Rescue Under Fire: The Story of Dust Off in Vietnam

by John L. Cook

It is almost impossible to capture, in a single word, the enormous impact Dustoff had on the Vietnam War. However, John Cook has done it in a most compelling, sensititve manner. Here, for the first... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0764304615
• ISBN13: 9780764304613
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 1.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

A shinning, positive example of what went right in Vietnam.

As the son a Major Charles Kelly, I am gratified that there is a least one mainstream book that tells the story of the Dustoff pilots. It is sad that their story does not have the widespread recongition it deserves. I have access to hundreds of personal documents and have spoken with many of the men that flew with my father and as far as I can tell this book is very, very authentic and relies on fact not fiction as some articles have done. Not only that, but it is very well written and written from the heart. Thank you John Cook from the entire Kelly family......

Impressed By Recommendations

Do recommendations work? You bet! I admit that this is not the type of book I would normally read. However, what impressed me was the recommendations of the two pilots below. The way I figured it, if they thought John Cook had done a great job, and they were there, then maybe it was worth the effort. I'm here to tell you, they were right! Having grown up after the Vietnam war, I was always confused about what really happened there. All I ever heard was how the Americans were the bad guys and the Viet Cong were the good guys. John Cook blows all that away. There were real good guys in Vietnam and they flew the evacualtion missions. Now, for the first time, I understand. Cook's style is very easy to live with. He actually takes the reader along for the ride. The part I liked best was the end. He actually took the trouble to list the names of all those brave men who died saving the lives of the wounded. He didn't have to do this but he did. That got to me. Now, when I think of Vietnam, I'll remember Rescue Under Fire. Thank you, John Cook, and thank all of you who flew these missions.

Best I've Seen On Vietnam

Without question, Rescuse Under Fire is the best piece of writing I've read on Vietnam, and I've read a lot. John Cook is a natural story teller and his style takes you along with him. This business of rescuing Americans is a part of the war that has not been told, at least not with this degree of detail and realism. Clearly, Cook did an enormous amount of research to make this story flow as smoothly as it does. He makes the DUST OFF crews come alive and he makes you feel all the emotions they felt. Absolutely first rate!!!

Long Time Coming

I just finished reading Rescue Under Fire, and without question this is the finest book I have read on the Vietnam War. John Cook puts the reader on the battlefield, under fire, rescuing the wounded. Once I started reading this book, I found it impossible to put it down. When I finished, I spent the next two hours simply staring out the window, wondering where we found these men that flew these missions. Then I realised that what Cook had told me was true--America has always had men of this caliber. Ordinary men who perform extraordinary feats when the need arises. So, my message to Colonel Cook is simply this--Thank you, sir, for telling this story. Those of us who never went to Vietnam did not know. Now we do and we are eternally grateful to you for telling this story. Today, I ordered your other book on Vietnam, The Advisor. I know I will not be dissapointed.

an excellent account of helicopter rescue in Vietnam

This book gave a well written account of the pilots and crews who flew DUSTOFF missions in vietnam. As a DUSTOFF pilot I found the book very accurate in it's presentation of our job and the conditions we flew under. Very few (even among those who served in Vietnam) recognized our call sign, DUSTOFF. After all these years our story is finally being told. You will read tales that few of us are comfortable telling. After reading this book my mother told me she finally understands some of what I went though in Nam. As I read this book at times it was like I was back in Nam. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of Military history, or any one seeking a book with lots of adventure. It tells of a very positive part of Vietnam that ALL Americans can be proud of. Thank You John Cook, you have told my family things I couldn't tell them.