Subtitled 'The US Air Force over Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, 1961-75; this is a comprehensive account of the South-east Asian air operations. Author McKelvey Cleaver examines the subject from all angles, including the political decisions that first got the US involved and had a continuing influence on what the military commanders in theatre could and could not do. The major air operations 'Rolling Thunder,' 'Linebacker I' and 'Linebacker II' are examined, giving their overall aims before going on to detail the experiences of the aircrew who were tasked to fly the missions over enemy territory which was bristling with Soviet-supplied AAA, SAMs and MiGs. There are plenty of recollections from those who took part, many of them vivid first-hand accounts told in the inimitable language of the fighter pilot. Robin Olds, in reflective mood, is quoted on the role of the fighter pilot in the conflict: "Our basic job over there is to bomb targets, not to chase MiGs. If they happen to get in the way, so much the worse for them. However, we liked them because they kept our morale up" Illustrations are confined to a 16-page section that includes well-reproduced colour and black-and-white imagery. Nicely done, and it's good value at the price, too.
展开▼
