Hunter Killers LP, The

by Dan Hampton

At the height of the Cold War, America's most elite aviators bravely volunteered for a covert program aimed at eliminating an impossible new threat. Half never returned. All became legends. From New York Times bestselling author Dan Hampton comes one of the most extraordinary untold stories of aviation history.

Vietnam, 1965: On July 24 a USAF F-4 Phantom jet was suddenly blown from the sky by a mysterious and lethal weapon—a Soviet SA-2 surface-to-air missile (SAM), launched by Russian "advisors" to North Vietnam. Three days later, six F-105 Thunderchiefs were brought down trying to avenge the Phantom. More tragic losses followed, establishing the enemy's SAMs as the deadliest anti-aircraft threat in history and dramatically turning the tables of Cold War air superiority in favor of Soviet technology.

Stunned and desperately searching for answers, the Pentagon ordered a top secret program called Wild Weasel I to counter the SAM problem—fast. So it came to be that a small group of maverick fighter pilots and Electronic Warfare Officers volunteered to fly behind enemy lines and into the teeth of the threat. To most it seemed a suicide mission—but they beat the door down to join. Those who survived the 50 percent casualty rate would revolutionize warfare forever.

"You gotta be sh*#@ing me!" This immortal phrase was uttered by Captain Jack Donovan when the Wild Weasel concept was first explained to him. "You want me to fly in the back of a little tiny fighter aircraft with a crazy fighter pilot who thinks he's invincible, home in on a SAM site in North Vietnam, and shoot it before it shoots me?"

Based on unprecedented firsthand interviews with Wild Weasel veterans and previously unseen personal papers and declassified documents from both sides of the conflict, as well as Dan Hampton's own experience as a highly decorated F-16 Wild Weasel pilot, The Hunter Killers is a gripping, cockpit-level chronicle of the first-generation Weasels, the remarkable band of aviators who faced head-on the advanced Soviet missile technology that was decimating fellow American pilots over the skies of Vietnam.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Aviation, Nonfiction, Military History, War, Historical

572 pages, Paperback

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Dan Hampton flew more than 150 combat missions during his twenty years (1986–2006) as a Wild Weasel fighter pilot. For his service in the Iraq War, Kosovo conflict, first Gulf War, and elsewhere, Colonel Hampton received four Distinguished Flying Crosses with Valor, a Purple Heart, eight Air Medals with Valor, five Meritorious Service Medals, and numerous other citations. He is a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, USN Top Gun School (TOGS), and USAF Special Operations School. A recipient of several awards for tactical innovation, Hampton pioneered air-combat tactics that are now standard, and he was named his squadron's Instructor Pilot of the Year six times. Hampton served on the Air Combat Command staff in Langley, Virginia, during the 1999 Kosovo War and designed the NATO campaign that destroyed the Yugoslav army's air defenses around Sarajevo. A graduate of Texas A&M University, he has published articles in The Journal of Electronic Defense, Air Force Magazine, and Airpower magazine, as well as several classified tactical works for the USAF Fighter Weapons Review.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from a friend and read it over the course of a few weeks. I'm a volunteer docent at a large air museum, where I talk about fighters and other aircraft to visitors from around the world. I'm slowly building up my base of knowledge on WWII, the Korean War, and Vietnam, since those are the conflicts many of our museum aircraft flew in. Because of my interest in the Vietnam air war and the Wild Weasel mission in particular, I was eager to read Hampton's book.

I learned a lot, particularly about the early days of the air war in Vietnam, where we were caught flat-footed by the introduction of Soviet surface-to-air missiles by the North Vietnamese, and the rapid catch-up response by the USAF and other services, leading to the development of hunter-killer teams and eventually to the Wild Weasel program. I always knew it was a dangerous mission; I now know it was far more dangerous than I had thought, with loss rates approaching 50% in the early years.

Dan Hampton is at his best when reconstructing individual SAM suppression flights into hostile territory. He brings life to the pilots and weapon systems operators who went looking for North Vietnamese SA-2 sites in their F-100s, F-105s, and F-4s, and those parts of the book were exciting reads. Also interesting, and well told, are his explanations of the route packs, tanker tracks, airborne command & control assets and how they worked, and the integration of SAM suppression missions into the larger air war.

Large sections of the book, however, are given over to dry Wikipedia-style explanations of the Vietnam war itself, focusing on high-level political and military decision-making at home, and these parts of the book are slow going. I perked up when Hampton slammed Strategic Air Command leadership and planning while describing the stupidly-conducted Linebacker II B-52 attacks on Hanoi during the last weeks of the war, but otherwise a lot of the background information seemed not only unessential to the story Hampton was trying to tell, but a distraction from it.

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hunter Killers by Dan Hampton, a good mixture of technical data, history lesson & snippets of heart pounding air combat. The Vietnam air war and its struggle with then the new surface to air radar guided anti aircraft Russian missile technology that gave America a bloody nose. Nothing like pressure to think outside the box, the professionalism shown by aircrews under trying circumstances was outstanding as may young pilots lost their lives or spent years being hungry forgotten and forsaken in crude prisons.
Young men are driven by glory and honor without realising fear and quick deaths is its constant ghostly companion, old men who hold power exploit this driven in their single belief of world security which involves dominating all the worlds regions totally and forever more.
Dan Hampton style is heart pounding gripping engaging like any great fiction story teller but its not its non fiction and it happened.





own 2015 Ascalon published Harper Collins license.

[☘Misericordia☘ ⚡ϟ⚡⛈⚡☁ ❇️❤❣ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A spunky read about a rather unfortunate, if not outright shameful page of world history. The aviator part is really entertaining. The ethical - goash, no! Why would any grown up people ever consider participating in a war? Any war? Of any kind? Especially a purposless and even lawless one? Weird motivation, to put it mildly.

I'd get it if there was a very good reason for that war, like maybe being attacked and having to protect your home. But that was seriously skewed idea that they kept following.

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found myself conflicted on what sort of rating to give this book. On the plus side the author does know his subject, or at least from what little I know of military aircraft he does. On the negative side the book is very poorly written from a narrative point of view. Its as if he spent all of his time and effort gathering his sources but very little finding a way to wrap them together into a coherent story.

The other problem that I had with this book is that it is only partly a story of the wild weasel pilots and missions during the Vietnam War; it is also another of the many "why we lost the war" books, or how the troops were never allowed to fight to win due to political considerations. This may be true, but that is not what the book was advertised as, and it felt a bit to me like a game of bait and switch.

Being a military veteran myself I am inclined to feel some connection to the story of the service of any American military vet, which is why I gave this book three stars instead of two.

[Jesper Jorgensen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although well written the book is too much Vietnam War history and too little Wild Weasel history/tech

[Michael Burnam-Fink · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You Gotta Be Shitting Me!" was what one Wild Weasel uttered when he was informed of his mission, dueling the sophisticated SA-2 missile systems that ringed Hanoi so that strike packages could do their work. The Weasels suffered a 50% loss rate from Rolling Thunder through Linebacker II, evolving tactics and technology to stay ahead of the Vietnamese air defense system.

There are some bits that really work, like the opening narration from the NVA/Soviet point of view, on the complex technical process of dialing in an SA-2 (which you can follow along at home). And a few of the combat narratives come together, the frantic efforts to sort out the beeps and buzzes of experimental threat indicator scopes and spot a SAM site before it locks on and kills you. But the rest of the book is an uneasy mash of war stories, a second-hand history of the Vietnam War with a strongly revisionist bent, and not much analysis of the unique mission of the Weasels, or how they did it.

Hampton is pretty good at writing aviation fiction, but he should stay away from history. The best that I can say is that at $2, this is a lot more accessible than Col. Rock's First In, Last Out, and it is not painfully dry like reading a late 60s electronics manual.

[Vojtech · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found it hard to like this book. At first I thought it would be about the history of the Weasels all the way to modern age, but in the end it is mostly a book about the Vietnam war. My mistake. I can totally understand that this might be great for some, but my interest isn't so much in Vietnam-era aviation. Large passages of the book then are some quite chaotic descriptions of aerial combat situations, which were difficult to imagine and appreciate. I am not even sure how much of that is just pure fiction and how much is factually accurate. I just could not enjoy this book and was glad when it was over.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent read. The author has skilfully crafted a book that covers the development of tactics to counter the new surface to air missile threat in Vietnam, along with the overarching strategic and political environment in which the US military forces operated in. For those who purely wanted a 'flying' book, the political focus may be an encumbrance, but for readers who want to develop a greater understanding of the environment these brave operators flew in, this book is excellent. Hard book to put down, I kept on thinking 'just one chapter more, than I'll put it down'. 4.5 stars.

[Rob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good read. I wish the last few pages would’ve been the first few pages as it would of setup the back story of Vietnam and it’s past occupation by French, Japanese and Chinese armies. But it’s not too big of a deal.
The author does a great job (as a former fighter pilot) of putting the reader in the cockpit of a Wild Weasel. He describes the sights, sounds and smells vividly and I enjoyed the parts where he gives the reader a first person view into a mission.
If you enjoy books about air combat it’s worth the read.

[Jack Combs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written, just too technical for me. The heroism and cutting edge technology shines through.

[Cropredy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only partly what I was expecting.. If you see the title, you expect the book to be about the Vietnam era "Wild Weasels" who flew SAM suppression missions with, compared to modern weaponry, rudimentary electronic warfare gear and not particularly effective anti-missile stand off weapons.

The book alternates chapters between the background/history of the Vietnam War and the actual first-hand mission accounts by the pilots and electronic warfare officers (EWOs). Some of these accounts came from crew that survived, others from crews that were shot down but who survived captivity.

The author is an actual pilot who flew Weasel missions in the post Vietnam years. As such, he easily puts you in the cockpit seats as SA-2 surface-to-air missile radio emissions and related tracking systems paint the USAF F-100s, F-105s and F-4s while the airmen tried to triangulate the SAM's position before they launched (and sometimes after they launched). Lots of high-G maneuvers and calm chatter between pilot and EWO; or pilot and tankers/search-and-rescue missions, or eye-in-the-sky command-and-control aircraft.

There's tons of jargon and more details than most people would want to know about various EW detection gear, countermeasure gear, and offensive weapons. But it all boiled down to verisimilitude and these chapters were page turners.

Because the book spans Weasel missions from 1964-1972, the author felt compelled to put the USAF air war into context. Hence you get the alternating chapters that cover each phase of the Vietnam ground war and how air operations over North Vietnam fitted in. There's a fair bit of the political/negotiation history as well. It were these chapters that were unexpected, especially as Hampton has a clear point of view that the war was mishandled and he lets the reader know about it (not that I would disagree). However, I felt this was much more detailed and comprehensive than belonged in a book titled as it is. (Example: detailed descriptions of VC commando raids on Saigon during the Tet Offensive)

There was extraordinary bravery on the part of the Weasel crews who needed 100 missions over North Vietnam before their tour was over. Lots of Weasels were shot down but they proved their effectiveness in SA-2 suppression as it took more missiles to shoot down a US fixed wing aircraft over time. Don't get the impression that the Weasels were wonder weapons such as we used against the Iraqis in the Gulf War or Desert Storm. Over the course of the Vietnam War, 1,600+ USAF fixed wing aircraft were lost (to all causes).

Several photos and a few not-very-good maps. Many place names in the book are not referenced on the maps (printed in dark grey with dark letters). Several appendices.

Read this if you like first hand accounts of dangerous air missions and don't mind all the editorialized Vietnam War background history. Check out When Thunder Rolled: An F-105 Pilot over North Vietnam for a personal account of an F-105 pilot who flew his 100 missions over North Vietnam.

[Drew Zagorski · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book a day after my father-in-law passed away. He was a Navy top gun during the late 50s and early 60s, so it was a nod to his service and to get more of a feel for what it was like in the cockpit. He didn't share too much about that time. Anyway, this book was fantastic! Hampton takes us into the cockpit with the crews of the Wild Weasels, the flyers that were tasked with identifying and taking out radar and missile bases during the Vietnam conflict. An exhilarating and harrowing ride to say the least. My only issue with the book is that the author did go a little into the weeds from time to time as a way of laying the background out. Necessary I suppose, but I wish he pushed through those parts of the story. All in all a great read for lovers of history.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

About a year ago I thought it would be fun to to make a few model plane kits. Now here we are, reading about the brave men who flew over Vietnam, and the cat and mouse struggle between evolving technologies and tactics. This book, is particularly focused on the struggle between nascent surface to air missile technology and the planes that developed to counter and turn the tables on that threat. I have a layman's interest in the technology at play and I think I understood the descriptions of the missiles, planes and various tracking devices. The personal stories of the pilots and missions are compelling and tactfully told. All in all a fine read.

[doowopapocalypse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Would have been better served by staying on topic. At least a third of the book is background, why we were in Vietnam, the political atmosphere as the author sees it at home, etc. I don’t really see how the author’s opinion on the Black Panthers has anything to do with SAM-hunts.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanted to read this book since the day it was released, but it took several years before had a chance. And I was not disappointed; it was worth the wait.
Hampton was a Wild Weasel himself (though flying F-16s in modern wars), so he is eminently qualified to write a book on this topic. He obviously has a passion for this topic, too, as is evident by the tone of the book. Hampton does a very good job keeping the tone “readable” enough for a wide audience but also keeping it deep enough to be academic. He uses military designations and jargon but makes sure to explain them all.
The stories in the book are compelling and exciting. Hampton uses real-life missions to explain how the Wild Weasels fought this aspect of the war. He starts from the very beginning of the war (from the first time an American plane is downed by a SAM) all the way through to the end of the hostilities. Interspersed throughout these stories, he gives background information in the ground war in Vietnam and the politics in the US; rather than draw away from the Wild Weasel aspect of the war, it helps to explain how and why the pilots flew and fought as they did.
Finally, I really liked how the stories Hampton included were those of actual pilots. He used real missions as case studies for Wild Weasel missions, and he included what happened to many of the pilots after their “story” was finished. This style of writing helped to “humanize” the war and remind the reader that these stories were about real people.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone studying the Vietnam War or military aviation. I would also suggest reading Viper Pilot, another of Hampton’s books.

[John Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dan Hampton should definitely write historical novels. This history book, as in his previous one- "Lords of the Sky" follows the particular structure of back and forth between excellent dialogue/action sequences and history book facts and numbers. His book digresses frequently from the subject of the title and goes into more general Vietnam War information that at times I found a bit tedious. But by book's end I was glad he did as it saturated the aviator heroes into the context of their story, giving the reader a broader grasp of the conflict. The Hunter Killers is the story of the first Wild Weasels, a unique combat aviation team with the F-105 fighter jet consisting of a pilot-gunner,(the killer) and his EWO (electronic war officer), the hunter. Very good reading.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hampton’s book is a gripping and captivating account of the brave men who flew some of the most dangerous missions during the Vietnam War. Hampton should know as he also flew these missions with the next generation of combat Weasel pilot. The book follows the journey of the first Wild Weasels, a group of maverick aviators tasked with the dangerous mission of suppressing enemy air defenses in Vietnam. These pilots flew some of the most perilous missions of the war, facing intense anti-aircraft fire and risking their lives to protect their fellow pilots. Hampton’s writing is vivid and engaging, bringing to life the adrenaline-fueled missions and the camaraderie of the men who flew them. He delves deep into the personal stories of these brave pilots, exploring their fears, triumphs, and tragedies as they navigated the deadly skies of Vietnam. One of the most compelling aspects of “The Hunter Killers” is Hampton’s ability to convey the sheer intensity and danger of the missions these men flew. From dodging surface-to-air missiles to facing off against enemy fighter jets, the book is a heart-pounding account of the courage and skill of these aviators. In addition to the thrilling aerial combat scenes, Hampton also delves into the politics and strategy behind the Wild Weasels’ missions. He provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by these pilots, both in the air and on the ground, as they worked to suppress enemy air defenses and protect their fellow soldiers. Overall, “The Hunter Killers” is a must-read for anyone interested in military history or combat aviation. In conclusion, “The Hunter Killers” is a powerful and poignant tribute to the brave men who risked their lives in the skies of Vietnam. Hampton’s book is a testament to the courage and sacrifice of these maverick aviators, and a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Vietnam War.

[Roy Szweda · Rating 4 out of 5]

An xmas pressie I read in a month. Have read numerous other accounts and even met an ex-Weasel pilot, one Larry Funk who I have yet to read about. Wish I had made notes about what he told me but it was 30 years ago, hope he is still with us, a remarkable man just like all those bravest of aircrew who for the first time in the history of air combat took on radar-directed air defences.
This book is naturally an excellent read that moves at one hell of a pace as befits the intensity of that conflict. It is warts and all but you kind of expect that; these were men that faced dangers us armchair fans would never touch with a ten foot pole. I would have to say I take issue with the title's use of the word "maverick". Is this some cheap ploy to identify with Tom Cruise's fictional movie character? The guy I met was no maverick, as you might expect from a cross-country skiing champion superfit and mentally tough while being studious, reflective and dedicated to his work, his crew and his unit not to mention patriotic and righteous as to the mission. They had to be, to understand the complexity of the task, carry it out often in spite of rather than working with their superiors, against a constantly evolving threat, took special men.
Personally I was not quite so keen on the thread about the war such as the account of the Khe Sahn part. Peripheral to the remit I thought but I did learn a few things. Never mind my little niggle though, get this book and have your eyes and mind opened to the capabilities and successes of our men in the front line.

[Jwt Jan50 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Years ago I was sitting listening to an old Warrant Officer and ex Sea Wolf Huey driver discussing Vietnam. The Wild Weasels were mentioned in reverent tones. We have and have had some amazing men and women aviators. They have occasionally been sacrificed by our political leadership. There is a lot of negative press about Vietnam, and some of it rightly so. Yet, I don't see a major exodus to acquire Vietnamese, Chinese or Russian citizenship. I suspect most of Eastern Europe is not prepared to go back to a USSR occupation. There are men and women like the Wild Weasels on duty right now. The book is well written. Skim the technical stuff if it's not your forte. If you're a flyer, or ex flyer, there is some sweaty palm stuff here. I learned a fair amount about some of our policy decisions that were hard to believe given the sacrifices of the boots on the ground.

[Josh Liller · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't understand why this book has such high ratings both on Goodreads and Amazon. Mind you, it's not a terrible book. It just has a giant, gaping flaw big enough to fly a B-52 through: this book is a bait-and-switch, showing itself as one thing when it is actually two somewhat related books clumsily stapled together.

The title, subtitle, and the blurb on the inside of the dust jacket make it clear this book is about the Wild Weasels in the Vietnam War: pilots whose primary mission was to find and destroy radar sites and their associated surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). This is an excellent subject for a book. When the narrative is on-topic it's pretty good, including dramatic recreations of combat missions. The book not only tells the stories of some of the pilots, but also the development of the related technology and tactics. The background on the air war could have been expanded further.

Shoved into this is the author's history of the entire Vietnam War. The book goes off on long multipage tangents about the war itself with a great deal of information that has no real relevance to the book's titular subject. Some political context is certainly important such as explaining why the North Vietnamese had Russian SAMs and advisors, the limited Rules of Engagment, and the reasons for the changes to the air campaign. But this book goes far beyond that, without really having much new to say on the subject as far as I could tell. If the author wanted to write a history of the Vietnam War that's fine, but he should have done so as a separate book. Without doing an extensive page count it's hard to say how much of the book's 351 pages of main text are on topic vs off topic as they are so intermingled. At the very least the author could have alternated whole chapters, but doesn't even do that.

I'm not sure who is to blame for this mess. The Author Note gives a hint at what's to come, but not the scope. Perhaps more telling though is the very excessive use of footnotes. The fate of every last pilot mentioned as being shot down gets a footnote if it's not in the main text, as do more than few aircraft serial numbers. This is fine information, but should have been pushed off to an Appendix or Endnotes. My guess is that the detail-oriented author got himself too deep in the weeds in his research, lost sight of his target, and turned in a manuscript that the publishing company should have kicked back to him for a major rewrite but didn't, probably due to some publishing deadline.

Not recommended.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting history of Wild Weasels in the Vietnam war. This is told from the USAF point of view. It clearly describes the challenges facing the aircrews, making up tactics and testing cutting edge gear on the battlefield.

The best parts are the stories from the pilots when they fought SAMs and MiGs in North Vietnam. Here, the author is very detailed and has done the research to know what happened to every aircrew involved in a story. Even down to who a downed Navy flier was that a Weasel provided top cover for while the helicopter flew in.

The not so good parts are the chapters of historical background of how the USAF aircrews found themselves in this part of the world. It gets a bit preachy at times. I wanted more stories or how they solved the problems of SAMs.

[Rob Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about fighter pilots that was clearly written by a fighter pilot. Authentic is the label I would apply.

The book attempts to cover the entire USAF involvement in the Vietnam war, including diversions into root causes and political limitations.

While difficult to follow at times, the chapters walking through specific missions were very interesting nonetheless. You get a walk through everything that goes on, from the smells, to the glare, to the maneuvers, and the post mission celebration.

I was happy to have the mix of opinion, storytelling, and history that this book provided.

[Jason Reynolds · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting to see the development of the Wild Weasel program and technology. Not an easy read, even if you have a technical/military background. Only focused on USAF program, mentions of the USN platforms but nothing about their development.

A bit to much references to what was happening in politics!

Would really have liked to have learnt more about the development of the Shrike/HARM and the jamming devices. I think this book would have finished off really well if there had been a chapter or two dedicated to the Wild Weasel program as it is today. Given the author's background I think this was a real missed opportunity.

[Bexan · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging history of a key unit within the Vietnam War, although I do have some fundamental problems.
First, I am not sure if I agree with Dan Hampton's repeated assertion that the United States COULD have easily won the Vietnam War if they were not hampered by the Rules of Engagement laid out by the Pentagon. The United States waged a very brutal war at times in Vietnam and were unable to secure a victory.
I also wish that Hampton would have made a more effective usage of his citations. I know that this is not meant to be a highly detailed historical work, but I think stronger usages of citations are always essential to any work, no matter how seriously it takes himself

[Tom · Rating 2 out of 5]

This review is about expectations. I was expecting a book focusing on the Wild Weasels, and this is a book about the Vietnam War. If the title was more explicitly about the Vietnam War, it would be a higher rating. It's like 70/30 war to weasels. I was hoping for more battle stories, more on missile and tech development. And possibly some information on the Weasels in Gulf Storm.

Anyhow, it was all just a reminder about how terrible the Vietnam war was and the incompetence of the American political leadership that blundered everything continuously at the expense of a tremendous number of lives.

[Andy Marshall · Rating 3 out of 5]

Exceptionally well researched and bursting with technical details and personal insights that expertly conjures up what it must have been like to fly in one of those fighters over Vietnam.
Sadly the book itself is let down by a poor narrative, with occasional missions interspersed with the odd bit of commentary about how political interference undermined the efforts of America's Armed Forces in Vietnam. The pilots themselves sadly come across as flat 2 dimensional characters and not as the fully fleshed out individuals who flew (and died) in SE Asia.

[George]

This is a book about the first Wild Weasel Surface to Air Missile (SAM) killers in Vietnam. He's right, one cannot discuss "weaseling" by itself--it must be in context. That said, i think that he spent too much time on politics. His analysis is obviously researched from other fighter pilots and he gives their perspective on the politics and the fight. The cockpit "scenes" are right on and well done. There is considerable electronic jargon and technical talk--boring to some, but necessary to understand the Wild Weasel mission. Author's career post dates this era, so congrats on the research!

[David Sowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Dan Hampton’s books. Whether he writes about his own experiences or tackles an historical topic, he nails it down.

As a Vietnam aviator, I have the utmost regard for the Weasels both during their F105 years and later in the F16. Combat is always shaggy but deliberately getting yourself painted on radar so you can take out the command and control is practically suicidal. To do it you have to have complete confidence in your aircraft and your ability to execute the mission. Regardless of the uniform, I tip my hat to you.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dan’s work here was a fantastic comprehensive history of one of the Air Force’s most critical tactical combat programs. He did great work weaving the missions into the fabric of the Vietnam War, the context of the detailed individual missions was always clear from his descriptions, even when the prevailing political and strategic guidance that resulted in the missions being tasked were anything but clear.

The men Dan writes about trained the men and women who trained me to fly Wild Weasel missions. It was good to see the genesis and history of the lessons I’d been taught.

[Austin Folck · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re going in to this book with the expectation that it’s purely full of aviation stories and thrills, you’re going to be disappointed. While the book does have excellent stories and does a great job of explaining the electronic systems and their use in a new capacity, the author spent ALOT of time recapping the strategic politics surrounding the Vietnam War. The author did a great job of honoring those lost and ensuring their names are remembered, but a lot of the focus was on the politics, often supercharged with opinion separate from what I anticipated to be a book full of stories.