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Saving Infantry and SOG Souls: A Crew Chief's View
101st Airborne Helicopter Gunships Supporting Airborne Infantry, LRRPs, and Special Forces SOG Units in South Vietnam, North Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Bien Hoa, Hue, Northern I Corps, & the A-Shau Valley.
As a UH-1C gunship platoon leader and pilot in Vietnam, I can highly recommend Roger’s book. Primarily because while dozens of books have been written by pilots who flew in Vietnam, few have been written by crew chiefs who were as critical to mission success as the pilots and whose duties were not only varied but arguably more interesting. As one responsible for putting pilots and mission-ready aircraft together, scheduling pilots was rarely a problem, but keeping our aircraft availability up often called for herculean efforts on the part of crew chiefs and maintenance personnel. That work was over and above the daily aircraft preparation requirements even before the pilots arrived in the morning and the post-flight requirements at the end of the day. From my point of view, helicopter crew chiefs, gunners, and maintenance support personnel were the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War, and Roger’s book demonstrates that well. —Jerry R. Fry, Col. USA (Ret.), Black Angel-6, 1967/8/9
As a UH-1C gunship platoon leader and pilot in Vietnam, I can highly recommend Roger’s book. Primarily because while dozens of books have been written by pilots who flew in Vietnam, few have been written by crew chiefs who were as critical to mission success as the pilots and whose duties were not only varied but arguably more interesting. As one responsible for putting pilots and mission-ready aircraft together, scheduling pilots was rarely a problem, but keeping our aircraft availability up often called for herculean efforts on the part of crew chiefs and maintenance personnel. That work was over and above the daily aircraft preparation requirements even before the pilots arrived in the morning and the post-flight requirements at the end of the day. From my point of view, helicopter crew chiefs, gunners, and maintenance support personnel were the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War, and Roger’s book demonstrates that well. —Jerry R. Fry, Col. USA (Ret.), Black Angel-6, 1967/8/9
296 pages, Hardcover
Published May 9, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 24, 2024
Every major war since the Renaissance has produced a few classic works of soldier literature, valuable both to historians and to all others who want to know (or to remember) exactly what it was like to fight in a particular conflict. These priceless memoirs record for our posterity the deeds, emotions and perceptions of brave men who served in the worst of circumstances, and they also serve as touchstones of heroism to inspire future generations of warriors to volunteer and fight valiantly when needed. Donald Burgett's "Currahee," Robert Leckie's "Helmet For My Pillow," and Eugene Sledge's "With the Old Breed" are shining examples of this type of landmark non-fiction, all recording their authors' experiences in WWII.
Another generation of Americans went to war in Vietnam, served bravely, sacrificed and died by the thousands when our country asked (or in many cases, ordered) them to. And when they returned (as over 58,000 of them never got to do) they were all too often abused, shunned or simply ignored. They deserved far better treatment than they received at the hands of an ungrateful nation.
My friend Roger Lockshier's books "We Saved SOG Souls" and "Saving Infantry and SOG Souls" are wonderful contributions to the history of that war, encompassing first-hand accounts of service as seen through the eyes of a fearless warrior and humble hero. Two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, 19 Air medals and the silver wings of a paratrooper attest to his valor, and these books record his truth, and that of so many others like him. They serve together (each complementing and sometimes referencing the other) to eloquently speak for that lost generation of American veterans. They take their rightful place among the pantheon of classic soldier literature, and will ensure that the courage and sacrifices of so many brave young men will not be lost to history.
Approximately 12,000 helicopters served in the Vietnam War. 5607 of them were lost, taking with them 4,877 pilots and crewmen. They cannot speak to us. Roger Lockshier has spoken for them. His frank but compelling words record unforgettable moments of valor, as well as poignant episodes of fear, doubt, loss, grief and survivor's guilt, with wounds both visible and invisible worn forever after by the lucky who made it out alive. We should all be eternally grateful for their contributions, and to Roger Lockshier for keeping their memory alive. Thank you, Roger, for telling your story. By doing so, you have once again rendered invaluable service to America.
Another generation of Americans went to war in Vietnam, served bravely, sacrificed and died by the thousands when our country asked (or in many cases, ordered) them to. And when they returned (as over 58,000 of them never got to do) they were all too often abused, shunned or simply ignored. They deserved far better treatment than they received at the hands of an ungrateful nation.
My friend Roger Lockshier's books "We Saved SOG Souls" and "Saving Infantry and SOG Souls" are wonderful contributions to the history of that war, encompassing first-hand accounts of service as seen through the eyes of a fearless warrior and humble hero. Two Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, 19 Air medals and the silver wings of a paratrooper attest to his valor, and these books record his truth, and that of so many others like him. They serve together (each complementing and sometimes referencing the other) to eloquently speak for that lost generation of American veterans. They take their rightful place among the pantheon of classic soldier literature, and will ensure that the courage and sacrifices of so many brave young men will not be lost to history.
Approximately 12,000 helicopters served in the Vietnam War. 5607 of them were lost, taking with them 4,877 pilots and crewmen. They cannot speak to us. Roger Lockshier has spoken for them. His frank but compelling words record unforgettable moments of valor, as well as poignant episodes of fear, doubt, loss, grief and survivor's guilt, with wounds both visible and invisible worn forever after by the lucky who made it out alive. We should all be eternally grateful for their contributions, and to Roger Lockshier for keeping their memory alive. Thank you, Roger, for telling your story. By doing so, you have once again rendered invaluable service to America.
June 14, 2024
Another good book by the author. He repeated some of his experiences at times, which was noted. It not as good as his first book, but still worthwhile for anyone interested in SOG operations, particularly from the perspective of a crew chief.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews