Table of Contents

Introduction: The Navy's Air War in Southeast Asia prior to 1968; Part I: Navy Operations against Laos: The Story of Shangri-La's Last Cruise, 1970; 1. Anchors Aweigh: James McBride, Shangri-La, and the Long Cruise to Yankee Station; 2. The War Nobody Was Supposed to Know About: Laos and McBride's First Line Tour; 3. Life on and off the Line; 4. The War over Laos Continues: McBride's Final Line Tours; Part II: Double Anchors: The Naval Flight Officer Experience, 1968-72; 5. The Guy in the Backseat: The Odyssey of James B. Souder, NFO; 6. The Anatomy of a MiG Kill; 7. "The Navy Needs You, J. B.": Glynco, VF-121, and VF-51; 8. War and Ejection from the Squadron; Part III: The POW Experience from 1969 to 1973: Unity over Self; 9. Taking Charge: Commander C. Ronald Polfer; 10. The Medic: Lieutenant Commander James B. Souder; 11. The Camp Clown: Lieutenant John "Jack" Ensch; Part IV: Navy Mining Operations and the Triumph of the Bengals: Crossing the Rubicon; 12. Difficult Transitions: The Marines of VMA (AW)-224; 13. The War to Save Bengal 505; 14. Bombing and Then Mining Haiphong; Part V: Air-to-Air Combat, 1972: The Making of a MiG Killer; 15. Ronald "Mugs" McKeown; 16. Early Linebacker MiG Engagements; 17. Ron McKeown's Day in the Sun; Part VI: The Easter Offensive and Linebacker; 18. Stopping the Easter Offensive; 19. Linebacker I; 20. Leighton Warren Smith and the Fall of Thanh Hoa; 21. Linebacker II: "The Peace Is Falling Apart, But At Least They're Bombing Again"; Conclusion; Notes; Glossary; Bibliography; Index; About the Author

Promotional Information

Military history looking at aviators during the second half of Vietnam. The stories are told through interviews and journal excerpts of the pilots and aircrew themselves. Great tradey title.

About the Author

John Darrell Sherwood is an official historian with the U.S. Naval Historical Center. He is the author of Officers in Flight Suits: The Story of American Air Force Fighter Pilots in Korea and Afterburner: Naval Aviators and the Vietnam War, both published by NYU Press. He is also the author of Fast Movers: Aviators and the Vietnam War Experience.

Reviews

"An exceptionally well written, well documented, fast-moving account."--Washington Times "This is a book written on multiple levels and well worth reading."--M.S. Naval Institute Proceedings "This book is a welcome addition to the history of naval aviation and fills a much-needed void by detailing the later years of the Vietnam naval air campaign."--Sea Power "Makes for lively, vivid and informative reading. I would include it...on my list of the top ten books on the air war in Vietnam."--Air Power History "John Sherwood has done a fine job in giving us a first-rate account of a confusing but critically important period in Naval Aviation history."--The Hook "As a collection of individual studies and 'war stories,' Afterburner should find an interested readership."--Military History