On Yankee Station: The Naval Air War over Vietnam

by John B. Nichols, Barrett Tillman

Combining vivid personal narrative with historical and operational analyses, this book takes a candid look at U.S. naval airpower in the Vietnam War. Coauthors John Nichols, a fighter pilot in the war, and Barrett Tillman, an award-winning aviation historian, make full use of their extensive knowledge of the subject to detail the ways in which airpower was employed in the years prior to the fall of Saigon. Confronting the conventional belief that airpower failed in Vietnam, they show that when applied correctly, airpower was effective, but because it was often misunderstood and misapplied, the end results were catastrophic. Their book offers a compelling view of what it was like to fly from Yankee Station between 1964 and 1973 and important lessons for future conflicts. At the same time, it adds important facts to the permanent war record. Following an analysis of the state of carrier aviation in 1964 and a definition of the rules of engagement, it describes the tactics used in strike warfare, the airborne and surface threats, electronic countermeasures, and search and rescue. It also examines the influence of political decisions on the conduct of the war and the changing nature of the Communist opposition. Appendixes provide useful statistical data on carrier deployments, combat sorties, and aircraft losses.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, Aviation, American History

244 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1987

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good depiction of the air war over Vietnam. Worth reading for his view of how our airborne efforts were limited by our politicians.

[Hans · Rating 4 out of 5]

'On Yankee Station' tells the story of naval aviation during the Vietnam War. It does so by covering several aspects of the air war and the lessons that could be learned from this with a 'next war' in mind. It also covers how politics and the ROE (Rules of Engagement) influenced the way the pilots had to do their jobs and how this affected the overall effort of the air war during this war.

Topics like air-to-air combat, morale, SAMs and AAA, SAR (Search and Rescue) and more are described in a way that clearly shows what was going on in the skies over Vietnam and the surrounding area. We also get to read what the authors think might have happened if air power had been applied without, or with less, restrictions.

One of the authors, being a former F-8 Crusader pilot, adds his personal experiences to the story. This adds extra flavor to the overall account.

I really enjoyed reading this book because it gives one a nice overview of this part of the air war.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall I thought this was a pretty interesting read about the air war in Vietnam, and how the rules of engagement hindered the effort. The writing is a bit terse at times but conveys the mood/attitude of the pilots and servicemen. There is a definite attitude in the writing and it spares little nicety in talking about how the ROEs hamstrung the pilots from doing more.

If you are interested in the Vietnam war and want a view point from the pilots and crews, this is a good read.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone not too familiar with the Vietnam War, and never served in the military, I found this book interesting and mostly accessible. The authors provided a handy list of acronyms at the end and I appreciated the illustrations. The authors are also not shy in giving their opinions, and lay most of the blame at the feet of the politicians. A good read.

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book would be more about the day to day operations of a naval pilot but this book is about the overall air war for the Navy. Don't get me wrong it was good but I was kinda disappointed.

[Rahat Hussain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful...

Really liked the author's comparison of Vietnam with Korean air operations. And how the war could have been shortened if right decisions were taken at the right time.

[Max Cioux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Capstone of my research into the 3rd of my Van Hoehn series. I dug this book. Cdr. Nichols, thank you. Everyone should read this, whether you like aerial combat stories, or not. If you do though, this is a must read. Did I mention I dug this book?

[Alexandre · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick read, interesting. It felt like the author was settling scores with the administration at the time but it gave an overview of what was the life on Yankee Station plus a few fun anecdote.

[Chris Tschirhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good Chronicle of Linebacker II from the Navy perspective.

[ТАИСЛАВ МЫЛОВАРОВ · Rating 5 out of 5]

exquisite insight into improper overview of the air war over Vietnam from the perspective of a naval aviator, with a guide on how to not mess up an air war again in the back of the book.

[Jesse Callaghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Very personal approach to history.

[Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Single seat, single engine. Mach two. What else do you need to know? (The best book about Vietnam era naval aviators I know of)

[Paul Medici · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little monotonous

[Joe · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on the naval air war in Vietnam. Definitely worth reading for anyone with an interest in aviation history.

[Aric · Rating 4 out of 5]

More interesting than the technical aspects of the fighting, is the rundown of the ridiculous ROE of the air war