Overview

New Edition This is the story of a special breed of warrior, the fighter-bomber pilot; the story of valiant men who flew the rugged F-105 Thunderchief 'Thud' fighter-bomber over the hostile skies of North Vietnam. From the briefing rooms to the bombing runs, Colonel Jack Broughton recounts the tragedy and heartache, the high drama and flaming terror, the exhilaration and thrill of life on the edge. He relives the incredible feeling of high-speed, low-level sorties where SAM missiles, deadly flak, and enemy MiG fighters were all in a day's work. The bravery of the pilots and their commitment to each other in times of extreme fear, crisis and catastrophe are highlighted by vivid, fast moving aerial combat sequences.Thud Ridge is a fascinating and graphic memorial to the courage of American pilots, the power of their machines and their dedication to achieving successful missions despite the difficult challenges they faced. Author Jack Broughton, who passed away in 2014, had an exemplary career in the U.S. Air Force, receiving 43 separate awards and decorations, including four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and the highest Air Force service decoration for heroism, the presidentially-awarded Air Force Cross. Broughton was also proud of the fact that he was combat-qualified in every USAF fighter from the WWII P-47 to the supersonic F-106 all-weather interceptor. Thud Ridge continues to be an inspirational memoir for each new generation of air force officer candidates, as well as an enduring and timeless military history classic.

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9780859791168

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Reviews

Wings & Airpower Magazine, December 2006 'Once a classic, always a classic, ' and this book is certainly no exception. Originally published in 1969 when the combat experiences of the Vietnam War were still happening in real-time, Thud Ridge tells the frustrating tale of Air Force strike pilots who were thrust into the war in its early stages, and who had to literally 'write the book' as they flew each dangerous and hair-raising mission. Jack Broughton is not only a fighter pilot's fighter pilot, but a gifted write who can put you right into the hot sweaty cockpit of a Republic F-105 Thunderchief flying its payload of 750-lb. bombs right up Route Pack 6 and into the heavily defended piece of real estate that gives this book its name. Now enhanced by compelling and candid photographs running chronologically through the narrative, this book not only tells the story of aerial bravery during the early phases of Vietnam, but gives the reader a veritable encyclopedia of information on all the combat hardware employed in the conflict. An appendix showing aircraft flown and equipment used in Southeast Asia offers the kind of detail that really puts this book into proper historical perspective. Whether or not you were captivated by the original, this new release serves as a valuable re-visit to a pivotal era in military history that changed the face of aerial combat as we knew it. There are few people on this earth better suited to tell the story than Col. Jack Broughton.

Wings & Airpower Magazine, December 2006 'Once a classic, always a classic, ' and this book is certainly no exception. Originally published in 1969 when the combat experiences of the Vietnam War were still happening in real-time, Thud Ridge tells the frustrating tale of Air Force strike pilots who were thrust into the war in its early stages, and who had to literally 'write the book' as they flew each dangerous and hair-raising mission. Jack Broughton is not only a fighter pilot's fighter pilot, but a gifted write who can put you right into the hot sweaty cockpit of a Republic F-105 Thunderchief flying its payload of 750-lb. bombs right up Route Pack 6 and into the heavily defended piece of real estate that gives this book its name. Now enhanced by compelling and candid photographs running chronologically through the narrative, this book not only tells the story of aerial bravery during the early phases of Vietnam, but gives the reader a veritable encyclopedia of information on all the combat hardware employed in the conflict. An appendix showing aircraft flown and equipment used in Southeast Asia offers the kind of detail that really puts this book into proper historical perspective. Whether or not you were captivated by the original, this new release serves as a valuable re-visit to a pivotal era in military history that changed the face of aerial combat as we knew it. There are few people on this earth better suited to tell the story than Col. Jack Broughton.

Author Information

Colonel Jack Broughton, was awarded the Air Force Cross (second only to the Medal of Honor) for his service in the Vietnam air wars. He served in Korea and for three years commanded the Air Force demonstration team, the Thunderbirds. He has flown virtually all the US Air Force's operational aircraft and was combat-ready in every fighter from the P-47 to the F-106. He currently lives in California. Hanson W. Baldwin, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, military affairs reporter and editor for the New York Times from 1929-1968, and editor for Reader's Digest, 1968-1976

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