A History of Army Aviation: From Its Beginnings to the War on Terror

Lincoln Nebraska: IUniverse Inc, 2005. Trade Paperback. Very Good. 6" x 9. 421 Pages. This very important history and evolution of Army Aviation is, unfortunately does not include and index. Bright tight book with flawless interior text pages and black and white photos. Cover has crease on right front. From Daedalus to Desert Storm, BaIloons to Baghdad and beyond --- a history of Army Aviation, the how, what, when, where and why. This is the rest of the story never told and certainly not always understood. WiIliams' research and academic diligence bring fascinating history to life. He teIls how this 21st Century formidable fighting force came to be in spite of technological challenges, roles and missions, personalities and pundits. He traces aviation successes over many decades through the American spirit and the leadership and ingenuity of our fighting soldiers. Paramount are his treatments of combat evolutions and weapons capabilities, how Army Aviation was born into the warrior brotherhood on the battlefields of Europe, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and countless other nameless places. A critical gap in the third dimension of land combat has now been filled. This is a story that has begged to be told, long, yet very complex, but only now complete, with sources and substance heretofore missing from similar accounts. Historians, military scholars, and aviators, yet unborn, will rely on this work for years yet to come. The evolution of Army Aviation branch doctrine, technology, and organization, continuously illuminated by the operational experiences of generations of committed and highly professional aviators and the support personnel who kept them flying, produces an unfailing assessment of Army Air's many contributions to our national defense. Contents in Six Chapters: Introduction, Early Years through World War II, 1945-1961 Toward an Air Fighting Army, Vietnam the Army Transformed, 1970s Through Operation Destert Storm the New Generation, and 1990s and Beyond. Plus List of 48 Illustrations, Postscript Looking Forward, A Short bibliograhic Essay, Acronym Glossary, and About the Author.