In 1968, during a forty hour period, the Air Force flew 189 sorties to rescue a Navy A-7 pilot, call sign Streetcar 304, in one of the largest rescue efforts of the Vietnam War. Before it ended, four pilots had ejected, seven planes were lost or heavily damaged, and, at one point, seven airmen awaited rescue behind enemy lines. Streetcar 304 now provides his personal narrative about the event.On his very first combat mission, Fields catapulted off the USS America, flew to Laos, dropped his bombs in the midst of an enemy trap and was shot down. Streetcar describes his last tearful farewell night at home with his wife, his tracer ridden bomb runs and a last moment ejection. Cringe when he describes being shot at while floating down in his parachute. Ride along in the cockpit of two rescue pilots as enemy tracers zoom upward and shoot each one down. Feel your heart skip a beat as Streetcar and one Air Force pilot separately evade numerous close encounters with Phatet Lao guerillas, are nearly killed time and again by friendly bombs, and deal with the stress of jungle animals and lack of sleep. Suffer with his wife when she receives word that he is down, fate unknown, and then describes her own forty hours of suspense. Relate to the pilots who are ordered to make one final rescue attempt. Shed a tear with Streetcar when one rescuer is captured by the enemy. Experience the final harrowing rescue attempt during which Fields is wounded by a friendly bomb.

They flew low and slow, at treetop level, at night, in monsoons, and in point-blank range of enemy guns and missiles. They were missions no one else wanted, but the ones all other pilots prayed for when shot down. Flying the World War II-vintage Douglas A-1 Skyraider, a single-engine, propeller-driven relic in a war of “fast-movers,” these intrepid US Air Force pilots, call sign Sandy, risked their lives with every mission to rescue thousands of downed Navy and Air Force pilots. With a flashback memory and a style all his own, George J. Marrett depicts some of the most dangerous aerial combat of any war. The thrilling rescue of “Streetcar 304” and William Jones's selfless act of heroism that earned him the Medal of Honor are but two of the compelling tales he recounts. Here too are the courages Jolly Green Giant helicopter crews, parajumpers, and forward air controllers who worked with the Sandys over heavily defended jungles and mountains well behind enemy lines. Passionate, mordantly witty, and filled with heart-pounding adrenaline, Cheating Death reads like the finest combat fiction, but it is the real deal: its heroes, cowards, jokers, and casualties all have names and faces readers will find difficult to forget.

A first hand look at the way Combat Search And Rescue was conducted when it really came into its own during the Vietnam War, as seen through the eyes of a fixed-wing pilot who volunteered for the job of employing and supporting the Jolly Green helicopters in their efforts. And since not every day resulted in a shoot down of friendly aircrews, a look at how the rest of the one year tour of duty was occupied when rescues were not imminent, plus some of the more entertaining diversions pilots can conjure up when allowed to exercise their innate talents for such. Because of the mission, manning and reputation of the 602nd Fighter Squadron (Commando), the fixed wing portion of the Rescue Force that went after downed aircrews in Southeast Asia, the author volunteered to join and served with that unit from June 1968 to June 1969. Six months after completing his tour and returning stateside he retired from Active Duty to the family cattle ranch where his wife and children stayed during his combat tour. His youngest son insisted that he write of his experiences during that tour and this book is the result that evolved over the years. The author lives in Northern Oklahoma with his wife of 65 years, and is doing research for another, unrelated book.

Students, military historians, and casual readers will all find this compelling collection useful in learning about escape strategies, hostage situations, and rescue operations during times of conflict. Great Wartime Escapes and Rescues tells the captivating stories of dozens of escapes and rescues from conflicts dating from the 16th century to present, with extensive coverage of the world wars of the 20th century and the Vietnam War. In addition, escapes and rescues related to terrorist activities and regional conflicts are featured. Some stories of escapes and rescues included in this work have been written about extensively and portrayed in films, including The Great Escape and Captain Phillips' rescue by Navy SEALs. Other stories are less widely known but just as absorbing. The book opens with a detailed introductory essay that illuminates the government policies and tactics various countries have used to rescue soldiers and civilians during wartime, as well as the diverse methods that prisoners of war have used to escape notorious camps and prisons. The entries, organized alphabetically, are augmented by engaging sidebars related to the escapes and rescues. The book also includes references to such sources as autobiographies, biographies, news accounts, and interviews with veterans.

Eavesdrop, as a father recounts to his adult children his exploits as an Air Force "Jolly Green" combat rescue helicopter pilot in Vietnam. BE THERE to see what it was really likeRIDE ALONG and determine what you would have done when another man's life was literally hanging in the balanceFEEL what it meant to save a life, and what it meant to lose oneEXPERIENCE heart pounding action in Vietnam Air Rescues

A firsthand look at the way Combat Search and Rescue was conducted when it really came into its own during the Vietnam War, as seen through the eyes of a fixed-wing pilot who volunteered for the job of employing and supporting the Jolly Green Rescue helicopters in their efforts. And since not every day resulted in a shoot down of friendly aircrews, a look at how the rest of the one year tour of duty was occupied when rescues were not imminent, plus some of the more entertaining diversions fighter pilots can conjure up when allowed to exercise their innate talents for such.