Thud Ridge

Col. Jack Broughton's "Thud Ridge" was one of the first books I ever read on the Vietnam War. I read it in middle school back in the mid-1980s and, while I forgot many of the stories he told in his book, the stories of the high-level military and political micro-management and mismanagement of the war were not forgotten. The book is much more than that, though: it is full of great stories of everyday heroism among the Air Force pilots who flew missions over North Vietnam. Col. Broughton was an F-105 "Thud" pilot and a senior officer in his wing during the bomber offensive against North Vietnam. The book was originally written while the war was still ongoing, so many of his stories are unfinished (it was unknown if the lost pilots were killed in action or captured), and Col. Broughton wrote from the perspective of "here's what we need to be doing to improve and win this war." While Col. Broughton clearly has an axe to grind against the superiors in the Air Force and in Washington, D.C., who caused needless waste and loss of life, this book really shines as a memoir of the tough combat in the skies over North Vietnam. Col. Broughton methodically describes how his air wing functioned, how new pilots were brought into the wing and trained for combat, and how they also had to work hard to convert their airbase in Thailand from an airstrip in the jungle into a functioning combat base. And the stories of the daily life-and-death struggle in the air against enemy MiG fighters, surface-to-air missiles, and anti-aircraft guns are some of the best ever written. This excellent memoir is one of the best Vietnam accounts ever written.

I have read this book so many times. A graduate of West Point, Jack Broughton is a fighter pilot's fighter pilot. He brings you into the cockpit of the F-105 and into combat. It is a fast paced story told from the point of view of a fighter pilot and leader. If you read this book you will understand why the US lost in Vietnam. You will feel the bitterness of men who fought in Vietnam against their own bureacracy and the political leadership in Washington. To this day, it amazes me that Washington tried to fight a war, half a world away, micro managing down to the level of target selection, routes and engagement rules. Colonel Broughton is a hero. America should keep men like him close to its heart instead of ending a career like his for a bureacratic snafu. This book is about combat leadership and the warrior ethic. The lessons learned from this book very well apply today. Students at the officer schools, academies, squadron officer school, air command and staff, even higher should be required to read this book and Broughton's other one, Going Downtown.

"Serria Hotel" book about a "Tango Uniform" situation. I have read and re-read this book many times over the years. Col Broughton captured the essense of the words Duty, Honor, Country. His DUTY was to the men he led into the jaws of death, usually twice daily. His HONOR demanded that he protect them at all costs. And his COUNTRY sent him, and thousands more, "in harms way" without understanding, or caring what this meant. Col. Broughton's book tells the story of men who became dis-allusioned in their Country's leadership, but continued to fight, and die, because THEIR honor required it of them.

This book is not just for pilots or even just for those in the military. Being a civillian myself, it came as a shock to me to read about the criminal imposition of absurd restrictions that were placed on those who we ask to fight and die for our country. This should be mandatory reading for EVERY American, especially those of us who were led to believe that it was our military that failed in Vietnam...

Though written in 1969 its lessons are still burningly poignant. When politics fail the military is usually called for to settle the issue. If our politicians are to spend human lives to obtain their goals then the men and women fighting have to know they are fighting to win. This book should be required reading for each and every officer in the USAF. This book tells of one mans struggle to make sense of a war he did not want to fight in but when his country called he went. Only, he was given strict rules to follow which cost the lives of his squadron mates. Rules by which any reasonable military man would think were ludicrous at best. Rules set by men who were 6000 miles away and safe in there own homes. Rules which took away the the ability to win and in many cases to stay alive. Bordering on the criminal, these men in Washington consigned many men to their deaths by their ignorance. Lt Col Broughton stood up for his men. On a particularly dangerous mission two of his men fought their way back home. These men broke one of the all mighty rules of engagement levied on them from Washington and lived. Rather than being congratulated, they were to be court marshalled. Lt. Col Broughton stepped in and protected his men. And in doing so brought a court martial upon himself. The lesson to be learned: Fight to win or don't fight at all. Desert Storm proved Lt Col Broughton was correct.