Table of Contents
CONTENTS
Preface ix
PART 1: In Country
[ 1 ] Day One 2
[ 2 ] From “Oops” to “Oh Shit” 4
[ 3 ] 200 Raw Recruits 11
[ 4 ] The Long Ride to Christmas 16
[ 5 ] From Snowbird to WOC 19
[ 6 ] The Hill 25
[ 7 ] Flying Blind 34
[ 8 ] Flying Tiger Airlines 42
[ 9 ] My Hooch 45
[ 10 ] Really Learning to Fly 49
[ 11 ] Close to the Vest 58
[ 12 ] Not Like in the Movies 60
[ 13 ] Tien Phuoc Numba 10 65
[ 14 ] More Tien Fuck 68
PART 2: On the Controls
[ 15 ] No More Tien Fuck . . . Please 72
[ 16 ] Minuteman Two-Three 78
[ 17 ] Wall of Shame 81
[ 18 ] Red Cross-Ordered Mail 84
[ 19 ] New Guys and New Missions 88
[ 20 ] Special Forces – Again 91
[ 21 ] Snow Removal Officer 94
[ 22 ] Snowflakes 99
[ 23 ] Life at the Manor 101
[ 24 ] “Dinks in the Open” 105
[ 25 ] Dinner, Anyone? 110
[ 26 ] A Perfect “High Overhead” 112
[ 27 ] All Aboard 117
[ 28 ] Little of This, Little of That 119
[ 29 ] Australia R&R 124
PART 3: The Plan
[ 30 ] Back in the Cockpit 128
[ 31 ] More of “This and That” 131
[ 32 ] Getting Short 135
[ 33 ] An Offer You Can’t Refuse 141
[ 34 ] Muskets 145
[ 35 ] Death Becomes Real 159
[ 36 ] Going Home 162
[ 37 ] Going Back 164
[ 38 ] Musket Three-Two 166
[ 39 ] R&R 171
[ 40 ] Light at the End of the Tunnel 177
PART 4: Home and Beyond
[ 41 ] So Close, But Now What? 184
[ 42 ] The Massachusetts Army National Guard 193
[ 43 ] AGR 209
[ 44 ] OIF 212
[ 45 ] Casualty Assistance Officer 219
[ 46 ] JROTC Wareham and the Final Flight 221
[ 47 ] One More Dance . . . Please 224
In Conclusion 229
Acknowledgements 232
History of the Huey 234
Bell UH-1H Huey 235
The Wall 237
Glossary/Term Quick Reference 240
