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Coyote Recon: The Forgotten Wars of Colonel Jay D. Vanderpool
When the rules of battle failed, he wrote his own...
On December 7, 1941, Lieutenant Jay D. Vanderpool awoke to the sound of Japanese bombs falling on Pearl Harbor. By nightfall, he was digging trenches along the beaches of Oahu, preparing for a Japanese invasion.
But Pearl Harbor was only the beginning.
Within two years, Vanderpool was fighting through the jungles of the South Pacific, surviving brutal combat on Guadalcanal and New Georgia.
Then, he volunteered for a mission few men would A top-secret submarine insertion into the Japanese-occupied Philippines.
Operating deep behind enemy lines, Vanderpool linked up with Allied guerrillas in southern Luzon and helped coordinate their operations with the 11th Airborne Division—supporting the daring raid that freed prisoners from the infamous Los Baños Prison Camp.
But his story didn’t end with World War II. During the Korean War, Vanderpool commanded UN guerrilla forces behind North Korean lines while championing a revolutionary Helicopters as ground-attack weapons and troop transports.
That vision would help shape the US Army’s future airmobile (air assault) doctrine.
Like the proverbial “coyotes” who slip unseen across international borders, Jay Vanderpool built his legacy running soldiers and guerrillas behind enemy lines.
Inside Coyote Recon, you'll
• A Pearl Harbor survivor who became a guerrilla warfare pioneer
• The submarine mission that inserted him into Japanese-held Philippines
• The Allied guerrilla campaign in Luzon
• The dramatic liberation of Los Baños Prison Camp
• The birth of U.S. Army helicopter warfare
• The secret war of UN guerrillas in Korea
Coyote Recon is the remarkable true story of a soldier who helped shape the modern battlefield.
On December 7, 1941, Lieutenant Jay D. Vanderpool awoke to the sound of Japanese bombs falling on Pearl Harbor. By nightfall, he was digging trenches along the beaches of Oahu, preparing for a Japanese invasion.
But Pearl Harbor was only the beginning.
Within two years, Vanderpool was fighting through the jungles of the South Pacific, surviving brutal combat on Guadalcanal and New Georgia.
Then, he volunteered for a mission few men would A top-secret submarine insertion into the Japanese-occupied Philippines.
Operating deep behind enemy lines, Vanderpool linked up with Allied guerrillas in southern Luzon and helped coordinate their operations with the 11th Airborne Division—supporting the daring raid that freed prisoners from the infamous Los Baños Prison Camp.
But his story didn’t end with World War II. During the Korean War, Vanderpool commanded UN guerrilla forces behind North Korean lines while championing a revolutionary Helicopters as ground-attack weapons and troop transports.
That vision would help shape the US Army’s future airmobile (air assault) doctrine.
Like the proverbial “coyotes” who slip unseen across international borders, Jay Vanderpool built his legacy running soldiers and guerrillas behind enemy lines.
Inside Coyote Recon, you'll
• A Pearl Harbor survivor who became a guerrilla warfare pioneer
• The submarine mission that inserted him into Japanese-held Philippines
• The Allied guerrilla campaign in Luzon
• The dramatic liberation of Los Baños Prison Camp
• The birth of U.S. Army helicopter warfare
• The secret war of UN guerrillas in Korea
Coyote Recon is the remarkable true story of a soldier who helped shape the modern battlefield.
225 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 27, 2022
About the author
Mike Guardia
35 books130 followersMike Guardia is an internationally recognized author and military historian. A veteran of the United States Army, he served six years on active duty as an Armor Officer. He is the author of the widely-acclaimed "Hal Moore: A Soldier Once...and Always," the first-ever biography chronicling the life of LTG Harold G. Moore, whose battlefield leadership was popularized by the film "We Were Soldiers," starring Mel Gibson.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
He has twice been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation's Distinguished Book Award and is an active member of the Military Writers Society of America.
As a speaker, he hosts the lecture series "Hal Moore: Lessons in Leadership," which is available for presentation at schools, businesses, and civic organizations worldwide. Mike Guardia has given presentations at the US Special Operations Command and the International Spy Museum. His work has been reviewed in the Washington Times, Armchair General, ARMY Magazine, DefenceWeb South Africa, and Miniature Wargames UK.
He holds a BA and MA in American History from the University of Houston. He currently lives in Texas.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 24, 2022
This story is about Colonel Jay D. Vanderpool, an enlisted army soldier who fought during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The story follows Colonel Vanderpool from childhood to his years in the army and retirement. This book is written somewhat biographical but includes quite a lot of historical facts and events from the author.
Colonel Vanderpool’s childhood was difficult. He became an orphan at some point and really had to work hard to survive during the Great Depression. Getting enlisted was probably the wisest decision he made for himself. It helped him learn new skills and moved him up in rank, eventually landing him the position of Colonel. He fought in three wars during his time and through it all he was very heroic, doing what was asked of him, and using his own knowledge and skills to do his job well.
What I enjoyed about this story is that I learned about an ordinary soldier’s life, yet he wasn’t ordinary in any sense. Without him and others like him, the U.S. would not be what it is today. I also immensely enjoyed learning the historical facts. These were things I didn’t learn in school and at university, or was just taught the minimal. It was a breath of fresh air to learn more specific details about how and why certain things happened the way they did. For instance, the situation with Pearl Harbor. I don’t want to give any information out (because I think everyone should read this book) but I didn’t realize the timing of FDR’s decision to enter the war and the bombing happened differently than what I’d learned. That was an eye-opener.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in American history and learning about the importance of our soldiers and the military.
Colonel Vanderpool’s childhood was difficult. He became an orphan at some point and really had to work hard to survive during the Great Depression. Getting enlisted was probably the wisest decision he made for himself. It helped him learn new skills and moved him up in rank, eventually landing him the position of Colonel. He fought in three wars during his time and through it all he was very heroic, doing what was asked of him, and using his own knowledge and skills to do his job well.
What I enjoyed about this story is that I learned about an ordinary soldier’s life, yet he wasn’t ordinary in any sense. Without him and others like him, the U.S. would not be what it is today. I also immensely enjoyed learning the historical facts. These were things I didn’t learn in school and at university, or was just taught the minimal. It was a breath of fresh air to learn more specific details about how and why certain things happened the way they did. For instance, the situation with Pearl Harbor. I don’t want to give any information out (because I think everyone should read this book) but I didn’t realize the timing of FDR’s decision to enter the war and the bombing happened differently than what I’d learned. That was an eye-opener.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read. I’d recommend it to anyone who’s interested in American history and learning about the importance of our soldiers and the military.
January 10, 2023
There is a multitude of unsung heroes in the armed forces. Coyote Recon: The Forgotten Wars of Jay D. Vanderpool is about a man from rural Oklahoma named Jay Vanderpool who used his natural abilities to succeed in the military during the twenty-first century. Author and military historian Mike Guardia brings to life a man who helped change the course of how we do battle in times of war.
Jay Dee Vanderpool left high school in his senior year and joined a Depression Era program called the Civilian Conservation Corps shortly after the loss of his mother. In 1936 he enlisted in the Army, beginning an unplanned thirty-year military career. Following his basic training graduation, he was assigned to the 8th Field Artillery Regiment quickly moving up the ranks after being selected to take Officer Candidate Training. Thus, moving forward with several distinguished assignments and honors before retiring as a Colonel.
Vanderpool’s most notable contribution to the armed forces was his devotion to developing armed helicopters used as attack aircraft. The Pentagon didn’t see promise in these helicopters, but Vanderpool made it his mission to see this independent project through. These helicopters, sometimes called air “gunships” are still used today.
Much of Jay Vanderpool’s success as a noncommissioned officer to becoming a commissioned officer was his diligence, negotiation skills, and sheer intuition. His legacy is honored well through this account of his life. The author provides readers with interesting history and facts that make Jay Vanderpool’s story worth sharing with those fascinated with military history or hoping to join the armed forces.
Jay Dee Vanderpool left high school in his senior year and joined a Depression Era program called the Civilian Conservation Corps shortly after the loss of his mother. In 1936 he enlisted in the Army, beginning an unplanned thirty-year military career. Following his basic training graduation, he was assigned to the 8th Field Artillery Regiment quickly moving up the ranks after being selected to take Officer Candidate Training. Thus, moving forward with several distinguished assignments and honors before retiring as a Colonel.
Vanderpool’s most notable contribution to the armed forces was his devotion to developing armed helicopters used as attack aircraft. The Pentagon didn’t see promise in these helicopters, but Vanderpool made it his mission to see this independent project through. These helicopters, sometimes called air “gunships” are still used today.
Much of Jay Vanderpool’s success as a noncommissioned officer to becoming a commissioned officer was his diligence, negotiation skills, and sheer intuition. His legacy is honored well through this account of his life. The author provides readers with interesting history and facts that make Jay Vanderpool’s story worth sharing with those fascinated with military history or hoping to join the armed forces.
November 2, 2026
Non-essential, he employed guerilla warfare and helped spread it through the ranks. He wasn't the first to do that. Interesting to learn about him as a soldier and innovator but there is no secret information here.
December 18, 2022
Nice piece of history
Very interesting life of a very successful military officer. Some interesting facts about Pres. Johnson and the Vietnam war and his inability to win.
Very interesting life of a very successful military officer. Some interesting facts about Pres. Johnson and the Vietnam war and his inability to win.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews