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100 Missions North: A Fighter Pilot's Story of the Vietnam War
In 100 Missions North , Ken Bell recounts the harrowing sorties that he and his comrades flew in F-105 Thunderchiefs, the famous "Thud", in 1966-67, when pilots faced a 50 percent loss rate. What was it like to face these odds day after day? We learn that men sustained by faith in each other and joined by the unique bonds of combat can overcome anxiety, fear, and even terror to achieve common goals.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 18, 2021
Great Vietnam memoir. Literally puts you in the cockpit.
April 7, 2011
I really, truly wanted to give this book 4 stars. I had a genuine like for the author and his story, and I do think it is a highly underrated book. I know it doesn't sound underrated with only 3 stars, but it is true. For me it had ebbs and flows. For ten pages it would be great, and then for ten pages it would be dull and too much daily life at Takhli airbase or running around to other bases and places. If the author had sliced some of this dull daily rigmarole from the book then I think that would make it a 4 star.
I chose this book expecting lots of juicy details of life in the cockpit of a F-105 over South East Asia during the Vietnam War, what I got was a bit of that but mostly, life on the ground in Thailand.
I learned a lot from Bell's story though. I learned about F-105's which was what I had wanted when I picked this book up. And I learned about Kenneth Bell, who was a humble man who took blame when he was due it, and never pumped himself up to be anything more than a simple man who flew F-105's the best he could.
I chose this book expecting lots of juicy details of life in the cockpit of a F-105 over South East Asia during the Vietnam War, what I got was a bit of that but mostly, life on the ground in Thailand.
I learned a lot from Bell's story though. I learned about F-105's which was what I had wanted when I picked this book up. And I learned about Kenneth Bell, who was a humble man who took blame when he was due it, and never pumped himself up to be anything more than a simple man who flew F-105's the best he could.
January 31, 2018
100 Missions North was gripping in that Bell was able to describe air battles so well. Bell was honest about his emotions which gives the reader an insight on how it was for Bell. There were times I felt I was in the cockpit with him. If you have enjoyed Jack Broughton or Ed Rasimus' books then 100 Missions is a good suggestion. Bell flew with Broughton and has a good take on him. This worth the read for anyone interested in the Vietnam Air War.
November 3, 2025
It seems to me as if stories about the U.S. foot soldier in Vietnam abound, but the Vietnam War was also a war Americans fought fiercely in the air. It stands to reason then that the chronicle of the F-105 fighter pilot, who flew many of the most harrowing missions and suffered the greatest losses, is one of the more significant, albeit under-appreciated, tales worthy of telling. As such, Ken Bell's 100 Missions North is an excellent place to dig in to the subject to appreciate a unique, by-gone perspective. Bell's first-hand account of the 100 missions he flew as a Thunderchief pilot over north Vietnam in 1966-67 provides a superb, three-dimensional picture of his life at Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base north of Bangkok, Thailand, one of two primary facilities for F-105s during the war. Aside from the fact that Bell was a major at the time and thus missed out on the opportunity to live dorm-style in a hooch with lower-ranking officers, his story in many ways typifies the life of an F-105 pilot of this era. Although his is not the only first-hand account of the F-105 pilots' experience, it may be the most satisfying.
Thud Ridge, Jack Broughton's account of his tour, for instance, although essential as a piece of F-105 fighter pilot history, is not a straightforward chronological account of his experiences. Instead, Broughton picks and chooses subjects for each chapter, so although there is something of a running narrative, the text skips around a bit. Not a big problem but it can be confusing unless you've been a member of a fighter wing. Therefore, I would also say Broughton seems to be writing more to a limited audience, the fellow fighter pilot as well as the military enthusiast; hence, although a good book regarding its subject, Thud Ridge is more for those already with a base knowledge of air war and squadrons.
Another top-notch book but with a broader appeal than Thud Ridge is G.I. Basel's Pak Six. Basel's book is quite an enjoyable read. He turns a nice phrase, recounts interesting stories, and is easy to follow and understand. Basel also has a good sense of humor that helps the outsider appreciate the F-105 fighter pilot mentality. Why then is Pak Six not the first book to pick up on the F-105 pilot experience? Just this: length. Pak Six has about half as many pages as 100 Missions North. In spite of the fact that Basel's book was a pure pleasure to read, and I finished it in about two days, it nonetheless gets into and out of its subject too quickly. It's good to leave the reader wanting more, but I wanted much more.
It was after I read these two books that I came across 100 Missions North. Bell's book is the one I wished I'd picked up first. At 300 pages, it provides a detailed, nicely paced, chronological account of the 100 missions he flew. Although he doesn't literally account for all 100 missions, Bell presents the highlights of his most significant missions and discusses life outside the cockpit as well. Like Basel, he is easy to understand and can tell a good story, and like a seasoned writer, he is not embarrassed to confess his fears and mistakes while flying missions. Likewise, he provides honest observations about the world and people around him during his tour.
For anyone interested in this side of the Vietnam War, all three books are a must, and certainly, all three offer something unique that in total present a thorough picture of what it must have been like to be there, a subject of particular interest to me since my father was there too, but he's no longer around to recount his experiences. Of the group, 100 Missions North is the most well-rounded regarding its subject and is certainly a worthy place to begin getting a grasp of life inside the cockpit while flying bombing missions into a region reputed to be the most heavily defended in the history of warfare.
Thud Ridge, Jack Broughton's account of his tour, for instance, although essential as a piece of F-105 fighter pilot history, is not a straightforward chronological account of his experiences. Instead, Broughton picks and chooses subjects for each chapter, so although there is something of a running narrative, the text skips around a bit. Not a big problem but it can be confusing unless you've been a member of a fighter wing. Therefore, I would also say Broughton seems to be writing more to a limited audience, the fellow fighter pilot as well as the military enthusiast; hence, although a good book regarding its subject, Thud Ridge is more for those already with a base knowledge of air war and squadrons.
Another top-notch book but with a broader appeal than Thud Ridge is G.I. Basel's Pak Six. Basel's book is quite an enjoyable read. He turns a nice phrase, recounts interesting stories, and is easy to follow and understand. Basel also has a good sense of humor that helps the outsider appreciate the F-105 fighter pilot mentality. Why then is Pak Six not the first book to pick up on the F-105 pilot experience? Just this: length. Pak Six has about half as many pages as 100 Missions North. In spite of the fact that Basel's book was a pure pleasure to read, and I finished it in about two days, it nonetheless gets into and out of its subject too quickly. It's good to leave the reader wanting more, but I wanted much more.
It was after I read these two books that I came across 100 Missions North. Bell's book is the one I wished I'd picked up first. At 300 pages, it provides a detailed, nicely paced, chronological account of the 100 missions he flew. Although he doesn't literally account for all 100 missions, Bell presents the highlights of his most significant missions and discusses life outside the cockpit as well. Like Basel, he is easy to understand and can tell a good story, and like a seasoned writer, he is not embarrassed to confess his fears and mistakes while flying missions. Likewise, he provides honest observations about the world and people around him during his tour.
For anyone interested in this side of the Vietnam War, all three books are a must, and certainly, all three offer something unique that in total present a thorough picture of what it must have been like to be there, a subject of particular interest to me since my father was there too, but he's no longer around to recount his experiences. Of the group, 100 Missions North is the most well-rounded regarding its subject and is certainly a worthy place to begin getting a grasp of life inside the cockpit while flying bombing missions into a region reputed to be the most heavily defended in the history of warfare.
April 20, 2020
This is one of the most irreproachable - if not the most - on the actual predicaments of flying a high performance aircraft. The Author candidly shares his difficulties, fears and anxieties throughout his entire experience which makes for a very educated and forthright narrative where at times that I thought "Man, how does anyone pull something like this" at the start of a particular hairy excerpt the Author actually declares that very same state of mind, i.e., how he many times had to improvise and/or grit his teeth and hope for the best. The very matter-of-fact and plain honest way in which Ken Bell shares his ordeals and achievements make this book a very vivid and at times sort of puts you in the cockpit because of how tenable everything is described.
For this very same reason, at times the book is a bit like Tom Clancy's SSN where it's a cycle of lather, rinse, repeat in terms of the mission descriptions.
Other than that I read this book right after the memoir of Robin Olds and their descriptions of both Ubon and Takhli, being in Thailand and the political mindset at the time is both very similar and each one adds color to the other's rendition.
Great book in general and I highly recommend it.
For this very same reason, at times the book is a bit like Tom Clancy's SSN where it's a cycle of lather, rinse, repeat in terms of the mission descriptions.
Other than that I read this book right after the memoir of Robin Olds and their descriptions of both Ubon and Takhli, being in Thailand and the political mindset at the time is both very similar and each one adds color to the other's rendition.
Great book in general and I highly recommend it.
July 21, 2023
The story of MAJ Bell and his experience with missions over North Vietnam flying the infamous Republic F-105 Thunderchief. As most know, this aircraft took the brunt of the north's AAA and SAM sites resulting in over 385 F-105's being shot down with their pilot either killed, missing action never to return or spend years in confinement.
This is the story of the men who flew knowing full well the odds were against them from their 100 mission metric for returning home. I might add the 100 missions did not include interdiction missions in Laos or in South Vietnam. Think for a moment knowing full well the odds of survival were dim, yet these men stood against the odds to "do their duty". Most knowing the limited bombing of the north with Hanoi and the shipping harbors were off limites..and the fact, they could not attack MIG bases with aircraft on the ground until some three years after the commencement of Operation Rolling Thunder. Brave men do! Think you will enjoy! And, lastly..this writer is from Manhattan Beach and spent his 21st at Poncho's Cantina. Ole! 05/11A US Army
This is the story of the men who flew knowing full well the odds were against them from their 100 mission metric for returning home. I might add the 100 missions did not include interdiction missions in Laos or in South Vietnam. Think for a moment knowing full well the odds of survival were dim, yet these men stood against the odds to "do their duty". Most knowing the limited bombing of the north with Hanoi and the shipping harbors were off limites..and the fact, they could not attack MIG bases with aircraft on the ground until some three years after the commencement of Operation Rolling Thunder. Brave men do! Think you will enjoy! And, lastly..this writer is from Manhattan Beach and spent his 21st at Poncho's Cantina. Ole! 05/11A US Army
March 16, 2022
Great memoir by a fighter pilot who earned the 100-mission Thud patch. I found General Bell's honesty in the failures and successes over North Vietnam to be refreshing. While the stereotype of a fighter pilot is perfect calm in the midst of the battle, General Bell shows that fighter pilots are a much more complicated breed. They are also human.
September 23, 2018
I enjoyed Ken Bell's 100 Missions North: A Fighter Pilot's Story of the Vietnam War mostly because I liked the author's humility in recounting his nine month tour of duty flying combat missions over North Vietnam. I am a fan of Vietnam war memoirs and have read several, everything from Philip Caputo's A Rumor of War to Nicolas Warr's Phase Line Green to Robert McNamara's In Retrospect: The Tragedy and Lessons of Vietnam. Bell's does a good job of conveying the mixture of tedium and abject fear/courage in being on the "pointy end of the spear" of American foreign policy. Given Bell's technical nature, this book maybe more appealing to those devotees of the F-105 Thunderchief or airwar tactics circa 1967.
March 18, 2015
It is - and always will be - impossible for me to really understand how it was to got on a mission to Hanoi and route package VI A. So all I can relate to is how these pilots stories are presented. And Mr. Bells account on his 100 missions against North Vietnam do not get the same grip on me as e.g. Ed Rasimus and Jack Broughton. (For various reasons) But it still amazes me that pilots went in there at all. But it must be a tribute to the discipline and strong sense of duty an honor held by the pilots of the USAF.
April 7, 2011
A decent read and look into flying F-105's in during the Vietnam War. The book for me was missing that wow factor that puts you right into the cockpit with the pilot.
September 4, 2019
Reads like the diary it probably was. Good recount of a 105 pilot and his missions over North Vietnam.
September 23, 2013
Very interesting especially since my husband and I were at Takhli just a few years later.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews