Price of Exit: A True Story of Helicopter Pilots in Vietnam

The Phoenix Just south of the DMZ, 1970 by John Irving based on Tom Marshalls' wonderful book on flying helicopters in Vietnam, The Price of Exit Company C Assault Helicopters 158th Aviation Batallion 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) Platoon Leader Al Finn was flying with a `Wobbly One' beside him. 120 miles an hour just five feet above the ground was a RUSH. Crew Chief Dan Felts and Gunner Bill Dodson loved it. "Awsome!" they'd yell. NVA gunners heard them coming "WOP WOP WOP WOP WOP!" Then fired one burst and cheered. The Huey nosed into the ground A flaming mass of chopper and body parts. "Hair Teeth and Eyeballs, EVERYWHERE!" That night, as the carved Phoenix over the bar rose again from its flames pilots drank their toasts. in the `O' Club back at Evans. DEATH, the ultimate enemy had claimed four more of their brothers. The combat hardened vets of a hundred battles looked at the pale newbies, fresh from Rucker seeking the anwser to THE unspoken question: "Are you going to come get me, if I go down?" The new, young pilots all said it with their eyes, "I do accept this duty, this honor. I will keep the faith, no man left behind." Together they drank and chanted the time-honored Protective Spells, "Better him than me!" "He was a rotten son-of-a-[...], deserved to die!"

Tom writes it as it was. No holds barred. I had many an experience of the supposedly allies(the arvn) running and leaving the Americans to fight alone. To all the helicopter pilots I take my hat off.If it hadn't been for them many more of our young men would have died over there. Roadrunner6 out

One of the battles will forever be a part of me. I was there and flew a huey into Laos many times. This book is most accurate! Black Widow 25

Tom Marshall has written about his experiences as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam with close attention to detail. His thoughts and feelings are very real about his fallen comrades. This book is an awesome tribute to them and their families. As a Vietnam Veteran, he has professionally told his story, and their stories need to be told and read. They are our best resource to the factual history of the VN war. Thank you Tom Marshall.

To most Americans, and in most history books, the American effor in the unpopular war in Viet Nam ended in 1970. However, many nineteen and twenty somthing year-old helicopter crews; pilots, crew chiefs, gunners and medics, continued to fly dangerous missions in support of ARVN soldiers and a dwindling number of US troops, well into 1973. In fact, the last US helicopter pilot killed in Southeast Asia gave his life in 1975.In "The Price of Exit", Tom Marshall gives voice to those of us helicopter pilots and our crew members, living and dead, who served with honor and distinction during a period of time when few Americans knew of, and even fewer cared less, of our efforts. Marshall writes of his own participtation during this difficult time. Even though he could have written a complete book of his own valor, Marshall has elected not to do so. Rather, he writes of the valor of others.In the spring of 1971, the Army of South Viet Nam (ARVN) embarked upon an ambitious helicopter borne invasion, called Lam Son 719, into the NVA sanctuaries of Laos. Very few Americans knew then or will recall now that the helicopters that undertook this invasion were flown by American crews.Marshall puts a human face on young men who will never grow beyond the ages of 19, 20 and 21 they had reached that terrible spring of 1971. "The Price of Exit", in part tells of 45 days in March and April 1971 when American helicopter crew flew sortie after sortie into Laos. We are allowed to view incredible valor as these American pilots take off, time and again, only to face huge volumes of anti-aircraft fire.But it is not just pilots Marshall pays tribute to in this wonderful work. As we are remined many of the aircraft were vrewed by equally young enlisted crew members. In many ways Marshall shows us an even higher livel of valor that was demonstrated by these crew chiefs, gunners, flight engineers, and medics. "The Price of Exit" tells us how, without questioning, these unsung heroes climbed willingly in the rear of helicopters they had no control over and made the harrowing trips into an airborne hell.We are instructed by Marshall that the US emplowyed 659 helicopters in Lam Son 719. Of these 659 helicopters, 444 were shot down or otherwise damged by hostile fire. We are also instructed that it was the best of American youth in those 659 helicopters. Without these American helicotpers and crews Lam Son 719 could never have been undertaken.What Marshall has accomplished in "The Price of Exit" is to tell the story of the uncommon valor shown by young helicopter crews at places with names like Ripcord, Khe Sanh, Lolo, Sophia, and Brown. The reader may not be as familiar with these places as one might be with those visted by the World War II generation of airman. However, thanks to Marshall's efforts histroy will now recall a time when young men willingly paid "The Price of Exit" from an unpopular war, not for their country,