Vietnam Above the Treetops: A Forward Air Controller Reports

Having been there and done that I can vouch for the authenticity of the writing. Even if you're a civilian you should be able to develop an appreciation for what another little known group of pilots did for their country.

General Flanagan's memoir of his time in Vietnam is one of the most personal and sorrowful accounts of that American tragedy yet.The Kirkus review tells us, "you will not find the meaning" of the Vietnam War in this book. And that's true. John F. Flanagan didn't go to Vietnam to do that. He went as a Warrior and the nature of that war weighed heavily upon him. It does to this day.In a way I would classify this personal history with E.B. Sledge's masterpiece WITH THE OLD BREED. The times and perspective are different, but seeing the elephant remains the same. When all the grandstanding and speeches are over, all the flag waving and parades, ultimately men risk their lives for their friends. These men are usually too preoccupied with the task at hand to "figure it all out".Sledge saw war and was horrified by it's spector, it's indifferent carnage and filth. He had the rectitude though of having returned a 'winner'. All those boys were killed, but their death had some purpose. John Flanagan couldn't feel that. He just knew that the friends he lost and saw die, died vainly. No matter how good these men were, how much moral certitude they had, their deaths were without purpose. John Flanagan is a man of purpose.General Flanagan reflects great dignity upon those men and to their families. He's a man of quiet dignity himself and can take pride in knowing that he did all he could when he could. As a Soldier that's what's known as trust.My best wishes go out to General Flanagan, his family and friends.

This book is the most realistic book I have read about the Vietnam war to date. Genreal Flanagan certainly keeps you attention throughout the entire book. He leaves nothing to the imagination, exactly how it should be. There was too much controversey about the wat, this book gives, in detail, an insite on just how horrid it was for our soldiers.An added comment, this book was written by a "real person". I work for General Flanagan every day. The book put some detail and realism into the "stories" that we talk about

It brought back all the fear, sadness and frustration of that december day in 1966. I was a 19 year old doorgunner on one of those gunships that day with the 281st ahc in Khe Sanh. I am 51 now and to this day it still haunts me.I was fortunate to be on several mission with Flanagan and the guy always came through.

The author's view of the role of a FAC is very similiar to those held by the FACs of today (ALOs and ETACs). It is a very insightful look into the beginnings of the Close Air Support role-from the ground observers point of view. Few books even mention the CAS role in Vietnam.