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Flashing Sabers

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Bert Chole's "Flashing Sabers" has brought back many memories and emotions. This book portreys accuately what and how "Bravo Troop" (incidently the title recalls the unit radio call sign of the troop) did during the period of July through November 1967. I would say that it is accurate for the rest of the book, too, but I left the troop in November and only returned to Squadron Headquarters in March, 1968. However, Bert could have easily written a book twice as long had he included all the amazing incidents in which he participated.

The 1/9 Cavalry was the eyes of the 1st Cavalry Division in Viet Nam (you can see a caricature of them In the movie "Apocalypes Now")tasked with finding the enemy so that the Division could destroy him. This B Troop did this in spectacular fashion while developing the new tactics of low level aerial reconnaisance.

I was especially moved by the tribute that was paid to Lou Porrazzo. Bert writes as I wish could have put it (thank you Bert).

He has my thanks for not mentioning the first time that that a helicopter I was riding took a hit (I shot the landing skid while we were doing one of my few low level recons with him).

Nor does he tell of having to clean a (literaly) a pile of blood off the floor boards of the H-13 that Joe Rawl and his Observer flew back to LZ when he was shot in the calf of his right leg by a .50 caliber round.

He does recall parts of Operation Pegasis that I had forgotten, including one in which a near by (about 5 miles) B-52 strike jolted us off our cots early one morning. He got that one exactly right.

This unit has been called "arrogant prima donnas" by some of those in the Military who did not have to do what they did on a daily basis. Most of the Warrant Officer Scout Pilots were 19 or 20 years old, fresh out of flight school, and had to beleive that they were invincible, immortal, and totally superior to the ordinary run of Man in order to survive in the environment in whch they were expected to serve and survive. Also, the the view point of the combat pilot tends the encourage a god-like view of the world-someone offending a pilot must beware the rath of the being in the cockpit, for he may bring the "fires of Hell" down upon his head. And given their mission, the young men were literally putting their lives on the line every time they went into the Area of Operations, since the job was to find the enemy by close contact while flying the 1960's equvalent of a World War I fighter at an altitude of 10 to 30 feet abouve the ground, with expectation that the whole of the assests of the 1st Cavalry Division would be there to exploit their contact and and back them up. So, yes, they high expectations of themselves and of those they worked with, and they were seldom disappointed.

This book does not pretend to represent the experiences of those of any other unit in the Viet Nam War, Not even "Alpha" nor "Charlie" troops. It is an accurate look at a truely amazing combat unit in equally challenging physical and polical environments. I, like Bert, am proud to have had the honor to have served with them.

As Bert includes some of his politcal ideas in the book, I will add one more. It is too bad that currant military and political leaders did not spend some time studying analyses of the Viet Nam War and apply the lessons (hopfully learned) to the current situation in Iraq.

For those who want to know what the vast majority of Vietnam veterans were like, read this book. Professional soldiers, fighting hard to win. This is the antihesis of what the movies and media have portrayed the Vietnam veteran. This is a classic example of leadership at its best, lead from the front. LTC Chole captured in soldier thoughts and language what a scout pilot in a cavalry troop faced and did everyday. They developed the tactics, techniques and procedures for later scout pilots to use as in this time frame, when there wasn't any doctrine on the use of scouts. Scouts deliverately exposed themselves to attract enemy fire. Amazing portrayl of a first class leader, in a first class outfit, that killed enemy soldiers and accomplished the mission. I know LTC Chole doesn't consider himself a hero and the men he led didn't either, but it is clear to me all were. Must read for those who want to know the truth about the Vietnam War seen through the eyes of a Great American. Buy it, read it, experience it, and you will not regret it. I could hear the rotor blades flapping in the wind, I could smell the fuel being burned, I can see the trails in the dew, sense the danger, and feel the pride of these Cavalry soldiers.

For someone who had no military experience beyond what the movies told me, I found this book suprisingly easy both to understand, and to follow the emotional consequences of the author as he tours Vietnam.

This book is an excellent read for those who wish to gain an understanding of the war in Vietnam as seen through a scout pilot's eyes. I found the book easy to read and understand; especially for those of us who have never been in the military or in combat situations.

This book gave a civilian the opportunity to battle through a soldiers eyes. Very well written and easy read.

I was blessed to meet one of the chopper pilots who served in Vietnam and is currently an airline pilot. He was very generous in sharing his stories of the courageous chopper pilots and I asked him if he wrote a book. He refered me to this book that his friend wrote. It was a quick read and an outstanding book of our american heroes who served and put their lives on the line daily.

This book is so well written and brings reality to the daily life of a Soldier in Vietnam. Thank you Bert for taking the time to share your experiences with us. Great job, great read, very much recommended.

I'll begin by saying I am biased in favor of this book.I was a member of this unit from Aug 67 to Nov 67 [neither a pilot nor an Infantry Blue].Bert's descriptions of the day to day operations of an Air Cavalry Troop are spot on.If there is any doubt about the intensity of combat ,the skill and bravery of the Blues , Pilots,and Air Crews involved,this book will erase those doubts.In a nutshell,this is the quintessential book about finding,fixing,fighting ,and destroying a determined adversary.That is a job that 1/9 Cavalry did exceedingly well....but at a terrible price. The Vietnam war has been characterized as the"helicopter war"....but we all know that a simple characterization such as that is mere folly. It was also an insurgent war,a strategic bombing war,a large scale infantry/Marine operations war, a brown water war, a carrier fleet war,an intelligence war,a special operations war,a hearts and minds war,an economic war ,a domino theory war, a philosophical war, a stateside war...and an 'all other types of war' one can imagine and write about.But if one needed to find the enemy in the mountains,jungles,rice paddies, needed to know his movements and intentions ,the Air Cavalry units provided the tool,the blood,and the guts to accomplish the mission. There were many Air Cavalry units operating the width and length of Vietnam, and I'm quite certain of their contributions to the cause.There have been many accounts and books about the 1/9 Cav [Matt Brennan's books come to mind],and Bert Chole's contribution adds to the history.A factual,no nonsense
book about looking the enemy in the eye...hoping you are not the first to blink.It's incredulous to know that the Pilots,Blues,Crew Chiefs, Gunners,and Observers saddled up EVERY DAY to repeat this trip to the lion's den.To have known such men humbles ones'
heart.Give it a read and thank God there are men such as these willing to face such stark terror daily for their Country and Comrades.They still do it today.

LTC (R) Bert Chole book titled Flashing Sabers is one of the Best Books on the Market into the 1/9 Cav Bravo Troop in Vietnam. This book cuts through all the junk you read in other books. It gets to the Meat of the Subject. In one Chapter LTC Chole talks about the Lost of 1Lt Louis E. Porrazzo and what it meant to everyone that knew Lt Porrazzo. A Real hero writting a true book is hard to find now adays. Keeps you reading and hard to put down when you open it up. After reading this book I now know what it was like to see how our True American Hero's did their Jobs, Duty, Honor & Country.

Excellent pictorial of the exploits of B troop, 1/9th Cav. The author does a great job of explaining the tactics of B,1/9 and the everyday bravery of the members of the unit.