Redeye Fulda Cold

by Bill Fortin

Redeye Fulda Cold by Bill Fortin is a different type of war novel. This piece of history is set in 1969 West Germany. The reality of what happened in the Cold War on the border between the opposing forces of East and West makes this a great read; it's an important part of our military history.

Rick Fontain, the main character, is found just out of high school working for Bell Systems when he is summoned by his friends and neighbors. During his induction into the US Army he is given an aptitude test. The test results change the path of his life forever. He is encouraged to become an officer but the extra time, in addition to his two years, is a no go for Rick. He opts for training on the Redeye, the first ever hand held surface to air missile system designed for close combat for the infantry. What Rick doesn't know is that he is being watched from afar. His progress is being scrutinized and he is being evaluated for recruitment into the CIA.

The style of the author, Fortin, is written in the first person. We travel with Bill on a journey that follows the army life of Rick though short snippets of his, at times, humorous and MASH-like journey. The style of headers detailing the timeframe of where and when things were taking place are unique and are always appreciated by the reader always pushing to find out where and when what would happen next.

His journey from boot camp continues when he is stationed near the Fulda Gap. Not a well known place, but its stragetic position to the free world was an important post that kept Europe safe during those tense 30 plus years.

Rick and his team would become one of the greatest deterrents to an invasion from Mother Russia. Fortin brings all the key elements together to make a fabulous mystery; intrigue; love; suspense; bravery and reality. It is a snap shot in history back to when the world was at the brink. Redeye Fulda Cold is a historical expression of our military tradition. The story ends leaving the reader wanting to see a sequel novel to find out where Rick goes next.

Author Bill Fortin has deftly combined fictional characters and people he served with in the United States Army to recount some important but little-known events during the Cold War. His story takes the reader to the people and places of the late 1960s European Military Community and a series of carefully crafted CIA military operations designed to thwart a possible Russian invasion through the infamous Fulda Gap.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Military Fiction

462 pages, ebook

First published February 10, 2013

About the author

Bill Fortin, a native of Baltimore, Md., retired from Bell Labs in 2001 has served in the United States Army, 3rd Armor Division, from April 1968 to April 1970. Currently he is CEO of IBS Inc., specializing in International Marketing and Systems Engineering. Fortin holds a Master Degree in the Management Sciences from the University of Baltimore. He and his wife, Judy, reside in Westminster, Md.

Reviews

[Píaras Cíonnaoíth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable military thriller...

Author Bill Fortin weaves an enjoyable military thriller with intriguing twists and turns that will easily captivate the reader’s attention from the beginning. The author paints a dramatic and riveting cold war military adventure thriller in a very vivid and convincing way. In addition, the characters are drawn with great credibility and conviction. It’s a relatively fast-paced, funny and entertaining novel that will keep you engaged from the first page to the last.

I enjoyed the story, character development, and dialogue. There were plenty of plot twists that I didn’t see coming and that added to the book’s mystique. When I stopped reading to work, I found myself wondering what happened in the book, and replaying parts of the novel in my head to see if I could figure more out. It has been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. It’s a first-class military thriller with perfect pacing. Not much is as it appears here, which is just the way fans of thriller and suspense will want it. It's a solid thriller that benefits substantially from a raft of better-than-average elements.

I’ll be looking forward to reading more from this series in the future. If you’re a fan of military adventure thrillers you'll enjoy this book.

[Kim Kerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read.

As a former US Army soldier stationed in Germany in the 1980s, there were a lot of familiar locations. Highly recommended for those that served during the Cold War in West Germany.

[Mike Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very enjoyable book based in the Cold War of the late 60's at the same time as U.S. involvement in Vietnam. If you like the Brotherhood of War series by W.E.B. Griffin then you will really enjoy the down to earth characters and plot. I enjoyed the footnotes as much as the writing. Anyone with relatives who served in the Fulda Gap will find those stories coming to life in this work. I recommend it and look forward to more.

[Robert Enzenauer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I really liked this book. And, I was introduced to Book #2 first, so came back to REDEYE FULDA GOLD after having just finished STINGER. It is not often that I find an author that I give a five-star review to a first book by a "new" author. But I think that this author's first fiction effort is so well-received is simple - Bill Fortin had a long life experience before sitting down to write HIS story. This book will be especially interesting for any readers who either lived through the cold war, or want to find out what their father or uncles was talking about "defending the Fulda Gap" while most non-military families only saw Vietnam on the evening news. This author writes very descriptive pictures of the beautiful scenes of Cold War Germany. And the author's personal military experience makes the dialogue sound so real and true to life. And the hero of the story is enough of a wise-guy, and the sense of humor of the author comes through clearly. And I also like his date-time-place stamp as the scenes move from place to place within a chapter. This author does a very good job with a first-person narrative, which can be hard to pull off. Just like the Stinger missiles in Afghanistan, Fortin's description of the Redeye missiles in Germany, explained how our poor soldiers were trained to defend the Fulda Gap, knowing that IF the Russians "came across", they most certainly would be overrun. I hope that this author has a long and productive life, like WEB Griffin. And with the "new" saber-rattling of Putin and present-day Russia, it is worth looking back to what young US soldiers faced in the late 1960's. Well researched and meticulously sourced. This book moves very fast, and is very hard to put down. (Fortunately I just had a total knee replacement, so was able to read without interruption.) I agree with one reader who said that the book "read like a diary." For me, that's not a bad thing. Strong work Bill Fortin. Keep up the good work,.

[Toni · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

1969 - Everyone is focused on the war in Vietnam. What we do not focus on is the Cold War with Russia at the same time. Follow Rick Fontain through his military career that sends him to Germany to fight the Russian drones with the newest military weapon - Red Eye Missiles.

Written in first person, Fortin had an unusual style of writing; it took some time for me to get the hang of it, but once I did, the story had more of a flow. The story was told in what I thought were short vignettes or chapters so to speak. It was easier for me to read if I almost pictured Rick Fontain sitting across from me telling his story.

Redeye gave lots of history about this incident during the Cold War with Russia and gave an excellent picture of the Army in the 60s. As this takes place during the height of the Vietnam War, it was a little publicized military effort that I knew nothing about.

Fortin's inserted dry humor throughout was nuch needed to break up the serious-ness of the story. AND the romance factor added to making Rick much more human spirited.

I will admit that there were times in the book that I couldn't quite follow or understand. The high use of acronyms (much used by all military but not by me) was difficult to keep straight even with all of the footnotes.

All in all, Rich was shown as a well-respected, well liked character who did well and much in his short military career. The story did little to hide that there would be a sequel to Redeye. Read on!

[Thomas Lennek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I won this on Goodreads, and was very pleased. This Vietnam era thriller is set during the Cold War in Germany in 1969-70. The plot follows a US Army draftee through basic and advanced training and deployment to Germany. Due to high vocational test scores he has options and ends up as a Redeye anti-aircraft missile gunner. (Unlike my high school friend, Ken, who was drafted after being sent home from Boston College as a sophomore due to illness whose tests qualified as a rifleman, voice radio operator and medic - 100%, 100% and 70% sent to Vietnam. Ken became a medic and was sent to Vietnam) The training experiences seemed very detailed and realistic, as do the various exercises and depictions of the enlisted and officers of the era. This is a "nuts and bolts" story in the form of a memoir - complete with pen & ink drawings of equipment, aircraft, and vehicles for those who "missed the late 60's to early mid- 70's Army experience." Read this book for an interesting take on that time period, you should enjoy it if you lived it, or if your parents and/or grandparents went through it. The difference between our professional volunteer Army and the draftees of that era is astounding.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

West Germany, 1969. The Redeye weapon system is finally functionable and is deployed to the 3rd Armored Division of the US Army. Rick Fontain is freshly drafted out of high school and assigned to the 3rd Division. He has a high aptitude score, high enough to catch the eye of the CIA who in turn draft him into their maneuvers. Along with the rest of the 3rd Division, Rick must execute the CIA missions in order to thwart a USSR-led Russian invasion to the rest of Europe.
While enjoyable, I feel compelled to point out this was less of a thriller and more of a military battle story for me. As a former USAF member, there are also plenty of funny moments that would never happen in real life. The author plainly took many liberties with how the chain of command works, the rank structure and more. This is not a negative mark per se, its just something to keep in mind, that it is not a factual novel. This is clearly fictional.

[Michael Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book turned out differently than what I expected. In short, I expected a plot. Instead, the narrative provides more of a historical event driven accounting of events. Most authors tell you the sequence of events by saying, "On such and such date at noon, blah blah happened. That evening, shortly before dark, blah blah occurred." Fortin uses the unusual method of accounting for time through headings. It was puzzling to me as I read through his work what the significance of all the headings were about. It is common for most authors' characters to have some flaws, but Fortin's Rick Fontain practically walked on water. Not only did he walk on water, the characters superior to him were constantly telling him how exceptionally good he was. All in all, it gave the story an unreal feel. As a veteran of the cold war myself, my service was filled with mind deadening boredom and boring tasks briefly interrupted by moments of sheer terror. Perhaps the difference is between the settings. Mine was the playground of Red October rather than the fields and forests of central Germany. But I think not. If you served in Europe during the late sixties/early seventies, you may enjoy some of the references and familiar scenes noted in this book. Otherwise, I do not strongly recommend it.

[Pegboard · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the beginning, Redeye Fulda Cold: A Cold War Military Adventure Thriller will hold your attention as Bill Fortin tells a colorful story. In the year 1969, while most Americans were taking sides over the appropriate stand in the Vietnam War, there was another war silently brewing. The Cold War hosted a political battle that could have been extremely deadly if not defused. We dared not to show any weakness against the Soviet Union as we raced to develop weapons big enough to defend our country.

I enjoyed Redeye Fulda Cold by Bill Fortin. He has a way of placing you within his story, you feel as victorious as he did. This book is well written and gives you a personal view of troubling times in our world. This is a book any war fanatic would enjoy.

[Rick Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well written

I also served in the 3AD. From 1/79-12/80. This story was believable and brought back a few great and not so great memories. I really enjoyed the humor. I especially like the quote: ““Years from now, when someone asks you what you did in the military, you will tell them that you stood on the brink and successfully defended Western Europe from invasion by the Russian communists. And you will go on to tell them that no blood was shed because you were here.”. That was the Cold War.

[Beverly Duckworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of Redeye Fulda Cold: COLD WAR SERIES

I won this book from Goodreads after reading I am to review. This is the first in the COLD WAR SERIERS. This book was very interesting about what was happening in Eastern Europe between Russia and the free world. This book is about the missions and the training using the Redeye.

[Kip Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating read

I thought from time to time will reading that this was non fiction. Great up close look at the Cold War and what it took to keep it cold. Very engaging main character. I enjoyed this more than anything I have read recently.

[Richard C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

Brings back so many memories, as I was there in most of those areas in 1958-60 as a company clerk, battalion clerk, and personnel specialist with a combat engineer battalion HHC.

[Kimberly Griffith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Giveaway Winner

Very good for a new writer. The footnotes were very distracting for me and made it harder to read. Mostly in 1st person it would occasionally shift to third which was jarring

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and interesting, an odd combo for a military read but there it is. A very few off-color words but the names of some places, tools or people have that in them in the military. :) A pleasant read and equally so for the listen due (with kudos) for the narrator.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome first book, great humor and lively text.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brought back memories of a youth spent in the Gap. Good read.

[Bob Hurt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unrealistic. No real plot or story line.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Serious but made me laugh out loud too.

[Nicole]

Another pre-review--Thank you Goodreads for awarding me this book in a Giveaway. My summer break begins in two and a half weeks and I'm psyched to start reading.

[Janet McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed the humor of the author

The book gives a.good look at the military during the Cold War. The book would have berm boring if it wasn't for the humorous writing.

[Lawrence A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

These are very good books ! well written, witty, true to form.
As a veteran, I enjoyed them immensely.
This author is good !
Thanks !

[Martin Burrows · Rating 2 out of 5]

I decided to read this book, because the topic was the US Army in Germany during the Cold war, specifically late 60's and early 70's which is the time and place where I served. If you served there during this time period, this book may bring back some memories, both good and not so good, however if you want to read and interesting or exciting novel, pass this one up. In fact I wouldn't really call this a novel at all, its more like a diary of one persons time in the army. It's a very thinly disguised story about the authors own experience in the military, which could be similar to thousand of others with the exception that he operated a very specific and uncommon weapon system, the Redeye missile. There is no real plot just an account of this one mans day to day activities, which were in reality pretty boring, with the exception of once getting struck by lighting. He also passes up no opportunity to describe how everyone he comes in contact thinks he his the greatest soldier they have ever seen. This book was a disappointment.

[P.R. Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I bought Redeye Fulda Cold: A Rick Fontain Novel, I was expecting something along the lines of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. I missed the mark on that.

Although Redeye is more military historical fiction than anything else, it's still entertaining reading. The novel takes place between 1968-1970 and covers the experiences of Rick Fontain, a special Army draftee during the Cold War. Rather than being a grunt in Vietnam, Fontain ends up in Germany, facing the potential Soviet threat. This experience doesn't receive much attention anymore, unfortunately.

My military service was in the Air Force during the early 1980s through the turn of the century, but there were moments while reading where I found myself shaking my head and thinking that it doesn't matter how many years apart and how different the branches of service, there are going to be painfully familiar experiences for any military member. Nailing those similar experiences made Redeye resonate for me, and that's a real credit to Fortin's writing.

There isn't much that can be discussed about the book without giving away spoilers best enjoyed during the reading. I think it’s safe to say the CIA plays a role and that some meaningful relationships are established over the course of the story. The writing is breezy and reads fast while still putting the reader in the moment with maps, photos, and effective descriptions. The characters are mostly revealed through snappy dialogue reminiscent of M.A.S.H. and other films from the 1960s. Once again, this shows how timeless experiences can be, as twenty years later, there were NCOs and officers I knew who were a lot like those Fortin presents here. It would be easy to imagine a book like this turned into a TV series, if only there were more interest in the period.

Kudos to Fortin for making what could have been a dull retelling of very important times into something so entertaining! Rick Fontain’s experiences don’t seem ready to end with Redeye’s conclusion!

[Topbookreviewers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"This novel is a winner. Redeye Fulda Cold by Bill Fortin is a different type of war novel. It’s real. What you will be reading happened in the Cold War during ‘68 and ’69 at the border between East and West Germany. It is not only a great novel; it’s an important part of military history. Rick Fontain, the main character, is working for Bell Systems in the USA when he is drafted. During the induction period he has to take an aptitude test. The test results change the path of his life forever. He is encouraged to become an officer but the extra time, in addition to his two years, is a no go for Rick. He opts for training on the Redeye, the first ever hand held surface to air missile system for the infantry. What Rick doesn’t know is that he is being watched from afar. His progress is being scrutinized and he is being tested.

I like the style of the author, Fortin. Written in the first person, we follow the army life of Rick though short snippets of his journey. It took me a few pages to get used to the style of headers detailing where and when things were taking place but then I became hungry to find out what would happen next to Rick and where.

His journey continues when he is stationed near the Fulda Gap. I had never heard of this place, but I now know how important it was to the safeguard of Europe during those tense years. Rick and his team would become one of the greatest deterrents to an invasion from Mother Russia. Fortin brings all the key elements together to make a fabulous story: mystery; intrigue; love; suspense; bravery and reality. It is a snap shot in history back to when the world was at the brink. Redeye Fulda Cold is a must read. I want to see a sequel novel to find out where Rick goes next." TBR-TopBookReviewers

[Catherine Putsche · Rating 5 out of 5]

“RedEye: Fulda Cold is a suspenseful, hard-hitting and astonishing piece of military history that is set in 1969 West Germany and explores the reality of what happened on the border between the conflicting forces of East and West that I knew very little about until now.” https://walkerputsche.wordpress.com/

Rick Fontain tells us about his exciting adventures through a first person narrative that allows the reader to travel with Rick from his initial induction into the army, following him on his journey where he and his team are stationed near the Fulda Gap to prevent an invasion or attack from Russia.

As a reader, I felt that I could connect easily with Rick on his incredible journey as he takes you by the hand and doesn’t let it go until the last page. Fortin does a remarkable job of describing the people and the landscape of the late 1960s, while throwing more light onto the tactics that the American military deployed to contain Russia in the Cold War. I certainly hope that this isn’t the last we have heard from Rick Fontain, and do hope that there is a sequel in the near future, as I cannot wait to read more of this young hero’s adventures and more of his infectious good humour.
Finally, I would also like to add that Fortin has put together a remarkably well written story with a vast amount of meticulous research and footnotes that detail the timeframe of when and where things take place. I found this to be tremendously helpful as it strengthened my understanding and added to my reading pleasure.

My Ranking: 5 Stars

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

RedEye: Fulda Cold is a fascinating, eye-opening story of the American military move to contain Russia during the Cold War in the late 1960s, when most American eyes were focused on Vietnam. Northern Germany was the scene of the military mission centering on Fulda Gap, and the very young Sergeant Rick Fontain’s experience there as Fire Team leader with RedEye, the surface-to-air missile, is told in short scenes, making the plot really easy to follow. There is a lot of detail—I was surprised, for example, to read about the use of drones in 1969—but always the story spins out in real-life scenes. It is clearly an army account, but the emphasis stays on “story.” Descriptions, of churches, towns, airplanes—all the scenes of the book—are so good we can “see” the places. Dialogue is snappy and real, and the whole military-tale book reads like a novel. I felt I got to know Rick Fontain, and look forward to meeting him in future historical novels. He has a freshness of view that makes the very tough Cold War story understandable. Extensive footnotes show the thorough research behind this book, and above all, it is so well written that I was always surprised to see how many pages had gone by. Read this to be entertained, but also to discover a successful and little-known war-front deployment that Americans are grateful for.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

RedEye: Fulda Cold is a fascinating, eye-opening story of the American military move to contain Russia during the Cold War in the late 1960s, when most American eyes were focused on Vietnam. Northern Germany was the scene of the military mission centering on Fulda Gap, and the very young Sergeant Rick Fontain’s experience there as Fire Team leader with RedEye, the surface-to-air missile, is told in short scenes, making the plot really easy to follow. There is a lot of detail—I was surprised, for example, to read about the use of drones in 1969—but always the story spins out in real-life scenes. It is clearly an army account, but the emphasis stays on “story.” Descriptions, of churches, towns, airplanes—all the scenes of the book—are so good we can “see” the places. Dialogue is snappy and real, and the whole military-tale book reads like a novel. I felt I got to know Rick Fontain, and look forward to meeting him in future historical novels. He has a freshness of view that makes the very tough Cold War story understandable. Extensive footnotes show the thorough research behind this book, and above all, it is so well written that I was always surprised to see how many pages had gone by. Read this to be entertained, but also to discover a successful and little-known war-front deployment that Americans are grateful for.

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Redye Fulda Cold" tells of another military adventure of the likable Bill Fortin who
served in the U.S. Army 3rd Armor Division from 1968 to 1970.

Fortin and his unit take part in a little known conflict pitted against an invasion force from Russia.

As a reader of military action stories, I've enjoyed a number of excellent military adventures.

After enjoying the singular accomplishments of Dewey Anderson in a modern day conflict against the Russian Mafia in "Independence Day," then read of Scott Harvath in action in the Republic of Congo in "Code of Conduct."

"Redeye Fulda Cold" provides a good change of pace for the reader of military adventure who enjoys action in the 1960s to 1970. As I was in active service from 1967-1970, I felt something in common with the solciers in this story. I tried to imagine myself in the same circumstances as Fortin and wondered how I would have acted.

The story is described realistically and was an enjoyable read.

[Scott Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was OK. There were (Kindle edition) a LOT of typos/misspellings. Some made me laugh (.38 S&M revolver? Snort) but after a while they got old. The idea is interesting, but I'm not sure the author has found his voice. In many ways, it seems a pastiche of WEB Griffin's work, but in first person.

Not bad, although it got tedious about halfway through, and I had to force myself to finish it. I doubt I'll try any more of these.