Customer Reviews

Hit My Smoke: Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
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Jan has done an outstanding job telling the slow and fast FAC stories from SEA. I am proud to recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about forward air controller operations durng the Vietnam War.

Jan has taken the reader into the cockpit with the Forward Air Controller. She has translated the various stories into a well organized history of what this mission was all about and tells the story of the pilots who flew at tree top level to direct airstrikes in Southeast Asia. It puts me back into my O-2 and I can re-live my experiences as a FAC all over again.

I know Jan Churchill, in fact bought an 0-1 birdog from her'wonderful airplane. She has put together an exhaustive, and accurate account of the development of Forward Air Control, Tactics, Equipment, Procedurees, and History. I was a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam, North and South, also flew in Laos with 324 missions total. She taught me many facets of the FAC business I did not know. I would consider her an expert in this field.,

This professionally researched and documented history of Forward Air Controllers in South East Asia is excellent. The author has done extensive homework and research to gather a factual account of the FAC's experiences through many interviews and searching for the true stories as were lived by them. The photograghs that are included in each chapter are excellent and provide the reader with the flavor for the events described. This reviewer has personally worked with many Airborne Forward Air Controllers that the author writes about. This is a true accounting of their lives, missions and experiences in country South East Asia. The documentation and chronological organization of this writing add immensely to the finished professional product. The Epilogue and Appendices, the latter a collection of actual training procedures and instructional handouts used by Forward Air Controllers also contributes to the books validity. I would recommend this book to all who served or came in contact with Forward Air Controllers or had their lives saved as a result of the work these pilots and aircrewman did to place ordnance on target. SIERRA HOTEL!