Da Nang Diary: A Forward Air Controller's Gunsight View of Combat in Vietnam

Tom Yarborough

Macmillan, Sep 16, 2002 - History - 352 pages

THEY FLEW LOW, SLOW, AND INTO THE FACE OF ENEMY FIRE...

In Vietnam, an elite group of air force pilots fought a secret air war in Cessna 0-2 and OV-10 Bronco prop planes-flying as low as they could get. The eyes and ears of the fast-moving jets who rained death and destruction down on enemy positions, the forward air controller made an art form out of an air strike-knowing the targets, knowing where friendly troops were, and reacting with split-second, life and death decisions as a battle unfolded. For Tom Yarborough, the risk was constant, intense, electrifying. A member of the super secret Prairie Fire unit, Yarborough became one of the most frequently shot-up pilots flying out of Da Nang-engaging in a series of dangerous secret missions in Laos. This is Yarborough's adrenaline-pumping chronicle of heroism, danger, and brotherhood in Vietnam. From the rescuing of downed pilots to taking out enemy positions, to the most harrowing day-long missions, here is the dedication, courage, and skill of the fliers who took the war into the enemy's backyard...

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - kerns222 - LibraryThing

Vague feelings of moral, political and strategic doubt hidden in pages of technical war procedure, airplane worship, adrenaline rushes, and alcohol-fed comradery.

User Review -

Even after all these years -this book catches you and you read about the flying- and you can imagine you are there -and even though I saw these guys every day I am still amazed at how they flew and what they went thru everytime they went up-my life on the ground with the wounded being flown out daily- well - we were the same but these FACs were something else there is a cd of songs by Skip ask a Covey Muff Divers Lounge By the way I have the Covey Plaque that used to hang on the door of the BOQ .I got it not the Doc Read the book live it with us -we were young -some died many lived rejoice in the life we had and have-I love them all and value what we had -Tom -what a flier- he was awesome-by the by I am Sherdeane Kinney in the book RN - of the MDL 4 I was no 5 -I kept the refrig filled since I had a connect with inflight kitchen-he should write about all that --write -ask him - read --- 

Contents

• Flying Over the Ho Chi Minh Trail: 32
• XRay Mission Laos: 71
• Prairie Fire: 105
• Rescue at Route 966: 138
• Combat Instructor: 160
• Battle Damage: 179
• Outside the Envelope: 205
• The Covey Bomb Dump: 224
• All Points of the Compass: 248
• Valley of the Shadow of Death: 267
• SAR on the Trail: 295
• The Year of FiftyThree Weeks: 309
• BIBLIOGRAPHY: 327

About the author

Tom Yarborough served in the Air Force for thirty years in a variety of flying and staff assignments. A command pilot, he logged 5,000 hours of flying time, with over 1,500 of them in combat. During his two Vietnam tours as a forward air controller, he earned thirty combat decorations, including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Now a business executive, he lives in West Springfield, Virginia, where he maintains ties to the academic community as an adjunct history professor at Northern Virginia Community College.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Da Nang Diary: A Forward Air Controller's Gunsight View of Combat in Vietnam
• Author: Tom Yarborough
• Edition: illustrated, reprint, revised
• Publisher: Macmillan, 2002
• ISBN: 0312984936, 9780312984939
• Length: 352 pages
• Subjects: History / Wars & Conflicts / Vietnam War