Firebirds: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Combat in Vietnam Ever Written [Paperback]

Chuck Carlock (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1997

Chuck Carlock volunteered to become a helicopter pilot in August 1966, convinced that by the time he finished training, the Vietnam War would be over. Little did he know that he would see some of the war's most intense action, including the Tet offensives. Carlock portrays countless dangers, from an elusive enemy and treacherous terrain to blinding weather, faulty equipment, and friendly fire. He rides the pendulum between fear and fearlessness during his many brushes with death. Along with the danger and tension, Carlock tells us about the camaraderie and humor shared by men who lived on the edge. Carlock's stories will sometimes shock you, sometimes bring a smile to your face, and sometimes make you angry. Learn about "secret" missions into a neutral country. Discover how the Walker spy ring cost American lives. Most of all, find out what it was like for a twenty-one-year-old farm boy to find himself suddenly immersed in vicious daily combat, making decisions that determined the fate of hundreds of lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"One rocket had hit dead center between the shoulder blades of a VC, and as it exploded, his commie soul was left in a geyser of mud, blood, and human debris." With remarks like these, Carlock brings to gruesome life his stint in Vietnam, 1967-1968, flying gunships and "slicks," or troop-carrying choppers, for the Army. A 19-year-old volunteer who expected adventure with a spice of danger, Carlock instead found horror and learned fear. He flew fragile machines without parachutes, with no limit on the number of missions, in a war whose purpose was opaque. He is brutally frank about his feelings and actions. To Carlock, Vietnamese on the ground were targets, and he describes his kills in the tone of a big-game hunter. But if his enemies were faceless, they were human as well: eager to shoot him down, to burn him alive in the wreckage of his ship or to execute him should he try to surrender. This grim narrative is a compelling reminder that the essence of war is killing from fear of being killed, and that killing is never a remote process, even when done from the air. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Chuck Carlock volunteered to become a helicopter pilot in August 1966, convinced that by the time he finished training, the Vietnam War would be over. Little did he know that he would see some of the war's most intense action, including the Tet offensives. Carlock portrays countless dangers, from an elusive enemy and treacherous terrain to blinding weather, faulty equipment, and friendly fire. He rides the pendulum between fear and fearlessness during his many brushes with death. Along with the danger and tension, Carlock tells us about the camaraderie and humor shared by men who lived on the edge. Carlock's stories will sometimes shock you, sometimes bring a smile to your face, and sometimes make you angry. Learn about "secret" missions into a neutral country. Discover how the Walker spy ring cost American lives. Most of all, find out what it was like for a twenty-one-year-old farm boy to find himself suddenly immersed in vicious daily combat, making decisions that determined the fate of hundreds of lives.

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553577050
• ISBN-13: 978-0553577051
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.9 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #77,135 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military > Aviation
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Asia > Southeast Asia
  • #12 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military > Vietnam War

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars He's right - it is the best first-person account of the war., June 18, 1999

By 

T. Whigham (Tampa, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Firebirds: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Combat in Vietnam Ever Written (Paperback)

Chuck Carlock is a veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of a military helicopter pilots association, which gives him access to both his memories and those of his buddies. Fly with him as he takes you out on missions in Huey gunships and slicks (so named because they carried no guns, hence their sides were 'slick') as he crisscrosses some of the hottest spots in the theatre. And when he's done with you, his buddies step in and take you on med evac hops and Special Forces inserts deep inside Cambodia. Hands down, this is the best book of 'Nam chopper flying I've read (except for perhaps 'Chickenhawk'). And after you've read this book, pop 'Apocalypse Now' or 'Platoon' in the VCR (or DVD) and get the total 'Nam experience.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good but not great, April 2, 2001

By 

B. Barrett (Kansas City, MO USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Firebirds: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Combat in Vietnam Ever Written (Paperback)

This is a good book, but I wouldn't call it one of the best. I preferred William T. Grant's book. I can think of two things which would have made this book better, which I have seen in other first person accounts: 1) Continuity - the narrative is split into small stories, instead of flowing. 2) Books which deal with Special Forces or their helicopter support seem the most exciting, and the men seemed to have a tighter friendship which makes me empathize with them. The author mentions there were pilots who continually volunteered for LRRP missions.

One unique and interesting thing in this book was an account about the author's 1993 return to Vietnam. He toured several of the battle sites he fought on, and interacted with the Vietnamese tour guides.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FIREBIRDS: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Comb, February 15, 2002

By 

David L. Eastman "DAVE EASTMAN, OL 23,-24" (Center Sandwich, NH) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Firebirds: The Best First Person Account of Helicopter Combat in Vietnam Ever Written (Paperback)

While I find the title a bit presumptious, I did note that Chuck Carlock experienced a lot of bullet holes in the olive drab fuselages of the Charlie models he flew in his area of Vietnam. My experiences were in the Delta, where I think we had a greater variety of tasks and episodes to discuss and carry out. My time with the Outlaws of the 175th Avn. Company were far more enjoyable that being "up-north" with these American units described. I know what I missed. Still, it is good that some of us helicopter pilots have recorded our flying deeds in this once-in-a-lifetime experience, one we treasure now that we survived it!! Chuck salutes many of his fellow pilots at the end of the book and shows that many Vietnam vets are now successful men of stature and success in their communities.