Ed RasimusWhen Thunder Rolled: An F-105 Pilot over North Vietnam

I loved the book because it took me back to when I was stationed at Korat and worked side by side with pilots that were flying combat mission to NVN. It was great to see what actually happened on their missions and how great the "Thud" was. Sadly the Rules of Engagement wasn't always favorable from those running the war. If they had input and their experience was listed they might have a higher survival rate. The book also so showed how important maintainers are/were to every mission. The planning and execution that went into all fazes the missions and interaction with different aircraft outside and inside the area of responsibility (AOR). A lot of very brave, highly trained men with many specialities and how they contributed to this piece of defense history of the AF.

How true to life!I was there and so were many colleagues ....I saw crew chiefs break down after their second or third airplane went down,saw majors and captains of both types mentioned. Those who were bullies and misanthrope 's and those who chose to lead. The best of the lieutenant 's chose the leaders and ignored the rest. The worse emulated the others. Like many others in that war, I felt the loss of fine men in a doomed struggle. The author has a right to say those words of Shakespeare "We few,we precious few" and he certainly tells you why in this book.

I was an F-4 Phantom radar repairman stationed in Ubon and Korat Thailand just after the Viet Nam war ended. I was familiar with what took place from the time an airplane landed until it took off again, but never knew much about what the pilot's experienced on a mission (which is a great shame).The author describes his entire experience from rookie trainee to veteran fighter pilot in combat over Viet Nam. The reader will have a very good understanding of what it feels like to be sent across the Pacific to an outpost of Americanism in a strange new Asian environment. I was reminded of so many details I had forgotten about living and working at a US Air base in Thailand. But that was only the beginning. As the author recounts his progress as a fighter pilot, the reader is carried along with him, sharing vicariously his experiences, which very few of us will ever know first-hand. The author tells it like it was for him. He doesn't pull any punches. There are good guys and bad guys and incompetent guys. The author does not hide his own struggle with fear. Although he overcomes it, the fear of dying is always just below the surface.The book is written so well and told in simple, clear language. Mysterious jargon and acronyms are seamlessly explained. It isn't necessary to have a military background to understand what is going on.I can't recommend this book too highly. I loved it.I have already purchased the author's follow-on book about his second tour of duty in Thailand as an F-4 pilot. I can't wait to read it.

thud ridge and action of F105 units in taking apart the NVA war machine in spite of LBJ who personally chose targets and hamstrung 7th Air force by micromanaging from DC a war on other side of world.LBJ was reticent to delegate authority

Since I was a combat infantryman in Vietnam and survived several, vicious enemy ground assaults, I have a great respect for the pilots who flew both bombers and fighters, especially the F-4 Phantom. Very real.

Raz has done a fine job in telling the story of his 100 missions tour in Vietnam in 1966 with the incredible F-105 Thunderchief. He brings you along the ride from the US to SEA, how he gets a rather quick introduction into combat flying and then thrown into flying dangerous missions over North Vietnam. You are taken along many missions and feel right there in the cockpit with him, flying the dive-bombing while evading AAA and SAMs.This is a vivid description and a fine fighter pilot memoir, written in a casual and catchy way, so you will probably have some trouble putting it down once you started! Sadly, he also tells us the story about sending the wrong airplane with sometimes ill prepared pilots into an unknown battlefield, which explains (at least in part) the many losses the F-105 faced in SEA.If there is one thing I am missing is more, this book is over way too soon. I would have liked to hear more details and stories, but probably the long time between his deployment and the writing of the book resulted in many details lost forever.Also, you definitely have to buy his second book,  Palace Cobra: A Fighter Pilot in the Vietnam Air War , where de describes his second tour, this time on board the F-4 Phantom II. Both volumes should be seen as one, although they can be read separately.Overall, an enjoyable read that I can fully recommend. And if you want to know about the mustache, you will have to read the book!

An honest autobiography of a young man who worked and sacfriced to be a fighter pilot for a nation that happened to be at peace. During flight training the Vietnam War broke out.Uncerrtain of his ability to carry out the assignment he worked so hard to earn, he honorably placed one foot in front of the other as he traveled to South East Asia, confronting the fear of his own mortality.You will feel like you are in the cockpit as the author describes how he grew into a combat veteran while fighting to protect those with whom he flew. This inspiring story describes what it was like to fly combat missions to those of us who are earth bound and safe at home. I've read it three times and heartily give this book five stars. Thank you, Mr. Rasimus.By the way, you will also love his other two books, Palace Cobra (about his second tour in Vietnam) and Fighter Pilot, The Memoirs of Legendary Ace, Robin Olds. These are five star reads as well.

A fascinating look into the futile air war over North Vietnam from an often unsung aircraft, the F105 Thunderchief, and its gallant crew. Through this book you will learn of Ed Rasimus's experiences that led him to choosing the F105, his training in the States, and the experience of fulfilling 100 missions (the tour of duty) required against the might of the North Vietnamese, and their Chinese and Soviet made air defences.The book tells a wonderful story of his experiences fighting the communists, and the insanity of the American bureaucracy with ridiculous rules of engagement. Along the way we get to know some of his fellow squadron pilots, ground staff, and one loveable mascot. He goes into detail about his sorties, and leaves seldom a stone unturned, but if I had a few minor quibbles, they would be that Ed doesn't really encapsulate the high stakes risks of the flights until the last few chapters. Also he can get lost in a great deal of the technical terminology, that might throw a novice to air combat. All the same, this is still a brilliant book, and I burned through it in just 4 days.

I absolutely recommend this book. It is really well written and places you in the cockpit of the aircraft. There is no doubting the dangers that these fliers faced, and it is especially interesting to see how the author overcame his all too real fears at the beginning of his combat tour. I have a massive amount of respect for him and all fliers in Vietnam after reading this and think everyone should read books like this so these brave men's deeds are remembered, even if you don't agree with why the Vietnam was fought, or indeed if you know little about that conflict.

Excellent read. A true story of a man's fear and the realisation that he is more afraid of letting his colleagues down the fear of battle and possible death. Again, this is another story of the US President, and his so-called advisors, plan the day-to-day operations in a war zone. Pilots sent on second missions to already destroyed targets or targets protected by everything the North Vietnamese could throw at the attackers. The wastage of men was unforgivable and this book tells it as it was. Enjoyed every page.

having read a lot of aviation books in the past including classics such as Stuka pilot which is a must read for anybody into military aviation, this was actually my first book on the vietnam air war. To say that I started with a band is a huge understatement.the Author takes you through the standard journey from first flying lesson, all the way through to gaining his wings of gold and on to flying the "thud", the sleek aluminium bird with a great big donk that could take it up to twice the speed of sound. But he doesn't waste too much time on this, yet still conveys well the immediate love that he had for this powerful aircraft.But what I truly enjoyed about this book was how well he relays the sheer level of fear that he experienced during the build up to his first mission over north vietnam, his mind continually searching for any escape from the possibility of facing enemy fire, becoming a POW or dying alone in a single seat aircraft. There is no over-macho, gung-ho theme to it, he really is a normal guy who has the same fears that surely we all would face in the same position.At the same time, you really do get a sense of challenges these men faced not just in the face of the enemy guns and missiles, but also of the poorly thought tactics of the superiors, and politicians, fighting the war from offices in washington.The author gives you a thrilling account of what life was like having to complete 100 bombing missions over north Vietnam when statistically, you could only expect to survive on average for 66 of them.

Ed Rasimus brings home the danger, the courage and the proffesionalism of the pilots of the USAF in Vietnam on fighter bomber missions flying the F105 "THUD" fighter bomber.A down to earth gutsy book which brings out the difficulties and bravery in being able to survive a 100 missions in North Vietnam in an environment where the losses are huge.The book was so good that I bought the follow up "Palace Cobra" based on Ed Rasimus further tour in Vietnam flying the F 4 Phantom