Dead Men Flying: Victory in Viet Nam The Legend of Dust off: America's Battlefield Angels
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MWSA Review
A dual-toned description of those whose mission it was to regularly risk their lives while saving others, Dead Men Flying emphasizes the humanitarian accomplishments of the American soldiers in Vietnam. It is an unabashedly written first-person account of the struggle to maintain humanity in an environment largely devoid of such.
While much has been written of the atrocities committed in Vietnam, stories of triumph are harder to find. Brady makes no attempt to dismiss these atrocities, but rather discloses them in a candid manner as he takes the reader along on two tours in Vietnam. However, instead of dwelling on the depravity, Brady instead describes how countless American soldiers and civilians alike refused to cower in the presence of such.
What will make this an appealing book to military personnel are the common experiences associated with the struggles of military life- from training and bureaucratic challenges as well as the enormity of combat experience and separations from loved ones. Readers with no military ties will benefit both from gaining an understanding of what is asked of those who serve, as well as the opportunity to find inspiration from those who found a means to not just survive the horrors of combat, but to grow from them. It is a lesson in humanity as well as history.
Reviewed by: Barbara Allen (2013)
Author's Summary
Spearheading the humanitarian efforts were the air ambulance operations, call-sign Dust Off, the most dangerous of all aviation operations, which rescued some one million souls in Viet Nam. Dead Men Flying is the story of Charles Kelly, the father of Dust Off, who gave his life to save Dust Off -- the greatest life-saver ever. His dying words -- "When I have your wounded" -- set the standard for combat medicine to this day.
It is also the story of the author, Medal of Honor recipient General Patrick Brady, who learned from Charles Kelly and struggled to meet his standard. Brady led the 54th Medical Detachment as it rescued over 21,000 wounded -- enemy and friendly -- in 10 months, while sustaining 26 Purple Hearts. Finally, Dead Men Flying is the story of salvation in the midst of horror, courage in the face of adversity, and the miracle of faith in the heat of combat. A riveting tale from America's most decorated living soldier, this is a book that no American can afford to ignore.