Embarking on an insightful journey through the 1970s American military, Jay Lacklen takes you on an enthralling adventure from pilot training to his surreal, nightmarish B-52 bomb run during the Vietnam War.
Bringing a fresh perspective to the era, Lacklen shows how the military draft diverted him from a prospective journalism career into an Air Force cockpit. He speaks to the reader as a writer trying to become a pilot rather than the other way around.
Ensnaring you with accounts of bomb runs over Cambodia and several episodes of his aircraft on the verge of crashing, Lacklen delves into the darkest moments of a pilot's life with a writer's eye for detail and descriptive ability.
Difficult subjects are faced head on, including encounters with hookers in Southeast Asia, a nuanced view of the North Vietnamese Army, and a surprising perspective on the Vietnam War protests including actress and activist Jane Fonda.
This is a journey all students of the Vietnam War era should undertake.