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From a Dark Sky: The Story of U.S. Air Force Special Operations
A tour of the top-secret world of the Air Force special operation teams offers uncensored insight into the Air Force's history and the intensive, high-danger skills that are mastered by its members. Reprint.
- GenresHistoryMilitary Fiction
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 5, 2017
Kelly is an experienced defense journalist, so he has a keen ear for the stories that resonate, and how to convey them to readers who may lack a lot of context. From a Dark Sky focuses on the history of Air Force Special Operations from World War 2 to Desert Storm. One of the dreams of military flight was to leapfrog over defensive lines, landing armies in vulnerable rear areas and parachuting . Of course, the devil is in actually doing this stuff, which involves low-level navigation at night through contested air space.
The first section is a solid history of the air commandos role in the Burma campaign, and supporting OSS and SOE agents in Occupied Europe during World War 2. The special forces capabilities were mostly lost in the post-war draw down, and had to be reinvented for Korea, and then reinvented a third time for Vietnam. Vietnam was where aerial special forces came into their own, with helicopters a marked improvement over gliders for inserting and evaccing special forces operators, and night navigation equipment reaching a tipping point of usability, and the deadly side-firing gunships becoming standard platforms for air support. The Son Tay raid demonstrated that tactical perfection could be spoiled by faulty intelligence, while the fiascos of the USS Mayageuz and Operation Eagle Claw demonstrated how quickly the delicate intermeshing of skills required for aerial special operations could decay.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a final renaissance for the Air Commandos, incorporated into their own command, and adequately funded for once, with specialized aircraft, helicopters, and veteran crews.
For what's it worth, pararescuemen are almost entirely absent, aside from the cover photo. And this is a popular history, not a complete account.
The first section is a solid history of the air commandos role in the Burma campaign, and supporting OSS and SOE agents in Occupied Europe during World War 2. The special forces capabilities were mostly lost in the post-war draw down, and had to be reinvented for Korea, and then reinvented a third time for Vietnam. Vietnam was where aerial special forces came into their own, with helicopters a marked improvement over gliders for inserting and evaccing special forces operators, and night navigation equipment reaching a tipping point of usability, and the deadly side-firing gunships becoming standard platforms for air support. The Son Tay raid demonstrated that tactical perfection could be spoiled by faulty intelligence, while the fiascos of the USS Mayageuz and Operation Eagle Claw demonstrated how quickly the delicate intermeshing of skills required for aerial special operations could decay.
The 1980s and 1990s saw a final renaissance for the Air Commandos, incorporated into their own command, and adequately funded for once, with specialized aircraft, helicopters, and veteran crews.
For what's it worth, pararescuemen are almost entirely absent, aside from the cover photo. And this is a popular history, not a complete account.
June 25, 2012
The upside to the book was the fascinating account of the beginnings of the Air Force special ops, from the early pathfinders and OSS. Again, this could have been better had more photos from that era been included, along with declassified maps, tactical data, and so on.
Kelly thinks AC-130s would have prevented Task Force Ranger's horrendous casualties. Actually, it would have proved less effective over the crowded Mogadishu neighborhood than the numerous AH-6 Little Birds that were deployed during the battle, which provided very effective in keeping the Somalis at bay. AC-130s would only have caused unnecessary civilian casualties.
He also has a problem with incorrect numbers sneaking through his proofing process. Thus, WWII B-24 production becomes 1800 vice the actual 18,000. Estimated 15,000 NVA dead
becomes 1500. Range of the ZSU-23 (not ZPU-23 as he writes) becomes 20,000 feet vice its actual max effective range of 6000 feet. And so on.
Mr. Kelly hardly goes into any detail about the training the PJs and combat controllers go through. It would be great to know what their PT requirements are, hand-to-hand combat training, types of different small arms utilized, marksmanship standards, etc.
Kelly thinks AC-130s would have prevented Task Force Ranger's horrendous casualties. Actually, it would have proved less effective over the crowded Mogadishu neighborhood than the numerous AH-6 Little Birds that were deployed during the battle, which provided very effective in keeping the Somalis at bay. AC-130s would only have caused unnecessary civilian casualties.
He also has a problem with incorrect numbers sneaking through his proofing process. Thus, WWII B-24 production becomes 1800 vice the actual 18,000. Estimated 15,000 NVA dead
becomes 1500. Range of the ZSU-23 (not ZPU-23 as he writes) becomes 20,000 feet vice its actual max effective range of 6000 feet. And so on.
Mr. Kelly hardly goes into any detail about the training the PJs and combat controllers go through. It would be great to know what their PT requirements are, hand-to-hand combat training, types of different small arms utilized, marksmanship standards, etc.
August 3, 2019
an easy to read story about jobs done by the air force that I never dreamed about. A very good read!!!
May 17, 2022
A good isight to the little known history of the Air Force special operations and its history.
October 13, 2009
this was about the Brits too, it was a joint Cdn/US/Brit, about glider planes that went into Europe. on the night before DDay, They laid the way for the invasion. Good Read. You always see the ships arriving, but it is not often that you hear of this one, most were killed. We should know about the sacrifices some of these airman made , a lot were only 19, 20 -25 years old. My Uncle was in the airforce died in 1943 at the age of 19. History is important or why did he have to die?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews