100 Missions North
A Fighter Pilot's Story of the Vietnam War
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4.4 • 10 Ratings
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
In 100 Missions North, Ken Bell recounts the harrowing sorties that he and his comrades flew in F-105 Thunderchiefs, the famous "Thud", in 1966-67, when pilots faced a 50 percent loss rate. What was it like to face these odds day after day? We learn that men sustained by faith in each other and joined by the unique bonds of combat can overcome anxiety, fear, and even terror to achieve common goals.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Bell, a retired Air Force brigadier general, offers an engrossing account of his missions against heavily defended targets in North Vietnam at the controls of an F-105 fighter-bomber. His powers of description are outstanding: air-combat buffs will thrill to his knuckle-whitening recall of the 1966-1967 action as he searches for ways to confuse the defenses (MiG fighters, surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft fire) and deliver bombs at night in bad weather. Bell also recounts his between-missions experiences, which include his abduction by a band of Thai thugs and various R&R adventures. His is the first air-combat memoir from the Vietnam War to describe the intense and unpredictable social life of Air Force pilots on a Southeast Asian base--in this case the Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base north of Bangkok, where the 355th Tactical Figther Wing was stationed.
Customer Reviews
F105’s Vietnam.
Wonderful first person account from the author’s extensive notes flying the F105 100 missions into North Vietnam.