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Rating: 
Summary: 100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of the Vietnam War
Review: AWESOME! Outstanding, honest account of the frustrations faced by combat pilots in South East Asia.
Rating:
Summary: 100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of the Vietnam War
Review: AWESOME! Outstanding, honest account of the frustrations faced by combat pilots in South East Asia.
Rating:
Summary: 100 Missions North
Review: I am the author of "100 Missions North," and want to advise you that it has been reprinted by Turner Publishing, and is now available.Ken Bell 719-488-2984
Rating:
Summary: Tales of Air War in Vietnam
Review: It seems to me as if stories about the U.S. foot soldier in Vietnam abound, but the Vietnam War was also a war Americans fought fiercely in the air. It stands to reason then that the chronicle of the F105 fighter pilot, who flew the most harrowing missions and suffered the greatest losses, is one of the more significant, albeit under-appreciated, tales worthy of telling. As such, Ken Bell's 100 Missions North is an excellent place to dig in to the subject to appreciate a unique, by-gone perspective. Bell's first-hand account of the 100 missions he flew as a Thunderchief pilot over north Vietnam in 1966-67 provides a superb, three-dimensional picture of his life at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base north of Bangkok, Thailand, one of two primary facilities for F105s during the war. Aside from the fact that Bell was a major at the time and thus missed out on the opportunity to live dorm-style in a hooch with lower-ranking officers, his story in many ways typifies the life of an F105 pilot of this era. Although his is not the only first-hand account of the F105 pilots' experience, it may be the most satisfying. Thud Ridge, Jack Broughton's account of his tour, for instance, although essential as a piece of F105 fighter pilot history, is not a straightforward chronological account of his experiences. Instead, Broughton picks and chooses subjects for each chapter, so although there is something of a running narrative, the text skips around a bit. Not a big problem but it can be confusing unless you've been a member of a fighter wing. Therefore, I would also say Broughton seems to be writing more to a limited audience, the fellow fighter pilot as well as the military enthusiast; hence, although a good book regarding its subject, Thud Ridge is more for those already with a base knowledge of air war and squadrons. Another top-notch book but with a broader appeal than Thud Ridge is G.I. Basel's Pak Six. Basel's book is quite an enjoyable read. He turns a nice phrase, recounts interesting stories, and is easy to follow and understand. Basel also has a good sense of humor that helps the outsider appreciate the F105 fighter pilot mentality. Why then is Pak Six not the first book to pick up on the F105 pilot experience? Just this'length. Pak Six has about half as many pages as 100 Missions North. In spite of the fact that Basel's book was a pure pleasure to read, and I finished it in about two days, it nonetheless gets into and out of its subject too quickly. It's good to leave the reader wanting more, but I wanted much more. It was after I read these two books that I came across 100 Missions North. Bell's book is the one I wished I'd picked up first. At 300 pages, it provides a detailed, nicely paced, chronological account of the 100 missions he flew. Although he doesn't literally account for all 100 missions, Bell presents the highlights of his most significant missions and discusses life outside the cockpit as well. Like Basel, he is easy to understand and can tell a good story, and like a seasoned writer, is not embarrassed to confess his fears and mistakes while flying missions. Likewise, he provides honest observations about the world and people around him during his tour. For anyone interested in this side of the Vietnam War, all three books are a must, and certainly, all three offer something unique that in total present a thorough picture of what it must have been like to be there, a subject of particular interest to me since my father was there too, but he's no longer around to recount his experiences. Of the group, 100 Missions North is the most well-rounded regarding its subject and is certainly a worthy place to begin getting a grasp of life inside the cockpit while flying bombing missions into a region reputed to be the most heavily defended in the history of warfare.
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Summary: 100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of Vietnam War
Review: This is not the type of book I usually read (War stories). It was recommended by a friend. It sat in a stack of unread books for a few weeks. I finally started to read. I was mesmerized, I could not put it down!!!! I felt as if I was right there with the author! It is a good mixture of what the war was like for this pilot, his revelry, his mind set. I have read it twice, it flows easy, and sets on the mind well. Read It!!
Rating:
Summary: 100 Missions North/a Fighter Pilots Story of Vietnam War
Review: This is not the type of book I usually read (War stories). It was recommended by a friend. It sat in a stack of unread books for a few weeks. I finally started to read. I was mesmerized, I could not put it down!!!! I felt as if I was right there with the author! It is a good mixture of what the war was like for this pilot, his revelry, his mind set. I have read it twice, it flows easy, and sets on the mind well. Read It!!
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