
- 345 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
A Vietnam War helicopter pilot shares arresting accounts of flying troops into hot LZs and medevacking the wounded under fire.
Ā
The Freedom ShieldĀ brings together stories of veterans of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, who were tasked with carrying troops into battle, attacking enemy positions, and evacuating the wounded in their UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopters. The unit was assembled from a hodgepodge of hand-me-down aircraft, used equipment, and overlooked personnelāits appearance belied the invaluable work the crews of the 191st would undertake during the Vietnam War. This narrative of the Company, told through collected stories of veterans, defines a breed of soldier newly minted in Vietnam: the combat assault-helicopter crewman.
Ā
The 191st pilots, crews, and support personnel vividly share the details of what it was like to be at war and forced to rely on your fellow crewmembers for your own survival. Their accounts of helicopter combat at the height of the Vietnam conflict accurately recreate the sights and sounds of the battlefields, the fear and horror of watching close friends torn to pieces, and their feelings on returning to base. Their message is infinitely clear: "The price of freedom is painful."
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Praise for The Freedom Shield
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"The story of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company's combat actions in Vietnam is one of heroism and dedication to duty. It is a vivid picture of young American soldiers full of P and V and the "want to" needed to get the job done with bullets flying in all directions. An adrenaline rush is the order of the day. Read this book to gain new respect and admiration for the Vietnam-era veterans who fought in this unpopular warāthey were truly magnificent!" āBrigadier General John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, author of American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam
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"An amazing story of perseverance and will. The author accurately chronicles how the 191st Assault Helicopter Company was assembled, during the haste of the Vietnam buildup, with secondhand equipment and filler personnel to become a crown jewel among aviation units in battle. A true testament of American mettle that we all still admire and envy." āCol. Alan B. Renshaw
Ā
The Freedom ShieldĀ brings together stories of veterans of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, who were tasked with carrying troops into battle, attacking enemy positions, and evacuating the wounded in their UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" helicopters. The unit was assembled from a hodgepodge of hand-me-down aircraft, used equipment, and overlooked personnelāits appearance belied the invaluable work the crews of the 191st would undertake during the Vietnam War. This narrative of the Company, told through collected stories of veterans, defines a breed of soldier newly minted in Vietnam: the combat assault-helicopter crewman.
Ā
The 191st pilots, crews, and support personnel vividly share the details of what it was like to be at war and forced to rely on your fellow crewmembers for your own survival. Their accounts of helicopter combat at the height of the Vietnam conflict accurately recreate the sights and sounds of the battlefields, the fear and horror of watching close friends torn to pieces, and their feelings on returning to base. Their message is infinitely clear: "The price of freedom is painful."
Ā
Praise for The Freedom Shield
Ā
"The story of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company's combat actions in Vietnam is one of heroism and dedication to duty. It is a vivid picture of young American soldiers full of P and V and the "want to" needed to get the job done with bullets flying in all directions. An adrenaline rush is the order of the day. Read this book to gain new respect and admiration for the Vietnam-era veterans who fought in this unpopular warāthey were truly magnificent!" āBrigadier General John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, author of American Warrior: A Combat Memoir of Vietnam
Ā
"An amazing story of perseverance and will. The author accurately chronicles how the 191st Assault Helicopter Company was assembled, during the haste of the Vietnam buildup, with secondhand equipment and filler personnel to become a crown jewel among aviation units in battle. A true testament of American mettle that we all still admire and envy." āCol. Alan B. Renshaw
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Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access The Freedom Shield by John D. Falcon in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Military Biographies. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Contents
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Ben TreāA Bloody Fight
- 2 Birth of the Assault Helicopter Company
- 3 Patnode Commanding
- 4 Combat Ready
- 5 Airmobile Schemes
- 6 The Load Bearers
- 7 A Combat Assault from Leadās Cockpit
- 8 Lethal Climate
- 9 Night Sampan Ambush
- 10 Human Wave VC Attack
- 11 Tet Offensive: The Communist Buildup
- 12 The Tet Offensive Begins
- 13 New Bounty Hunter Six Enters the Fight
- 14 Griggs Commanding
- 15 Crew Trust
- 16 Maintenance Crew Crash
- 17 Petric Commanding
- 18 Quiet but Deadly
- 19 The Hardest Blow
- 20 Schmidt Commanding
- 21 Battle at Ap My Thuan
- 22 The Natural
- 23 Mental Impacts of War
- 24 Conner Commanding with Bearden as Top
- 25 Nighthawk Down
- 26 The Final Call
- Killed in Action
- Glossary
- Plate section