Review of Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970
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Zanne Crystle
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- Latest Review: Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970 by Matt Jackson
Review of Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970" by Matt Jackson.]
The story starts in 1968. The Vietnam War has been going on for years, and Dan Cory makes the decision to join the military to become a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Dan completes the paperwork and medical exams at the Military Entrance and Processing Station in Portland, Oregon, and takes the Oath of Allegiance. After that, he is ordered to continue to a training base in Fort Polk, Louisiana, to go through basic training. This part plays out exactly like those military training scenes in movies. Dan and his platoon have to do grueling exercises, constantly get scolded by the drill sergeant, and practice neurotic levels of organization and cleanliness. From there, Dan goes through preflight training, primary flight training, and advanced flight training, and then he is finally deployed to Vietnam.
Dan is just a warrant officer at this point when he joins the fight with the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion and is stationed with a company in Lai Khe, Vietnam. Undaunted Valor: An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam by Matt Jackson tracks Dan’s helicopter unit in Vietnam as they go on supply runs, do dangerous missions, attempt rescues, and get into gunfights during the thick of war. Most war stories focus on ground soldiers, but this one puts a spotlight on the bravery, commitment, and strength of combat pilots and their role in war efforts.
Dan Cory really brings you along for the ride as he pilots the various helicopters that he uses, whether it’s during flight school or in Vietnam. He breaks everything down. Reading the book felt like I was in flight school. What I mean to say is that the book includes a lot of detailed explanations about everything related to helicopters. The book explains helicopter systems, controls, and flight procedures. It also describes important techniques like hovering and different autorotations and flight formations that pilots need to learn. Initially, the information seemed unnecessary and overwhelming, but I realized that understanding Dan’s story requires knowing all those details. It helped me understand the competency levels and decisions of the pilots and the stakes when things go wrong. I doubt I could pass an exam on the material, but the author does a good job of not making the explanations boring.
There is a point in the story where Dan, who is new to Vietnam, gets an orientation from his superior. The officer was explaining their area of operations using a map, and I thought to myself that I still didn’t know where anything actually was. Then, right after the explanation, Dan had the same thought. This was funny to me, and I enjoyed all the realistic, comedic internal thoughts Dan had. Thankfully, as I read further, I saw that the author included a detailed map of the area of operations where Dan was stationed in Vietnam. This made it easier to understand where Dan was flying to and from, like different firebases, landing zones, or battle sites. I always appreciate when authors go the extra mile to make stories more enjoyable.
Dan’s story covers a lot of ugly truths about war. Being pushed past your physical limits. The tension between soldiers and their superiors. People who ignore safety protocols just to get ahead. Losing friends in an instant. Wrestling with the moral gray areas of combat. Seeing how good leaders inspire while bad ones get people killed. Knowing you can try your best and still suffer losses. His story also shows the nature of the people who volunteer for war and the camaraderie and accomplishments that make them keep going. Dan’s story doesn’t sugarcoat or glamorize war.
There is a lot of profanity in this book, and a racial slur is used to refer to the Vietnamese people pretty often. Fortunately, the author addresses the use of the slur in the book’s introduction. However, I don’t think the profanity and the slurs should be a surprise to anyone considering the brutality of war. Animosity against the opposing side seems very natural. There is also a fair amount of violence and death described. Considering these things, I wouldn’t recommend the book for teens or younger.
The book’s only weakness is the few grammatical errors I spotted while reading, but nothing disruptive enough to warrant a deduction in the rating. I recommend that the author do another round of editing just to polish things up and perfect the book. Aside from this one tiny issue, I can’t say there is anything I don’t like about the book. Dan is an interesting character, and his internal monologue is entertaining. The information about helicopters and flight operations does not bog the story down. Also, the author does a great job showing how soldiers experience the high points and low points of war. I give Undaunted Valor: An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars. People who want to learn about the Vietnam War through the experiences of a helicopter pilot and understand how helicopters are flown during combat should read this book.
******
Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The story starts in 1968. The Vietnam War has been going on for years, and Dan Cory makes the decision to join the military to become a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Dan completes the paperwork and medical exams at the Military Entrance and Processing Station in Portland, Oregon, and takes the Oath of Allegiance. After that, he is ordered to continue to a training base in Fort Polk, Louisiana, to go through basic training. This part plays out exactly like those military training scenes in movies. Dan and his platoon have to do grueling exercises, constantly get scolded by the drill sergeant, and practice neurotic levels of organization and cleanliness. From there, Dan goes through preflight training, primary flight training, and advanced flight training, and then he is finally deployed to Vietnam.
Dan is just a warrant officer at this point when he joins the fight with the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion and is stationed with a company in Lai Khe, Vietnam. Undaunted Valor: An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam by Matt Jackson tracks Dan’s helicopter unit in Vietnam as they go on supply runs, do dangerous missions, attempt rescues, and get into gunfights during the thick of war. Most war stories focus on ground soldiers, but this one puts a spotlight on the bravery, commitment, and strength of combat pilots and their role in war efforts.
Dan Cory really brings you along for the ride as he pilots the various helicopters that he uses, whether it’s during flight school or in Vietnam. He breaks everything down. Reading the book felt like I was in flight school. What I mean to say is that the book includes a lot of detailed explanations about everything related to helicopters. The book explains helicopter systems, controls, and flight procedures. It also describes important techniques like hovering and different autorotations and flight formations that pilots need to learn. Initially, the information seemed unnecessary and overwhelming, but I realized that understanding Dan’s story requires knowing all those details. It helped me understand the competency levels and decisions of the pilots and the stakes when things go wrong. I doubt I could pass an exam on the material, but the author does a good job of not making the explanations boring.
There is a point in the story where Dan, who is new to Vietnam, gets an orientation from his superior. The officer was explaining their area of operations using a map, and I thought to myself that I still didn’t know where anything actually was. Then, right after the explanation, Dan had the same thought. This was funny to me, and I enjoyed all the realistic, comedic internal thoughts Dan had. Thankfully, as I read further, I saw that the author included a detailed map of the area of operations where Dan was stationed in Vietnam. This made it easier to understand where Dan was flying to and from, like different firebases, landing zones, or battle sites. I always appreciate when authors go the extra mile to make stories more enjoyable.
Dan’s story covers a lot of ugly truths about war. Being pushed past your physical limits. The tension between soldiers and their superiors. People who ignore safety protocols just to get ahead. Losing friends in an instant. Wrestling with the moral gray areas of combat. Seeing how good leaders inspire while bad ones get people killed. Knowing you can try your best and still suffer losses. His story also shows the nature of the people who volunteer for war and the camaraderie and accomplishments that make them keep going. Dan’s story doesn’t sugarcoat or glamorize war.
There is a lot of profanity in this book, and a racial slur is used to refer to the Vietnamese people pretty often. Fortunately, the author addresses the use of the slur in the book’s introduction. However, I don’t think the profanity and the slurs should be a surprise to anyone considering the brutality of war. Animosity against the opposing side seems very natural. There is also a fair amount of violence and death described. Considering these things, I wouldn’t recommend the book for teens or younger.
The book’s only weakness is the few grammatical errors I spotted while reading, but nothing disruptive enough to warrant a deduction in the rating. I recommend that the author do another round of editing just to polish things up and perfect the book. Aside from this one tiny issue, I can’t say there is anything I don’t like about the book. Dan is an interesting character, and his internal monologue is entertaining. The information about helicopters and flight operations does not bog the story down. Also, the author does a great job showing how soldiers experience the high points and low points of war. I give Undaunted Valor: An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam a perfect score of 5 out of 5 stars. People who want to learn about the Vietnam War through the experiences of a helicopter pilot and understand how helicopters are flown during combat should read this book.
******
Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam 1969-1970
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
