Firefly: A Skyraider's Story About America's Secret War Over Laos

by Richard E. Diller

It is 1969 and Dick Diller is on his way to flying warplanes in the Vietnam conflict. He is commissioned to fly A-1 Skyraiders in sometimes harrowing nighttime missions over Laos--surviving not only the danger of the missions he flew, but also the bureaucracy of the air force, from fitness testing to additional duties assigned, to attacking impossible-to-find targets in the dead of night--with minimal fuel supplies.At once entertaining and riveting, as well as thought-provoking, "Firefly" is the story of one man's journey in a world at war, and a day-to-day description of the fighting force that was flying A-1 Skyraiders in combat. "Firefly" contains actual transcriptions of dialogue of pilots locating a target and making a strike in northern Laos."Firefly" is the only book to have been written about the night mission over Laos during the Vietnam conflict, and so fills a niche in the literature of the era.

Genres: Military Fiction, Nonfiction, Military History, History, Aviation

314 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 26, 2013

Reviews

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A happy nod to Goodreads for me winning this book.

I just came off of another book taking place during the Vietnam War, The Ground You Stand Upon: Life of a Skytrooper in Vietnam, so it naturally colored my viewing of this one. I couldn't help comparing the two: this one a volunteer airman in Laos, the other a draftee on the ground in Vietnam. Their conditions in living space and missions couldn't have been more different. Because of this, I found it a little harder to feel sympathy for the author than I would have had I not just seen the viewpoint of a groundpounder. Though both kept a close eye on how long they had left in their tours and felt the pain of losing comrades.

But less sympathy is not zero sympathy and I enjoyed reading this book. It was well written even if it did get a bit dry at times with the repetitive missions. Indeed, the that repetitiveness helped show Diller's experience, even convey his dissatisfaction with the numerous and often pointless missions.

As with any Kindle version, I far would have preferred a print copy as I find the pictures are seldom as clear and I personally find it easier to flip back to reference other occurrences. But it still managed decently and because the book was divided more or less as journal entries, it was always easy just to read a page and put it down again whenever I had a moment.

I suggest this book to any wanting a look at the air war in Laos. I suppose next I need to find myself a book from the naval point of view to help round things out.

[Thomas Lennek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Richard Diller wrote a compelling story of his year (1969-1970) as an Air Force pilot flying close air support in southeast Asia. Unlike most memoirs, this is about the war over a bordering country, Laos. Airborne aircraft controllers warned these pilots NOT to penetrate North Vietnam airspace. He was also flying an AD-1 Skyraider, a propeller driven aircraft designed in the mid-1940s and deployed during the Korean and Vietnam wars. Taken from his journal and flight logs, Diller's book describes the challenges of flying an old aircraft, in bad weather, frequently at night. He also writes about the personal relationships and comradery among the pilots. There are many personal photographs taken by the author. One of the surprising data points I took from the book was how dangerous flying for the US Air Force was in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Many of the pilots who survived their tour of combat in Southeast Asia were killed in aircraft crashes in the US. I strongly recommend reading this book for a different perspective on the air war in Vietnam. It is totally unlike Dan Hampton's, "The Hunter Killers." A big thank you to the goodreads giveaway program for providing a free Kindle copy of "Firefly."

[Janet Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid Accounting of the Air War Over Laos
To some younger people, this will seem an exciting accounting of being a bomber pilot during war. For those of us, of a certain age, it is the reliving of the past. I was of the age to have watched the news every night, to pray for friends and the brothers of friends who were in the theater of the war in Vietnam. Reading this memoir allows us to imagine this life while the author relives it. We have all heard the stories from co-workers, friends, and relatives. Most of us knew someone who didn't return. -The author offers a concise accounting of his year of combat flying. And through his memories, we see the mind tricks used to keep the fear and horrors at arm's length. But when a friend dies, there is no masking the emotions. And many friends were lost in that year and through the rest of the war. I want to offer my personal, 'Thank You' to all who have served our country in all wars, in all theaters. We will never know the full measure of your sacrifice, but we so appreciate the fact that you offered your life to protect ours.

[Todd · Rating 3 out of 5]

Once upon a time in Laos, American fought a part of a war that wasn't acknowledged at the time. This book provides some insight into the lives and experiences of the A1 Skyraider pilots who flew ground attack missions over Laos. It's hard to describe the book - part diary, part memoir, some of the most interesting segments were the descriptions of conversations and interactions. Unfortunately, these are eclipsed by the diary-like descriptions of mission after mission. These capture some of the monotony, but not as much the moments of terror that undoubtedly accompanied some of the missions.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it. Sometimes you read a pilot's memoirs, and there's not a lot of flying in the book, or combat time, but this is one where it's pretty much mostly combat flying stories. It's the first book I've ever read focused on the Skyraider and the war in Laos. A lot of the book is taken from the author's journal entries during the war, and is presented like that.

It won't keep you up all night riveted, making you want to read just one more chapter, but I do recommend it if you're interested in the Skyraider and the air war over Vietnam and Laos.

[Bob Wolfe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr Diller is way to full of himself. I few over trail as a NAIL FAC and knew and worked with many of the Skyraider pilots in Steel Tiger. They would be embarrassed with the continuous whining and blaming of everyone else for everything that wasn't like he thought it should be. For example, "the A-1 was an old and unsafe airplane for flying in combat. Hey Richard, that is all that we had available and it did a wonderful job.

[Thomas Bell]

Outstanding Book, a must read!

I was with the 34th and 44th TFS at Korat RTAFB 68-69. At the time we were still flying F-105s and many downed pilots were saved by the brave individuals flying the A1. It was truly a tough old bird that could strike fear into the enemy. Thanks to Richard Diller for his service and God rest all those who didn't return home.

[Jim Giordano · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read that spoke of the night operations in Laos during the Vietnam era. Flying combat missions in aging propellor driven airplanes, the author takes us thru, in diary fashion, his year of experience as a bomber pilot. He provided a good a summary of the feelings many felt about the war.

[Dave Ayres · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overkill

The author couldn’t find the STOP switch and produced the equivalent of four books in one. It started out as a typical flying book with training, new airplanes, and then into the Douglas A1 Skyraider, the Navy- developed dive bomber. Then he proceeded into far too much detail about the airplane and his experiences flying it. Too much for this retired Naval Aviator.

[Harold Osburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inside look at flying the Skyraider in South East Asia

Well written and gives great insight into skyraider missions flown in Laos during the Vietnam War. You will have a stronger opinion of what the pilots faced daily.

[Keith Rogers · Rating 3 out of 5]

One mans story

This book was true to life but written more like a diary than a story book. Even so it was interesting and I learned a lot about those who fought and gave their all whether they believed in the war or not.

[Ray Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memories

This is the best book on the real life of USAF Pilots in UPT and combat I’ve read. I was in class 65C at Moody AFB and recognized some names in this book. One of. My OCS and UPT classmates was a three tour RAVEN and retired as O-6. He died three years ago.

[Barbara Kerwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

DOD Bean Counting did not help the Awesome crews flying the A-1s. Great stories from the cockpit.

Real stories, could feel the Gs & smell the aircraft. When your low & slow you don’t miss much. Good read!

[Jack Chapman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for me