Wings for the Valiant

by Robert W. Sisk

A pilot with the 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion in Vietnam, Robert W. Sisk fought the war from the cockpit of a UH-1 “Huey.” In this blistering first-hand account of his two years—and over 1800 chopper hours—in Vietnam, Sisk vividly recalls brutal gunship assaults on Viet Cong strongholds, incredible rescue missions under fire, and hellish descents into hot landing zones. He re-creates both a terrifying world of ever-present boobytraps and jungle snipers—and the earthy day-to-day camaraderie of the men the brawls, the bravado, and even the crazy stunts. In the stark words of a pilot who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary heroism in battle, this is the explosive true or the airmen who fought with the renowned 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile)...and their triumphs in the face of incredible odds.

Genres: Military Fiction

181 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published June 1, 1987

About the author

Robert W. Sisk is a retired professional helicopter pilot with 14,000 hours of flight time. Sisk is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, having flown 1,059 combat hours while piloting assault helicopters. Of the 14,000 flight hours, over 5,000 hours were flown as an aerial firefighter battling wildfires in the US western and southwestern states, and the state of Alaska.

Previous literary works include the book Wings for the Valiant, as well as articles published in Soldier of Fortune magazine, Saga magazine, and Survive magazine.

Robert resides on a ranch in southwestern Idaho, where he enjoys his horses and rural living.

Reviews

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars for a no-frills account of a helicopter pilot's training and first tour of duty in Vietnam. No strategy, or even tactical overviews of the action. Just straight fire up the chopper, load the troopers, do the assault, pull the dead, wounded and living back out of the LZ. Some humorous stories-especially the "Beer Truck" and some tragic ones-short-timers on their "last" mission. No maps which is always a star deduction for a war history. No big themes other than a guy serving in war. Still worth a read.

[Ronald Sapp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw incredible Helicopter Pilots in Viet Nam, Courage upon courage.