The best vietnam war books five books expert recommendations. Find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. The navy contributions to the bombing campaigns resulted in the death or capture of 881 navy pilots and other aircrew and the loss of 900 aircraft. Many of the studies were later expanded into books. List of books and articles about vietnam war online. Before he penned the screenplays for jarhead and castaway, a young william broyles enlisted to serve in the vietnam war. Free shipping on many items browse your favorite brands. The strengths and weaknesses of the members if the squadron is accurately portrayed, as is similar traits of some of ther wives.
Vietnam war air force fiction vietnam veterans of america. This airplane epitomized american airpower doctrine during the early cold. If you are a writer or publisher and have a book or books you would like to see on this page please contact the webmaster via the mailbox at the bottom of the page for details. In war for the hell of it, cobleigh shares his perspectives in a deeply personal account of a fighter pilots life, one filled with moral ambiguity and military absurdities offset by the undeniable thrill of flying a fighter plane.
Courtesy of twobears books yankee stationwhere a4 skyhawks catapult off the carriers and wing toward north vietnam. The first brief overview of the air war in vietnam, like rolling thunder examines each theatre of operationsouth vietnam, north vietnam, laos, and cambodiaand explores the extent to which the aerial campaigns aided u. From his encounters with exvietnamese soldiers to interviews with victims of his own violence, broyles memoir is a reminder of how the brotherhood of man can. The air war in vietnam books on helicopter and fixed wing aviation during the vietnam conflict from broughs military books.
From army, air force and marine bases in south vietnam and the philippines to the navys aircraft carriers in the gulf of tonkin, mr. The ultimate 2020 list of best vietnam books to read. Mrozek delves into a wealth of original documentation, and his scholarship is impeccable. Get the best deals on original vietnam war books when you shop the largest online selection at. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to historical and even dark comedy. Ed fast eddie cobleigh served two tours of duty during the vietnam air war, logging 375 combat sorties in the f4 phantom fighterbomber. The f4 phantom ii was the united states primary air superiority fighter aircraft during the vietnam war.
Americas wars have inspired some of the worlds best literature, and the vietnam war is no exception. Aviationvietnam war from the aviators bookshelf browse recent. During the vietnam war, air america, a cia proprietary airline, flew a variety of missions in the far east. This website presents the most informative, insightful and popular nonfiction books about the vietnam war. Matterhorn by karl marlantes, the things they carried by tim obrien, the th valley by john m. More than a decade later, he returned to his former battlegrounds and recorded his journey in goodbye vietnam.
Philip caputo was a marine who later became a very wellknown journalist. List of books and articles about vietnam antiwar movement. This intervention would become one of the most divisive decisions in u. Vietnam air war books on pilots, fighters, bombers and helicopters of the vietnam conflict.
Usa today s bob minzesheimer recommends books by 10 authors. While the list of books about this conflict includes hundreds of enlightening works, we pick ten of the best texts offering illuminating perspectives on the war, its context and the effects it had on vietnam. It is the only work to detail the b52 air war in vietnam from the perspective of a navigatorbombardier. Halberstam, who was a vietnam war correspondent for the new york times. A4a, a4b, a4c, a4l structural repair insts douglas a4 flight manual cd. The book includes some great observations and agonizing human truths about the nonstop combat of the war. Showcasing seventytwo true stories told by american servicemen who fought from the skies, this unique and historically significant collection is a stunning record of the air war in southeast asia during the 1960s and 1970s. These missions ranged from undercover cia operations to overt air transportation. In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this. Last of the gunfighters, if youre interested in the f8 crusader.
The final report of the chief of air service, aef and a tactical history. From the briefing rooms and bombing runs to the dogfights and last ditch bai. The united states and vietnam, 19501975 george herring widely recognized as a major contribution to the study of american involvement in vietnam, this comprehensive and balanced account analyzes the ultimate failure of the war, and the impact of the war on us foreign policy. Online shopping for vietnam war from a great selection at books store. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war. After we posted this article, times readers weighed in with their favorite books on the vietnam war. The author effectively caught the flavor of a navy fighter squadron during the war in vietnam. Vietnam war, conflict in southeast asia, primarily fought in south vietnam between government forces aided by the united states and guerrilla forces aided by north vietnam. Home books vietnam war era vietnam war era biographical. The human cost in the air during the vietnam war was high. His battalion was one of the most decorated units of the vietnam war, and helped redefine modern warfare.
Vietnam war era biographical air force museum store. The republic of vietnam and various us government agencies contracted with air america. The blue book studies examined a wide range of united states air force plans, policies, and operations in southeast asia. Rules of engagement and the communist air sanctuary during the korean war. Ten vietnam war books worth owning i began collecting vietnam war books before the united states bugged out in 1973 two years before the war ended, a fact always unmentioned by those who claim we were defeated there. List of aircraft losses of the vietnam war wikipedia. Shortlisted for canadas prestigious giller prize, this profoundly humane novel vancouver sun, wrings suspense and humor out of the everyday choices we make, revealing the delicate balance between sacrifice and selfinterest, doing good and being good.
Webb, as you probably know, went on to write a few other books and still find the time to become a u. Having completed recent studies focused on the era of the vietnam war, dr mrozek plans a booklength essay on us defense policy after world war ii. While the general theme of the blue book series was the us air force in southeast asia vietnam, there are blue books covering many air force topics of interest. Much more than simply retelling events, mrozek analyzes how history, politics, technology, and the complexity of the war drove the application of air power in a long and divisive struggle. Dec, 2017 find below a collection of the best books on the vietnam war. These include winners of national book awards and pulitzer prizes, both fiction and nonfiction. The biggest air battle of world war two 7 feb 2019. Air force in southeast asia 19651973 detailed history of vietnam air war, dramatic aerial combat tales of heroes, f4, f105, enemy mig fighter planes, b52 gunners. Help with reading books report a bad link suggest a new listing. The war began soon after the geneva conference provisionally divided 1954 vietnam at 17 n lat. Mar 12, 2019 the vietnam war is one of the most misunderstood military conflicts in twentiethcentury america.
George weiss, pio officer for the 7th air force in saigon, to vietnam to do a definitive study of the conduct of the air war. Ten vietnam war novels to read council on foreign relations. The central highlands where giant helicopters transport the troops. Air force historical support division books special. Operation ranch hand where planes make war against the land itself. Nov 08, 2012 enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. See also whats at wikipedia, your library, or elsewhere. The air force lost 2,255 aircraft, of which 1,737 were combat losses. In my mind its one of the first really wellwritten books that describe the moral ambiguities and difficulties faced by a young marine officer in this particular war. There are very good chapters about the defoliation effort, air rescue operations by the jolly greens and the role of marine air. Make sure to check the tmp message archives on this, if thats not the link to it above, since there are lots of great books on the vietnam air war. The naval air war in korea 1986 werrell, kenneth p. Washington post book world while the jetjockey competitiveness. Due to covid19 restrictions we are currently not taking online orders.
Generals, politicians, officials, diplomats, intelligence officers, correspondents, and academicians have surveyed the political, moral and legal aspects of the war in a surfeit of articles. Ground combat in the world wars, korea, and vietnam. These 10 books, in addition to the ones below, were recommended multiple times. A novel of the air war in vietnam by the author of the last tallyho. Mrozeks research sheds considerable light on how the use of air power evolved in the vietnam war. In early 1965 the united states unleashed the largest sustained aerial bombing campaign since world war ii, against north vietnam. After nearly eighteen months of the limited bombing campaign called operation rolling thunder, north vietnams airfields, principal port, and capital city remained largely unscathed.
Books related to military aviation will be advertised on these pages as a service to our guests. Rowe, a united states army officer who spent five years as a prisoner in vietnam before escaping in 1968, was shot to death yesterday april 21, 1989 by gunmen near manila, where he was a military adviser to the philippine armed forces. Air war over north vietnam paperback pen and sword books. Whilst some of these books are a bit older, they are still brilliant to read and give you great insight into the war. Now that ken burns pbs documentary has concluded, were rereading the classics of the vietnam wars literary canon. The royal australian air force also flew combat and airlift missions in south vietnam, as did the republic of vietnam.
Tell me about the first book on your list, a rumor of war 1977. The vietnam war is one of the most misunderstood military conflicts in. Air war vietnam presents a long neglected aspect of the controversial and frustrating struggle that of the military. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. Fields of fireis a brilliant book about the vietnam war. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. The book is primarily about courage and fear, professional jealousy and dedication. If you are a writer or publisher and have a book or books you would like to see on this page please contact the webmaster via the mailbox at the bottom of. Combined arms research library digital library link effects of leadership on carrier air wing sixteens loss rate during operation rolling thunder, 19651968. The vietnam war has generated more than its share of firstrate books, a fact that might limit the audience for another account, however. The essay why men love war also about vietnam is worth reading for similar reasons. All members in good standing are free to post here.
His column on books has appeared in the vva veteran, the magazine published by vietnam veterans of america, since 1986. The afhsd was then know as the usaf historical division liaison office and, later, as the office of air force history. Among the most positive is an abundance of topnotch books, many written by veterans of the conflict. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of vietnam war books from war narrative to immigrant story, from mystery to political, from metafiction to.
Mar 23, 2017 grant, zalin over the beach the air war in vietnam new york. Naval institution press, isbn 1591149339 warrell, kenneth p. The official site of the air force historical support division. Air forces reputation had hit rock bottom in vietnam. The book looks at unformed men through a manmade hell, following along with their journey until eventually, they face their fate. Online shopping from a great selection at books store.
Some of these are fiction books about vietnam war based on factual information, whilst others include some of the best books on vietnam history of the war. Winner of the 2016 pulitzer prize for fiction, this debut novel could fit into half a dozen genres of. The vietnam war is one of the most misunderstood military confl. During the four years following passage of the tonkin gulf resolution aug. Enough books novels and nonfiction have been published about the vietnam war and its aftermath to fill a modestsized library. The air force lost 2,586 airmen 1,745 in combat and 841 by other means.