Chickenhawk

One side-affect of being crook last weekend was that I had a bit of time on my hands to read a book.

I had wanted to read Chickenhawk by Robert Mason for a number of years and finally got my hands on a copy.

As expected (I like this sort of non-fiction) I was hooked as soon as I started reading the book.  Things started off with the author starting his helicopter training and then he was shipped off to Vietnam.

The book pulls no punches, Mason describes all of the horrors associated with war, from the awful deaths and injuries to the ways the things he saw and did affected him later.  It also, obviously describes the heroic actions that not only the chopper pilots but grunts on the ground performed in order to achieve their objectives or simply to save lives.  All through the book is described the madness of war and the mistakes made by those directing it.

It is a fascinating read and regardless of how one feels about war (and perhaps the Vietnam war in particular) you cannot help but feel for all those involved and also to respect the men that went and put it all on the line.

Robert Mason's Iroquois

Highly recommended reading...

As a postscript: after reading the book I nosed around on the net for more info on Mason and the book.  I stumbled on his website and there were a large number of photos taken by him (he was a keen photographer while over there) and others.  Unfortunately in just the last few days the website has vanished...it appears the bill hasn't been paid...But, you can find him here on Facebook.