Flying a Phantom RF-4C reconnaissance jet amidst air combat--the remarkable technical details, the mission, the derring-do--and the 19 nonflying hours a day: All this told in a gripping series of vignettes by a former pilot of a U.S. Air Force photo reconnaissance jet stationed at an airbase in Udorn, Thailand, during the Vietnam conflict. Formation flying, night photo missions, confrontations with B-52s, the Officer's Club and shows at Udorn, AAA fire, SAM missiles, the "Hanoi Hilton," GIs being killed by their own side--all this and more form a work of literature quite unlike any other emerging from Southeast Asia.

The little-known stories of the United States Air Force pilots who flew alone and unarmed into enemy territory in a world under threat of nuclear war. Tactical Reconnaissance in the Cold War describes how the United States Air Force tactical reconnaissance units operated from the end of World War II until the 1970s. This was an immensely active period that also included major conflicts in Korea and Vietnam. It was also a period of rapid technological development in aircraft and photographic techniques. This highly-illustrated book includes chapters on: the post-war period in Europe and the East; the Korean Conflict and the role of the 67th TRW from 1950 to 1954; the role of the highly secret RF-86 missions over Red China and the Soviet Far East in the early to mid ’50s; the RB-57A missions out of Bitburg and Yokota flying clandestinely over the Soviet Union and the RF-100A missions that were flown over the Soviet Union from Turkey, Rhine-Main and Yokota; United States Air Forces in Europe; the Cuban Missile Crisis and the role of the RF-101 Voodoos and RB-66s.

Illustrated with over 30 maps, diagrams and photos This is a story of war. A parable of men and machines, of friend and foe. A drama of moves and countermoves, played out in the skies over North Vietnam and having for its backdrop two bridges - the majestic Paul Doumer and the infamous bridge at Thanh Hoa. These bridges know well the script of war. The silent contrails high in the blue, the growing dialogue of anti-aircraft fire, the scream of engines, the thunder of bombs, all building to a crescendo. Then subsiding, only to start again in another act on another day. An old play that reopens regularly with new actors - and therein lies our tale. The curtain went up at the Thanh Hoa Bridge in April 1965, and, as the Vietnam drama unfolded, many new players made their acting debut. Fighters named “Thunderchief” and “Phantom,” missiles known as SAMs and SHRIKEs, bombs called “Walleye” and “Smart,” and the credits go on. Wild Weasel, Jolly Green, Young Tiger, and MIG Cap - all starred in our long running play as did such names as Carolina Moon and Flaming Dart. Names that flashed brightly across the stage and then were gone. Actors in a historical play that has now passed into history - leaving us to tell THE TALE OF TWO BRIDGES.

Manifestations of Apprehension is a phrase that haunted Cimino but, ironically, became the key driver that enabled him to convert his "failure" into positive outcomes, each time gaining confidence and notable achievements. After a troubling and depressing military career start, Cimino maximized the support from others, and his determination to change his course enabled him to navigate each subsequent assignment with greater success. Cimino emphasizes that under achievements can be the seeds of opportunity and catalysts to achieving better results. His journey through aircrew training and operations in tactical reconnaissance, as an Air Force Navigator Instructor, working with the Canadian Forces, in the Headquarters Air Staff at the Pentagon, and with the Intelligence Community, where he managed the exploitation of products from some of the country's most sophisticated satellites, describes a path of devotion to mission and accomplishments. The memoir includes many stories - some funny, some heartwarming, and those containing sad moments during his military service. The Special Tributes section highlights his deep appreciation and respect for friends and family who have served in the military, who are gone but not forgotten.