut down the flow of supplies on the trail, however the political views came first. The results were American's getting killed and wounded. I also blamed the liberal media for not reporting the truth, but what they wanted to tell the American public. Much like what the media is doing today.
History is repeating itself, will we ever learn? The real value of this stories is how many others are affected and how the media does not tell the true story of the politicians bad decisions. Why do we allow them the media and politicians continue to do this?
September 9, 2012
The "Misty's" were some of the most interesting and skilled jet jocks working in and out of the North. The Misty's had some seriously elephant sized testicles. The only group of guys crazier is maybe the SAM hunters in the F and G model F-105's. This book is an absolutely entertaining good read. I also recommend "Misty" by Maj. General Don Shepard, though I haven't been able to locate it on goodreads.com yet.
August 29, 2007
This is an awsome book dealing with one of those secret parts of the Viet Nam conflict. What made this book so wonderful for me is that the beginning of the book talks about my cousin, Howard Keith Williams. I remember when he became and MIA and then many years later when his remain were located and sent back for burial.
May 11, 2016
Outstanding narrative of the contributions of some of the most highly decorated airmen of the war over Southeast Asia in a secret, heroic, and frustrating effort known and celebrated mostly by those who served and sacrificed in the vain hope of freeing the Vietnamese from oppression.
August 6, 2016
A great book about Forward Air Controllers flying the F-100 super Sabres. A book about a little known aspect of the air war in Vietnam in which even the most seasoned military history readers will find new nuggets of information.
March 30, 2009
Good account of an operation that I knew about in name only. Tell about the highs and lows that the pilots and crews went through.
June 10, 2009
good read, gets a little repetitive at towards the end.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews