Chasing SAM

This book is autobiographical about my tour as Night Shift chief, Air Defense Analysis, 2nd Air Division/Seventh Air Force, Saigon, Republic of Vietnam from August 1965 to August 1966.


With several “Special Security Clearances” I was privy to events many others in the HQ weren’t.


The first US aircraft lost to a surface-to-air-missile (SAM) was literally days before I arrived so I was in on the ground floor of identifying SA-2 locations and capabilities plus evolving tactics for our pilots to beat missiles in the air. I’ll tell you about that and also explain enemy defense weapons and capabilities as well as our Intelligence collection and analysis systems.


I was the morning Air Defense briefer so I saw the generals up close and personal every day and heard their reactions to events like lost aircraft (which I also briefed), resulting in many interesting anecdotes.


As far as I know there is no other book that looks at the Out-Country War from the vantage point of a “headquarters puke,” a fly on the wall close to the top.