Customer Reviews

Courage under Fire

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Mr. Duncan captures the military world perfectly... from squad level all the way up through the political ether-zone that is the brass-filled Pentagon. The dialogue, especially the banter between common soldiers, is realistic and enjoyable to read. The chilling descriptions of the barren Desert Storm environment -- the land, the battles -- are dead-on accurate. I know... I was there with the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force! I highly recommend this book, and I'd love to see more work from Mr. Duncan in the future.

When I initially read the pre-release copy of this book, I called the publisher and asked how is it that a UH-1H MEDEVAC was sent into action without gunship escort...and carried machine gunners in contravention of not only US Army regulations but the Geneva Convention? No one could answer this question, so I cast the net further and spoke to troops at the 52nd Medical Evacuation Battalion where Duncan did his "research". The troops there reported that all Duncan was interested in was "Where would the guns be mounted?" When informed that MEDEVACs did not carry weapons of any kind--other than pistols for the crew, with which they could protect their patients--Duncan still pressed them with, "Yeah OK, but if you HAD to put guns on the helicopter, where would they go?"

I hope you get my point.

I was never in the MEDEVAC community, but I do know and respect their selfless service. Making a MEDEVAC chopper into an air assault helicopter is a slap in the face to the entire DUSTOFF folks. They don't need guns, because they make up for it with guts.

Duncan had a story he wanted to tell, but that's no reason to let him off the hook by completely ignoring reality, and in doing so, diminish the valor of those who provide Distinguished Unhesitating Service To Our Fight Forces--DUSTOFF.