Naked In Da Nang: A Forward Air Controller In Vietnam - Hardcover

Mike Jackson; Tara Dixon-Engel; Frank Borman

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0760320764 ISBN 13: 9780760320761

Publisher: Zenith Pr, 2004

Synopsis

FACs (forward air controllers) in Vietnam flew low and slow, searching for signs of an elusive enemy. Often they trolled themselves as bait for the NVA troops to try to shoot down. When a friendly unit made contact, having a FAC overhead made their day because the FACs controlled the bomb-, rocket-, and napalm-laden fast movers, fighter jets and attack aircraft whose ordnance often made the difference between life and death. They were regarded by many of their airforce and naval aviator brethren as insane, suicidal, or both. In addition to the perils of enemy fire which ranged from lucky AK-47 shots to .51 caliber machine guns and SA-7 shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles, you had to watch out to keep from being blown up in a B-52 Arc-Light strike or knocked down by friendly artillery. As the title suggests, however, Naked in Da Nang is not an angst ridden account of mortal combat. Following in the footsteps of Richard Hooker's classic M*A*S*H: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, author Jackson has a keen eye for the absurdities that abound in a combat zone. That the humor is often dark only serves to sharpen its comic edge.- These pilots were considered the "Guardian Angels" of the Vietnam ground soldier- Refers to the "unarmed" nature of FAC (Forward Air Controllers) aircraft- Low-tech aircraft that survived combat on pilot skills only

About this title

About the Author:

Mike Jackson retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 1991 following 23 years on active duty. Formerly, he was executive director of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He and coauthor Tara Dixon-Engel are founders of the American Veterans Institute. Colonel Jackson and Ms. Dixon-Engel live near Dayton.

Review:

ARMCHAIRGENERAL.COM
"Jackson’s story paints the actual picture: honorable American soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines doing the best job possible under the given conditions while never losing that quality which throughout our nation’s history has defined every American service member—humanity."
 

BOOKVIEWS BY ALAN CARUBA     
"...a Vietnam War memoir that is one of best I’ve read in a while. It is a compelling picture of the hopes, fears, and motivations of the average American GI. It redefines the usual stories about that war that talk about drugs, booze and insanity. That never was the norm and the heroism of those that fought that war finally gets the presentation it deserves."

BOOKLOONS.COM
"Already drawing comparisons to M*A*S*H* for its irreverent humor, this book will appeal to anyone who served in the military as well as to civilian audiences."

About this edition

• Publisher: Zenith Pr
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 0760320764
• ISBN 13: 9780760320761
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 302