Overview
"Gunbird Driver is a memoir of the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a young pilot flying an armed UH-1E's in Marine Observation Squadron 6. The book provides information about the missions, operations, and the living conditions at Ky Ha, and about the fellow Marines with whom he served. It also contains several chapters on shipboard operation from deployment aboard the USS Princeton. Parts of the book are deadly serious, even sad, as must be the case with any treatment of war; other parts are largely descriptive, and some circumstances and situations are even humorous. The time was 1966-67, relatively early in the war, the year before the Tet Offensive. The squadron's activities ranged widely in I Corps, the northern-most military subdivision of South Vietnam, the one assigned to the Marines. Although, the squadron and the air group to which it was attached (MAG -36) was assigned to the southern third of I Corps, it flew missions north along the DMZ, at Khe Sanh, west of Phu Bai and even into Laos, in addition to those in their local Tactical Area of Responsibility. Written to preserve a record of the impressions and experiences of one young 1st Lieutenant flying a Marine Huey in the war-torn skies of Vietnam, it is also reflective of all who crewed the UH-1E's -pilots, crew chiefs, and door gunners. It is a memoir that will resonate with all who crewed a """"helo"""" in during the Vietnam war. No other book has been written on the Vietnam War from the perspective of a Marine Corps UH-1E pilot, flying armed escort missions for the Marines fighting the war on the ground."
Full Product Details
Author: David A Ballentine
Publisher: Naval Institute Press
Imprint: Naval Institute Press
Dimensions:
Width: 15.20cm
, Height: 1.60cm
, Length: 22.90cm
Weight: 0.907kg
ISBN: 9781682476574
ISBN 10: 168247657
Pages: 276
Publication Date: 25 May 2021
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: Temporarily unavailable
The supplier advises that this item is temporarily unavailable. It will be ordered for you and placed on backorder. Once it does come back in stock, we will ship it out to you.
Reviews
"Ballentine is a keen observer. Beyond illuminating descriptions of the events he witnessed, he also offers interesting philosophical comments on the meanings of those events."""" - HistoryNet"
With deference to the faint-hearted or those burdened by political correctness, Gunbird Driver is a must-read for anyone interested in developing a genuinely complete picture of the Marine Corps in Vietnam. -BRIG. GENERAL JOHN ARICK, USMC (Ret.), VMO-6, 1966-67
"""Ballentine is a keen observer. Beyond illuminating descriptions of the events he witnessed, he also offers interesting philosophical comments on the meanings of those events."" --HistoryNet"
Author Information
David A. Ballentine attended graduate school after Vietnam and earned a PhD in European history. After returning to active duty, he retired as a colonel from the Marine Corps in 1989 and worked for Northrop Grumman in Ft. Leavenworth. He now teaches at a local college in Overland Park, Kansas.
