300 Missions Over Vietnam: An F-100 Pilot’s Account with Letters Home

In this vivid account, a young F-100 pilot describes his life in a fighter squadron in the peak year of the Vietnam War. Through commentary and 72 letters written to loved ones back home, this work details combat operations, mission briefings, flight protocols, tactics and targets. It speaks of dangers faced--enemy fire, harsh weather and unforgiving terrain--as well as the brutal fury and inspiring beauty of nature in a land far from home. Presenting the human side of war, the author depicts a world of exhilaration, despair, deep melancholy, loss and longing.

Stewart Cranston flew 514 combat flying hours while serving as an F-100 fighter pilot in Vietnam. A graduate of the Air Force Test Pilot School, he continued flying high performance airplanes throughout his career. Over his 34 years of service to his country, Lt. General Cranston accumulated over 3900 flying hours.