The Freedom Shield: The 191st Assault Helicopter Company in Vietnam

Veteran accounts of assault helicopter actions at the height of the Vietnam War. The Freedom Shield brings together stories of veterans of the 191st Assault Helicopter Company, tasked with carrying troops into battle, attacking enemy positions and evacuating the wounded in their UH-1 Iroquois Huey helicopters. A precious gem lay hidden within their underdog appearance. The unit was assembled from a hodgepodge selection of hand-me-down aircraft, used equipment and overlooked personnel. Their collective stories define a new breed of soldier: the combat assault-helicopter crewman. The 191st pilots, crews and support personnel vividly share the details of what it is like to be at war and count on your fellow crewmembers to survive. Their accounts of helicopter combat at the height of the Vietnam conflict accurately recreate the sights and sounds of the battlefields, the fear and horror of watching close friends torn to pieces. Their message is infinitely clear: ‘The price of freedom is painful’. AUTHOR: Major John D. Falcon achieved field-grade rank in the US Army and retired as a majorstationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. He commanded Army units in several different countries, including the United States, and served as a Vietnam War helicopter pilot,flying over five hundred combat missions. Enjoying his retirement alongside his high school sweetheart and wife, Irma, he remains near their son, Christopher, and daughter, Monica, on a farm in South Georgia. He considers his tour of duty with the 191st Assault Helicopter Company the most memorable assignment of his Army career.