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

By Tom Yarborough

Book Overview

In Vietnam, an elite group of pilots fought a secret air war. For Tom Yarborough the risk was constant, intense and electrifying. A member of the super-secret Prairie Fire Unit, he became one of the most frequently shot-up pilots flying out of Da Nang. This is his story.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312984936
• ISBN13: 9780312984939
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 0.42 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 4.1" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

Outstanding

A rare combination a true warrior, who survived some of the most dangerous flying of the Vietnam War and a highly literate author. One wonders where our nation finds the quiet Paladins of the 20'Th century. At one level a warrior's story of near hand to hand combat from the air with a fully committed enemy. The evolution of the author's transition from a member of the Air Force to his very close identification with the Special Forces who operated under his wing adds to the story. Live at the Muff Divers Club also brings color to the tale. As a war story it has the same ring of aggressive sacrifice of other great warriors. As a psychological study it is a great story of the magnetism / repulsion of war and the warrior culture. Finally, it is a story of flying on the very edge. As a pilot what is so stunning is the difficulty of the conditions under which they operated. Operating under ceilings a fraction of that required for civilian pilots while performing a difficult mission and finally trying to stay alive stretches the reader's ability to understand. Most non pilots will take for granted the brief description of descending into cloud covered valleys, far from navigation facilities as another day at the office. Far from it, some of the most dangerous and challenging things a pilot can be called upon to do. But that's just for starters; those of us in civilian life almost always have the ability to climb back though the clouds to sunshine when we are overloaded. However, it must be a totally different experience to be flying against a dedicated enemy while trapped under the overcast. The equivalent of fighting on the edge of a cliff. .The reader is fortunate that the author brings a great story and the skill to tell the story. Even more of a gift is that the author lived to tell the story of those who did not return.

There during it all

I am the Air Force Nurse that flew with Tom-I can personally say-he is one heck of a pilot-and was totally focused on the job at hand-the book allowed me to read -in detail- about the missions I only vaguely knew about then-the flying- the hanging it all out-these were people I would see daily but their 'jobs' went unspoken of-Thank you Tom for the ride-If you want truth- read his book-Sherdeane Kinney

Simply captivating

I agree with the other reviewer, this book and "A Lonely Kind of War" are two of my alltime favorites. Yarborough really makes you feel like you're in the middle of the action, I found myself unable to put this book down !

the best

in my opinion these true stories of the vietnam airwar are the most gripping and entertaining i have ever read. i was so impressed by this book that i honestly wanted to travel wherever to met this man and shake his hand. i have worn out my paperback copy of this book. i can't imagine any aviation buff not thoroughly enjoying this read.

Outstanding, very readable and fast paced- as good as Clancy

Anyone who is an armchair flyboy or military aviation buff will find this book to be one of the best. Col. Yarborough's writing style keeps you on the edge of your chair as you follow his incredible hair raising missions in Veitnam and Laos. Best on all this is not fiction but the real item.