Photos of retired American military aircraft, emphasizing their nose art.

This is the true story of Master Sergeant David M. Burns, an aerial gunner assigned to the deadliest squadron in air force history. Aboard the AC-130 Spectre gunship, he flew a total of 287 combat missions over Laos, South Vietnam, and Cambodia, in pursuit of the truck traffic coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. His squadron destroyed more than fifteen thousand trucks loaded with war munitions destined for South Vietnam and Cambodia. Despite heavy and constant anti-aircraft and missile fire...

The memoir of a man who spent most of his career facing death.For UDT/SEAL team member Gary R. Smith, just being part of an elite military organization wasn’t enough—he had to be in the thick of the action. Because in bloody, violent Vietnam he learned there’s no stronger bond than the one forged in the gut-wrenching chaos of combat. During ambushes, PRU combat patrols, and extractions from hot LZs, Smith depended on the courage and sacrifice of his fellow SEALs, w...

"This is an inspiring story of courage and sacrifice--one hell of an exciting true war story!"--Kenn MillerAuthor of Tiger the Lurp DogOn 17 June 1970, in Mondol Kiri Province, Cambodia, the five men of Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) Team 5-2 were about to halt for the day. Night was coming, the skies were dark, and so were the men's thoughts--they'd just found freshly dug NVA bunkers inside a scrub-brush tree line and their position was not secure.As t...

Imagine being one of a 7-man team in the middle of a jungle where any person you might encounter will try to kill you. This is enemy territory, inhabited by an unknown number of enemy combatants. You might encounter 1 or 2 of the Viet Cong or North Vietnamese Army or just as easily 50 or more. In addition, there is the danger of man-eating tigers and poisonous snakes! Your mission is to find the enemy without them finding you. You are to report their position so that artillery batteries, b...

The quiet of the night was again shattered by the thunderous roll of incoming artillery shells, spaced five seconds apart, ripping the jungle to pieces, as huge chunks of earth and vegetation blew skyward under the brilliant flashes of orange and white explosions . . . The possibility of encountering more NVA troops moving through our area was high, as we had pushed a very great stick into their nest. But our demonstrated ability to find the enemy and wait for the most opportune time to hi...

By Honor Bound is the powerful and moving story of two Medal of Honor recipients, written by New York Times bestselling author Dick Couch."Delivers cracking-good minute-by-minute descriptions of two SEAL missions rich in suspense, with technically accurate fireworks and undeniable heroism." —HistoryNetIn April of 1972, near the end of the Vietnam War, SEAL Lieutenant Tom Norris performed an unprecedented ground rescue of two Americ...

A riveting oral history of the US Navy SEALs—from World War II to Vietnam to Iraq—in the words of the warriors themselves"It is better to die than to look bad or lose." —Capt. Ronald YeawThere is no more elite fighting force in the world than the esteemed US Navy SEALs. Famous for their rigorous training, fearlessness, and incomparable skills on sea, air, and land, these are the warriors who are routinely charged with carrying out the most dangerous ...

In Air Combat, veteran and military author Robert F. Dorr has collected dozens of interviews from combat veterans who have experienced what it’s like to face the enemy in the skies above, from the first days of World War II to the current war on terror.Each story tells a first-hand account of what it’s like to be in the thick of the fight, describes the history, strengths, and weaknesses of each man’s plane in detail, and offers readers a rare glimpse into...

Aces At WarThe American Aces SpeakEric HammelAdding to his acclaimed The American Aces Speak series, combat historian Eric Hammel comes through with yet another engrossing collection of first-person accounts by American fighter aces serving in World War II, the Israeli War of Independence, the Korean War, and the Vietnam WarAs are the other four volumes, Aces At War is a highly charged excursion into life and death in the air, told by men who excelled at piston-engine and jet-engine aerial co...

"If you only have room in your collection for one book on WWII-era warbird wreck histories and recoveries, then it should be this one. . . . Fascinating." —Alan Griffith, author of Consolidated MessAviation historian Nicholas A. Veronico has been investigating and writing about aircraft wrecks for many years. His website, wreckchasing.com, is the go-to source for enthusiasts who want to know more about how to locate vintage airplane wrecks and then tell the...

Beginning with the birth of combat aircraft in World War I and the early attempts to rescue warriors trapped behind enemy lines, Leave No Man Behind chronicles in depth nearly one hundred years of combat search and rescue (CSAR). All major U.S. combat operations from World War II to the early years of the Iraq War are covered, including previously classified missions and several Medal-of-Honor-winning operations. Authors George Galdorisi and Tom Phillips (both veteran U.S. Navy he...