The Freedom Shield: The 191st Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam [Hardcover]

Arresting accounts of flying troops into hot LZs and medevacking the wounded under fire in Vietnam from a pilot who was there.The Freedom Shield brings together stories of veterans of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, tasked with carrying troops into battle, attacking enemy positions and evacuating the wounded in their UH-1 Iroquois Huey helicopters. The unit was assembled from a hodgepodge selection of hand-me-down aircraft, used equipment and overlooked personnelits appearance belied the invaluable work the crews of the 191st would undertake during the Vietnam War. This narrative of the Company, told through collected stories of veterans, defines a breed of soldier newly minted in Vietnam: the combat assault-helicopter crewman.The 191st pilots, crews, and support personnel vividly share the details of what it was like to be at war, forced to rely on your fellow crewmembers for your own survival. Their accounts of helicopter combat at the height of the Vietnam conflict accurately recreate the sights and sounds of the battlefields, the fear and horror of watching close friends torn to pieces, their feelings on returning to base. Their message is infinitely clear: 'The price of freedom is painful.'Veteran accounts of assault helicopter actions at the height of the Vietnam War.Arresting accounts of flying troops into hot LZs and medevacking the wounded under fire in Vietnam.Author was a pilot with the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, he flew over 500 combat missions.The story of the 191st Assault Helicopter Companys combat actions in Vietnam is one of heroism and dedication to duty. It is a vivid picture of young American soldiers full of P and V and the want to needed to get the job done with bullets flying in all directions. An adrenaline rush is the order of the day. Read this book to gain new respect and admiration for the Vietnam-era veterans who fought in this unpopular warthey were truly magnificent!An amazing story of perseverance and will. The l³™