John E. Flanagan

Heres about the book: Twenty-one years after leaving Vietnam for the first time, the author attends a reunion of former pilots who flew helicopters in Vietnam. Reuniting with his classmates and some of his fellow pilots he flew with in Vietnam brings back a rush of memories and stories of times past. The following years reunions build on the first as more and more of the pilots he served with are reunited. The reunions stir memories and deeds of times past are recounted in a steady stream of war stories. He soon realizes that he doesnt want these stories -- these war stories -- lost and decides to write them down before he forgets the details. As the stories unfold more memories come back and he records them too. His intent was not to document the history of the US involvement in the Vietnam War, nor be a definitive history of the famous B Troop 1st Squadron, 9th US Cavalry Regiment. His intent was to record his personal memory of the events some 30 plus years ago from his perspective. He talks about growing up in Brooklyn, living in his grandmothers house on 40th Street, his gang of friends from Saint Michaels Church, and of the events that led to his decision to volunteer for the draft. Tracing the draft process he tells of narrowly avoiding being drafted in the Marine Corps. He continues to tell the story of his journey through the armys classification and assignment system that results with him being selected for helicopter pilot training.

The life of a warrant officer candidate presented a number of challenges that needed to be overcome if his plan to beat the army system was to be realized. He tells of some of the more interesting incidents in his flight training and preparation for combat. Things changed after earning his wings and arriving in Vietnam. Somewhere along the line the reality of the situation presents itself and John volunteers for the famous reconnaissance squadron of the 1st Cavalry Division. The 1st of the 9th was known for its ferocity in combat and its high casualty rate especially among flight crews. History records that this single unit was responsible for a large percentage of the entire divisions enemy kills. His description of some of the sights and sounds of life in B Troop will surely remind other veterans of their time in Vietnam. He will certainly stir the memories of others that served in the air cavalry and perhaps even others who were supported by them. The stories are real. The people are real. John Flanagan writes them, as he would tell them to you in person. Sometimes funny, sometimes serious, sometimes rambling, sometimes clearly, but always truthfully and as he remembers them.

The result of these writings are Born in Brooklyn - Raised in the Cav. The Aviation Museum at Fort Rucker Alabama, the 1st Cavalry Museum at Fort Hood Texas, keeps this book in stock. A reviewer said: "I learned to better appreciate the Army helo pilot, January 30, 2004 Reviewer: E M from san diego, ca USA Well, it certainly is a long journey from the dreary streets of Brooklyn to the miserable and dangerous fields and skies of Viet Nam at war. Major Flanagan has travelled this route and shares his adventure with the reader. He is a real American hero... as are all his brethren flying warrant officers. Yet he tells his story without bravado or arrogance. He is simply telling the story of his experience in Viet Nam as a young 19 year old plucked from the streets of Brooklyn and injected into the chaos of war . He writes of his training as well as his wartime experiences. Often his enemy was the weather as much as the NVA on the ground. Major Flanagan writes in a simple, readable style without pretension; his memories are direct, straightforward and sprinkled with a dash of Irish wit and humor. If one wants to know the life of an Army helo pilot on the front lines of the Viet Nam war, this is a book to read. Beyond the daily life of the helo pilot, we also lear