Taking Fire! - Memoir of an Aerial Scout in Vietnam

As a first lieutenant in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army pilot David Porter was section leader in an Aerial Scout platoon in Vietnam. Their mission was to conduct reconnaissance in OH-6 aircraft (a.k.a. Light Observation Helicopter or "Loach") near the Cambodian border. Finding and engaging the enemy at low altitude in coordination with an AH-1 Cobra gunship circling above, these units developed a remarkable method of fighting the Viet Cong: Hunter-Killer Operations.
The tactic had great local success but died with the war. Few today are aware of the hazards these pilots faced during times of intense combat. Porter's vivid memoir recounts the internal workings of a legendary air cavalry troop, in-the-cockpit combat actions, and the men who were key players on this perilous battleground.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Foreword by Major General Richard Davis, U.S. Army (Ret.)

Preface

Prologue

¿1.¿In the Beginning

¿2.¿To Vietnam

¿3.¿The Quan Loi Military Complex

¿4.¿Hooch City

¿5.¿The Enemy

¿6.¿Indian Country

¿7.¿"Find the Bastards and Pile On"

¿8.¿­Hunter-Killer Team Operations

¿9.¿The Characters

10.¿Starting with the Blues

11.¿To the Scouts

12.¿Life as a Scout: Now It Begins

13.¿"Find and report enemy locations and dispositions"

14.¿The Dink Build Underway

15.¿The Bad Days of February

16.¿Life After the Scouts

Epilogue

Glossary

Appendix

Index

About the author

Colonel David L. Porter retired after twenty-seven years in Combat Arms. In addition to Vietnam, he served multiple tours as a cavalryman on the German border, and commanded a cavalry squadron during the collapse of "the wall" in early 1990. He served in multiple combat divisions, Armor School, and various staff positions, including the Pentagon. In retirement, he became the Director of Admissions at Colorado Technical University and is currently a government contractor training America's soldiers. He lives in Jackson, Tennessee.

Product details

• Authors: David L. Porter
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 13.03.2020
• EAN: 9781476680514
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-8051-4
• No. of pages: 182
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 9 mm
• Weight: 249 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political administration; USA, Vietnam, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Military, Memoirs, Autobiography: historical, political & military, Air forces & warfare, Helicopter, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, United States of America, USA, Autobiography: historical, political and military, Air forces and warfare, Modern warfare, Military history: post-WW2 conflicts, Vietnam War, HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / Vietnam War, HISTORY / Military / Aviation & Space, Specific wars and military campaigns