Product Description
In many ways the end of the Vietnam War left the US army a spent force. Plagued by low morale, drug and race issues, and terrible public relations, the army faced an uphill climb in the effort to rebuild itself. The story of this reconstruction is mirrored in the rise of the Mechanized Infantryman. Deciding that the key to future conflict lay in highly trained and mobile warriors that could be delivered quickly to battle, the army adopted the mechanized infantryman as its frontline troops. This new, all-volunteer force was given the best training and equipment that money could buy. Most notably, they were to be deployed onto the battlefield from the new M2 Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicle.

This new breed of American warriors got their first test in the First Gulf War. Fighting in the deserts of Kuwait and Iraq, these soldiers proved that the US Army was once again a force with which to be reckoned.This book tells the complete story of the rise of the US mechanized infantryman, focusing on his recruitment, training, lifestyle and combat experiences in Iraq. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A look at the men who won Desert Storm
Mr. Rottman's recent addition to his Osprey titles finds him looking at the US Army's mechanized infantrymen from the 1st Gulf War in 1990-91.Like most Osprey "Warrior" titles, this book examines the background, the training and the experiences of a particular type of soldier, in this case the infantry troopers from the Army's steel fist - the armored and mechanized divisions.These were the guys who rode the Bradley Fighting Vehicles into combat.Mr. Rottman's background in the US Army shows clearly as he traces the path of a new recruit from joining the Army, through training, joining a unit, and being deployed to the Gulf area to face Saddam's military.An easy read, this book is well illustrated with drawings and photos.The only drawback I found is that the book relies heavily on color photos, but in my copy these were poorly reproduced, looking like they came off a basic home color printer versus professional printing preocesses.Usually Osprey is noted for good graphic reproduction.

This is a nice guide to see what the new generation of GIs have gone through.It might also be of interest to family members of Gulf War veterans, giving an overview of their experiences.Overall a good value covering a topic that has not had a lot of objective coverage.

... Read more

Product Description
The United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf War (PGW) knew that Iraq had used nerve agents and chemical weapons in its previous conflicts and so took steps to protect their troops. Pyridostigmine bromide (PB) was distributed as a pretreatment that would enhance the effectiveness of postexposure treatments in the event that the nerve agent soman was used. This report examines the role that PB played in the ongoing chronic health problems documented in PGW veterans. After careful examination of the known effects of PB on the central and peripheral nervous systems, the author finds the evidence consistent with a possible role for PB as a contributor to the health complaints of some PGW veterans and calls for immediate attention in the form of additional investigation to clarify the role of PB. ... Read more

Product Description
This collection of essays re-examines the nature of war in the wake of the Persian Gulf War. It includes accounts of the war itself and analyses of US foreign policy and strategy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Missed conclusions.
As the symptoms and illnesses described which followed certain exposures in the Gulf War have been described with the diagnoses given to the victims, various causes were described.
The variety of symptoms of many appear to me to have been caused by the Anthrax vaccine which I suspect was contaminated by those diseases known to be caused by pathogens found in tick bites.
I do not agree with the diagnoses given to the sufferers. MS, ALS and Lou Gherich's can all mimic Borreliosis, Ehrlichiosis and Babesiosis. They should be tested for those diseases.

The story of a struggle against government denial
Of the men and women who served in the American forces in the Gulf War, more than one hundred thousand of them came back from that unique conflict suffering from a variety of illness only to face a public and a government that was largely indifferent. It took years of exhaustive medical studies and public awareness efforts of activists to overcome the apathy (and at times outright hostility) of the Veteran's Administration and the Congress to recognize, acknowledge, and begin to deal with this phenomena. Highly recommended reading for students of twentieth century military history, political science, veteran's affairs, and the medical aftermath of service in the Gulf War, Alison Johnson's Gulf War Syndrome: Legacy Of A Perfect War is the complete story of this struggle against government denial and betrayal of the American service men and women who found themselves in harm's way while carrying out their country's mandate on the fields of battle.

Definitely an eye opener
If you have any children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles or friends who are considering whether or not to join our military...this book is for you (them!).I truly believe had it been possible to read this book ten years ago my brother (Gulf War Vet) would be alive today.

Alison Johnson, editor, has done her research compiling information about nearly every aspect of the gulf war, making it easy for the reader to find the information in one book.She also includes a dozen stories from vets themselves (or from family members)discussing what, in their opinion, went on before, during, and after the war.She then leaves the reader the chance to come to their own conclusion based on facts provided.

This book is also for those who are suffering from ill health and don't seem to have any answers for their problems (chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, ALS, multiple chemical sensitivity, etc.).If nothing else, it is an eye opener and a must read for the medical community.

This is a book that should be handed down to our children/grandchildren to give them an understanding of things that will be "tilted" in their history books.This is the book the government/military will not care for you to read as the truth, for once, gets out.Thank goodness this book was given to every member of congress this year.I hope they read it and make sure that what has happened in the past never repeats itself again! ... Read more

Product Description
A decade ago, the United States armed forces launched its largest offensive operation since the D-Day landings in World War II. The nature of the war was vastly changed; here was a purely desert environment with sweltering heat during the day and bitter cold at night, making new demands on men and equipment. Indeed, the need for speed during the build up in Saudi Arabia created shortages of many desert-specific items resulting in the deployment of troops variously clad and equipped. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointed
I should have loved this book but instead I found it wanting. I may not be an expert in everything Army but I do know Air Defense Artillery and in two spots the book has incorrect designations on photo captions, including one of air defenders from our sister unit, C Battery, 2nd Battalion, 1st ADA... NOT "21st ADA" as there is no such animal. Also, some of the info was not correct... Patriot at that time was one type of high-to-medium surface-to-air missile system which was more capable than HAWK but also more vulnerable (because it lacks a 360 degree surveillance capability). Both systems complimented each other. However, HAWK stood down during the Clinton administration with no replacement.

This book does have some good photos. However, given the mistakes I see already I don't think it does this series justice, which is a shame as I've always liked the G.I. books. ... Read more

Product Description
When the U.S. went to war in Iraq during the first Gulf War, Robert Stanek was there. He lived and breathed combat from the opening days of the war to its end and beyond. In this book, this bestselling author chronicles the military life, his experiences in the war with vivid accounts of combat training before the war, reflections on life, family, duty, honor, and love, and remembrances of combat missions into the heart of Baghdad. Candid and fast-paced like the best combat memoirs, Stanek focuses on the men and women he flew with, telling their stories as well as his own and creating what is ultimately an inspiring and uplifting story of the human spirit challenged by the agony and terror of war. Based on the inspiring true story, this is the only book about electronic warfare operations in Iraq written by a military flyer who was there. Robert Stanek's experiences in the Gulf War changed his life and helped drive his successful career as a writer and entrepreneur. To date, he has written and had published over 50 books. His books are sold all over the world and have been translated into many languages. His distinguished accomplishments during the Gulf War earned him nine medals, including our nation's highest flying honor, the Distinguished Flying Cross. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Gripping!
Don't normally read military books or memoirs but Robert Stanek is my favorite author and I couldn't pass it up. Was surprised by how gripping this story is and how much you feel like you're right there.

well written, too repetative
this book could have told its story in a single chapter.each mission is much like the one before it, and the one after it.when there is something different, like two of four engines flaming out on return to base, it gets skipped over and reader never learns why.

much preferred "Bravo Two Zero" by Andy McNab.same war, different perspective.

Exceptional, gritty and very real
I've been reading this author's other books with my children and I've enjoyed them so much I wanted to find out what else he's written. This book is one of several others I've found and what a thrilling read it is. The reader can only feel like they are right there in the heart of this terrible war. All in all, this book is fantastic.

Honest and provocative
My husband taught "The History of Air Warfare" as an Air Force Officer Instructor for many years. Once he started reading this book, he was completely hooked and now that I've read it myself I can see why. Stanek's book stands atop a long list of past reads and is as poignant as it is heartfelt and honest. Truly a ten star book if ever there was one and far and away the best military memoir I've read in years.

Outstanding view into the world of Electronic Warfare
Stormjammers is an outstanding read.I found the authors uncomplicated style a great fit for a very complex subject.It is hard to over emphasize the importance of EW on today's battlefield, yet there are very few books dedicated to this subject.This is one of the best to be had.

The author's storytelling ability is better-than-average most of the time, and downright page-turning when the story really gets going.I have loaned this book out so often I have two copies!That says a lot. ... Read more

Product Description
This definitive account of the Gulf War relates the previously untold story of the U.S. war with Iraq in the early 1990s. The author follows the 42-day war from the first night to the final day, providing vivid accounts of bombing runs, White House strategy sessions, firefights, and bitter internal conflicts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (33)

Overkill in overdrive
This book is of epic proportions and does its best to give the reader a good overview, yet I feel I still have many questions left unanswered. The Author lets the reader draw thier own conclusions, not pretending to be some know it all. So hear is one of my conclusions: We who have the luxury to value life a little more than humans in a non-western nation will never understand the depths of sorrow these unfortune souls have (little or no choice vs. choices).

Detailed Analysis
Rick Atkinson has provided the reading public with a detailed accounting of the 42 days that made up the ground war known as Persian Gulf War.He uses over 500 interviews and two years of research to write this account of the actions by the major players in this conflict.This effort provides an analysis of the diplomatic and political aspects of the war and helps to illuminate how this short conflict would have an estimated $620 billion dollar price tag (493).While he does use "literary License" to excess in a few areas, he has written an informative detailed description for budding Desert Storm historians to digest in this 500 page text.A two-page chronology, fourteen maps, many pictures, 29 pages of reference notes and a five page bibliography demonstrate that this is serious history and not popular history writing. Rick Atkinson is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and author of five books.He is a veteran staff reporter at the Washington Post and was the lead during the Gulf War.His most recent accomplishment is winning the 2010 Pritzker Library Literature Award. One area in Atkinson's book that requires clarification due to excessive literary license would be a description of some actions on page 409 and 410 with such fallacies as "...Bedouin women bared their breast to show that their children were hungry..."Several members of this particular company of the 101st, who are now assigned to my unit, state that nothing like this ever happened.Atkinson addresses several criticisms of the strategy applied against Iraqi forces in the finals stages of the war.Such as the decision to provide Iraq with a "merciful clemency" outlined on page 475.The decision to stop offensive combat operations before a complete destruction of the Imperial Guard was achieved when intelligence showed most of the unit was in Basrah would be a blemish on the otherwise spectacular victory.Opponents would argue that this decision provided Saddam with resources to terrorize the Iraqi population following the American withdrawal.Counter arguments felt that this remnant would most likely provide the combat power required to overthrow the Hussein regime.History would show that no overthrow of Saddam would be attempted and the units and equipment in reserve up north would provide sufficient resources for Hussein to persecute real and imagined opponents shortly after the Americans began redeployment.The book does a decent job of describing the lead up and conclusion of the last battle of the war in Rumaylah.The final destruction of the Republican Guard that made up the Hammurabi Brigade made very few headlines as the world became aware of the level of barbarism inflicted upon the Kuwaiti people.This is an interesting point considering this last battle took place two days after the war ended. The list of naysayers and arm chair quarterbacks who criticize the decisions and actions made by combat leaders is long.It should be noted that most of these "critics" couldn't lead a pack of Girl Scouts to the mall, but some criticism is warranted.One of the most crucial errors in decisions made during the final stages of Desert Storm would be made as an afterthought by GEN Schwarzkopf at the surrender table.He permitted the Iraqi government to use rotary wing aircraft for transport due to the considerable destruction to the road networks.This equipment would be integral in Saddam's continued suppression of his people.Crusade holds the reader because of Atkinson's trademark skill at telling multiple stories and weaving them together into one overall story, this builds a connection between the characters and the reader that allows the book to flow smoothly and quickly from one chapter to the next.Atkinson's diatribe on his view of "what the war was fought for that resulted in 390 deaths" at times comes off more as an editorial in the New York Times than a critical analysis.Despite this, he does a fair accounting of the fact that this war ended the stigma of Vietnam for the American military once and for all.He sums it up well on page 493, "...Only America could have amassed more than nine million tons of materiel, hauled it six thousand miles to the Middle East, fought a war, then carted the stuff home again..."Overall, Crusade is a job well done. Bryan M. Brokate

Great Read
Very well written. Author provides a full view of the events that lead to our involvement. Battle recreation is excellent.

muy buen libro
este fue un regalo para mi esposo y segun lo que me ha dicho del libro que es muy bueno.

A Better Look....
Veteran writer and journalist Rick Atkinson's "Crusade" was published in 1993, just long enough after the end of the First Gulf War for the dust to settle and for the author to sort through what really happened.Although less complete as a military account than Scales' "Certain Victory" or Gordon and Trainer's "The Generals' War", it is easily the most engrossing for the general reader.Atkinson nimbly steps between the battlefield, the Coalition command post in Saudi Arabia, and the Washington Beltway to create a compelling narrative of the personal and poltical dimensions of the conflict.

Atkinson's gift is to put perspective on a huge effort.Following the invasion of Kuwait by Iraqi, the United States led a UN-sponsored coalition in first protecting Saudi Arabia and then liberating Kuwait.Operations DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM represented the most significant military effort by the United States since the end of the Vietnam War.For many participants, the Gulf War was a long-overdue exorcism of the ghosts of Vietnam, and Atkinson faithfully traces that thread in the narrative.

The outsized personality of General Norman Schwartzkopf dominates the story in the Middle East.In charge of an isolated command with few assigned troops, Schwartzkopf was responsible for the rapid build-up of a multi-national force, the careful tending of various allies, and the ultimately successful campaign to liberate Kuwait.That enormous amounts of political and military friction were an inescapable part of this effort is no surprise; its extent is captured here.

DESERT STORM was a proving ground for various new forms of technology and doctrine whose use is now considered routine.Atkinson successfully narrates the terrific struggles over the integration of a joint, combined combat effort at what was then the cutting edge of innovation.Inevitably, mistakes were made; Atkinson documents this as well.

This book is highly recommended as an excellent account of the First Gulf War for the general reader and for the student looking for broad coverage. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by a pilot for the non-aviator, Strike Eagle puts the reader inside the cockpit of one of the world’s most advanced fighters—the F-15E. It is a human-scale account of men at war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Great memoir about one of the greatest jet fighters in the history!
There isn't much more to say other than:

The book is written in a very simple yet informative language even for an average person. However if you are a military aviation enthusiast, and want to read about what those guys went through and did back then as well as the environment they were in, then you will be pleasantly surprised by this book. I personally enjoyed it very much.

F-15Ein the Gulf
Great book hands down. Down and dirty in the weeds. Great story

More about the pilots than the aircraft
A great book about F-15E pilots experience in that war. It does not however specifically tell you anything much about how the aircraft performs or how it functioned in the gulf war out side of the pilots personal accounts. If you are interested in pilots war time experience - great. If , like me, you are more interested about the aircraft itself you might want to consider some thing else.

"Cool"
I have read some books about flight, this is the one make me a "deep" image in my brain in each battle scene it describes. No need to say more, all flight readers or hardcore flight simulation fans can't miss it. One word to say "Cool" :-)

Remedial English
As a fan of military flight sims, I looked forward to reading this book in order to enrich my understanding of modern aerial combat with the F-15E. Unfortunately, the author's ponderous, wooden narrative and puerile dialog dampened my initial enthusiasim. Though the book is filled with interesting anecdotes and insights that only a person who was actually there would know, they are squandered since the author's command of English is at the level of a grade schooler. I had to stop after only 2 chapters since I couldn't bear it, it was like being forced to watch Sesame Street. I didn't expect the Great American Novel, but the writing here was absymally poor. ... Read more

Product Description
In early summer of 1990, Joel Turnipseed was homeless—kicked out of his college's philosophy program, dumped by his girlfriend. He had been AWOL from his Marine Corps Reserve unit for more than three months, spending his days hanging out in coffee shops reading Plato and Thoreau.

Then Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

Turnipseed's unit was activated for service in Operation Desert Shield. By January of '91, he was in Saudi Arabia driving tractor-trailers for the Sixth Motor Transport Battalion--the legendary "Baghdad Express." The greatest logistical operation in Marine Corps history, the Baghdad Express hauled truckloads of explosives and ammunition across hundreds of miles of desert. But on the brink of war, Turnipseed's greatest struggles are still within. Armed with an M-16 and a seabag full of philosophy books, he is a wise-ass misfit, an ironic observer with a keen eye for vivid detail, a rebellious Marine alive to the moral ambiguity of his life and his situation.

Developed from Turnipseed's 1997 article for "GQ Magazine," this innovative memoir--simultaneously terrifying and hilarious, equal parts "Catch-22" and "Catcher in the Rye"--explores both the absurdities of war and the necessity of accepting our flawed world of shadows. With expansive humanity and profane grace, Turnipseed finds the real-world answers to his philosophical questions and reaches the hardest peace for any young man to achieve--with himself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

A different kind of Marine memoir
Hard core marines would probably not approve of this book. Because as a marine, Turnipseed is something less than gung-ho. His approach to the military life is much too casual. Of course he's telling only about his tour in Saudi Arabia during the first Gulf war, where he was a truck driver/mechanic with a philosophic bent - along with a bent sense of humor and seriously skewed world view. By the time his Motor Transport Battalion out of Minnesota was deployed to the Gulf, Turnipseed had already been in the USMC Reserves for several years. At the time of his activation he was lounging his way through the University of Minnesota, majoring in (what else?) philosophy. His enthusiasm over being reactivated knew bounds, if you know what I mean. But he didn't feel that this particular little war was worth going to Canada for. So he packed one of his seabags full of books and substituted cigarettes for his pipe and was off to Arabia. For a kid who got knocked around and bounced around between divorced parents and uncaring step-parents and grandparents, I have to admire this guy. He straightened himself out. Looking at the kind of marine he is by 1990, it's hard to believe he was a boot camp honor grad, but he says he was. While it's true Turnipseed never saw combat, you gotta understand that MOST of the troops in that short-lived little skirmish never saw combat. It was mostly a kind of remote-controlled war filled with countless hours of boredom broken up by marathon sessions of self-abuse. (Read Swofford's Jarhead.) As a military memoir, this is a very strange animal. This Turnipseed guy, while maybe (at least in some people's minds) a disgrace to the Corps, is a very thoughtful and a very funny guy. I liked this book. - Tim Bazzett, author of SOLDIER BOY: AT PLAY IN THE ASA

A Gulf War I Memoir
I have read plenty of books over here, there are times when there is little else to do. It is too hot to be outside, you have nowhere to go anyway on a FOB in the middle of a desert, you have no work assigned, and time is slow. The boredom is mind-numbing. There are also times, like the author describes, when you go for weeks and months on end sleeping maybe four hours a day. The sun just keeps spinning around the sky and the relentless days just keep coming at you. You get no break, there is no mercy.

Turnipseed captures very accurately what it is like to be deployed to this region. Some things have changed, of course. If the author were here now, he might find things a little more exciting for a truck driver. But some things never change, the tent cities, the boredom, the exhaustion and stress.Even those of us who never leave the wire deal with the constant possibilities of incoming rounds, rockets, and mortars. There is a fear that haunts your sleep at the beginning and an unending tension which must eventually replace it.

As for Turnipseed's philosophic and individualist bent, that is not at all as uncommon as some reviewers think in military members. We are not mindless faceless followers of orders. The military, ironically, attracts people with issues with authority. The results are often humorous, unless of course you are the one dealing with the consequences of your smart attitude. The military is far more educated than in past generations. Sure, plenty of kids still join straight out of high school. But plenty more start or even finish college, and have no way to realistically pay for it and so end up in the service, often in the support branches like Turnipseed. (Others join for patriotism, or bravado, or just plain curiosity.)

Most of us are younger than thirty: young people throughout history have displayed an individualistic streak, and a belief that they are the first ones to think and feel what they are going through. Being young is a crime of which we are all guilty at one time or another, I forget where I first heard that quote. Turnipseed at least was a young man who did not shirk his duty, as so many in the last generation did.

As for Turnipseed's isolation, it is largely self-imposed, and he doesn't deny that. Some of it, too, is a reflection of hard times from his youth. But he does outgrow it. He comes to realize that not all is black and white, that philosophy can inform life, but in the end it just has to be lived, in all its ups and downs. You will never fit in, being human entails some level of isolation. You can't attach more meaning to ideas than to people who would and sometimes do risk their lives for you.


But all of this is just an aside. The author captures the military experience perfectly, that strange mix of cameraderie and pride at the ideals which inspire the great institution, with the apathy and disillusionment and sheer exhaustion which ensue when we go to carry out our orders. There are mix-ups and mess-ups (to put it in polite civilian), rumors and constant changes of plans. You question sometimes what order your leaderships' priorities are in - the mission, your safety, their careers and politics? But you will always feel a certain pride at having served, despite it all. The cause is worth it.

The military, above all, teaches you the limits of what you can endure and how insignificant your feelings and self-esteem are to those limits, contrary to what everyone has told you to that point in your life. This is a difficult but necessary lesson to my generation. It's hard to explain the military or war to anyone who has not been there, but Turnipseed does so deftly with a concise and often hilarious style I have not encountered in other memoirs of modern war. For a view of the other side, non-veterans should read this book. For those who have served or are serving, you will smile and nod knowingly throughout, and may even find some of the quotes appropriate.

An interesting read
The first few chapters I had a hard time reading through as there was an excessive amount of profanity.By the middle of the book I was able to comprehend what he was saying.The last half of the book was interesting and showed his development from an outcast, to finally being accepted by people in the Dog Pound.I liked that there was an underlying message of his change/maturity, but that he also gave a nice portrayal of the war.With a friend that's currently a Marine in Iraq it was good to be able to have a taste of what he is going through.

The philosopher goes to war.
This is actually a good read, and I could have gone either way 3 to 4 stars.Turnipseed makes this interesting reading, despite throwing in various quotes from philosophers.I am not sure his fellow grunts understood him, and maybe I don't either.His job as a reserve Marine was to drive trucks from the rear to near the front.Most of his time was not spent in hazardous duty, despite the SCUDS and NBC threats.What he had to do was routine duty, that most frontline soldiers would grab for.Despite his duties, he makes this interesting reading by relating his experiences during the first Gulf War.

This is a fairly short read about the experiences of one soldier in war, and war for him was mostly in the rear.His philosohical notions sometimes gets in the way of the read. I especially enjoyed his chapter on the black planet.

The Real Gulf War
This was one of the best military books I've read so far, and I've read a lot of them.While this book was profane it was an accurate description of the War in Iraq in the early 90's.Joel Turnipseed goes into pre-war happenings, going to war, life in the desert, and coming home in his memoir.He does't try to glorify the war, he just tells it how it was in a very descriptive way.I'd reccomend this book but not to people who aren't prepared for plenty of swears. ... Read more

Product Description
Besides continuing a long history of world-wide peacekeeping, the commitment of US troops to the Gulf reunified the country and restored a national pride lost in the aftermath of Vietnam. It also proved that the US armed forces were again the most capable military force in the world. This volume by veteran Osprey author Gordon L. Rottman focuses on the structure, equipment, effectiveness, and employment of the 680,000 coalition troops which fought in the Gulf War, covering not only the US forces, but also those of Britain, France, the Arab League and Iraq. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE uniform reference for Gulf War One
This book covers a lot of ground in its 64 pages. Discusses and illustrates the different uniforms worn by Coalition Forces in good format. The illustrations themselves can't be beat.

During my time there I saw a lot of these uniforms, but it wasn't until I got this book that I could tell who was who! A must-have of any book collection that deals with this conflict. ... Read more

Product Description
America's attention focused in an intense way on the Gulf War,as briefings and bombings filled the airwaves, pictures and storiesfilled the print media of the world.The nation was hooked on aprimetime live special who's action, by its nature, seemed thecomplete truth.

But did the American people receive the information they deserved andwhich a free press should guarantee?Would media demands for lesscontrol have jeopardized lives and compromised battle action?In TheMedia and the Gulf War those questions are dealt with by experts onall sides of the issue- members of the media, the military, and thegovernment. ... Read more

Product Description
During Operation Desert Storm, Captain Keith Rosenkranz piloted his F-16 "Viper" in 30 combat missions. Here he recounts these experiences in searing, "you-are-there" detail, giving readers one of the most riveting depictions ever written of man and machine at war. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (21)

Best aviation book I have ever read...
The best aviation book I have ever read. The author does a great job of telling his story from inside the cockpit. I felt like I was going along for the ride. I think this book should come with a seat belt and oxygen mask just to read it. Nice wok Keith...

I am amazed. LOVE the book!
It's a MUST for people interested in flying the jets. And if you're flying F-16 simulator, maybe in some virtual squadron - man - IT'S YOUR BIBLE!
Fantastic book. Respect Keith!

a great book!
i bought this book as a gift for my husband who is an f18 pilot himself, we r from kuwait so a gulf war book is a must have for us.. my husband owns a bigggg library with all sort of war and military books.. but this one was sooo special he couldnt put it down in fact i was a little jealous of the book! he loved it soo much u wont believe it.. in fact i gave it a quick scan myself and i enjoyed the story too. when i asked my husband what he thought of the book because im writing for amazon, he just said that its the best book he ever read and its a very good account of what happened during the war to liberate our country!

A Flight Sim Fan's Review
Boy, I loved this book.As someone who's NOT a pilot and NOT in the military, this book provided a TON of insight into the day-to-day life of a combat pilot.

One way to see what it's like to be a fighter pilot is to buy a combat flight sim for your PC.Sometimes I wonder how real these are.However, when reading Rosey's account, I can say, they're pretty real!

So many times I've forgone all tasks other than countering a missile threat.So many times I've almost flown into the ground at night.Rosey did these, too, and I can't imagine how it feels to really see a SAM guiding on you, coming out of the clouds.

In addition to a lot of things flight sim fans have gone through, Rosey adds a lot of real life perspective.I laughed when he described how F-16 pilots bring 'piddle packs' on long flights and he described how he went about not making a mess with them.I laughed again when he described bringing a granola bar with him on flights, for the ride home after a bombing run.I've often gotten up while playing a flight sim and gone to the fridge for a snack.

For flight sim fans, this book should be REQUIRED READING.It gives a great perspective on how missions are planned and carried out.I was surprised by a lot of the real-life aspects of combat flight and was equally surprised by some of the aspects that read the same way an 'after-action' report from a flight sim mission reads.I'm still blown away by a couple of the mission accounts when Rosey went 'downtown'.

Thank you Rosey!
This is a brilliant book.
For anyone interested in military aviation or modern warfare I can only recommend reading Keith Rosenkrantz's excellent account of his part in the first Gulf War.
This book is well written, easy to read, detailed and personal in a way many of these books fail to be.
As a pilot myself (commercial) and having always dreamed of flying such aviation exotica as the F-16, this book is the key for us mere mortals to step into the world of the modern fighter pilot. It gives you a taste of the discipline, courage and commitment required.
For all this and much more you should definitely check out Vipers in the Storm.

When you're finished reading it drop Rosey a line, like I did to thank him for sharing his experiences. His email address is at the back of the book and he was gracious enough to reply to my message too. An officer and a gentleman not to mention hero. ... Read more

Product Description
The story of the A-10’s unlikely rise to glory in the Gulf War—and what of it’s like to fly a plane so ugly that it was dubbed "the Warthog." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

You will actually feel as if you had actually been there and done that!
This book takes you right in combat with the A-10 pilots in the Gulf War. The author takes advantage of the hundreds of interviews he made for this book to discuss interesting incidents not only from the point of view of the pilot flying but also from his wingman and other pilots in the area.
This book is about real people going to war and facing not only the enemy but themselves and their own fears.
Highly recomended.

Great book
I'm a new A-10 pilot, and this book was an outstanding look at the history of the Hog during the war in which it proved itself.

Very well written and accurate.

Warthog: Flying the A-10 in the Gulf War
I bought it back when it first came out in 1993 and loved it!,and reread it in 2001 and still loved it. I'am going to reread it this month (Jan 09) because it's the only book out on filing the A-10 in combat! try STRIKE EAGLE: Flying the F-15E in the Gulf War it's also great. I also read and later reread it. Great combat flying!! and photos.

Great picture of the A-10 during the Gulf War
Quick, easy read about the role of the A-10 in the Gulf War.I'm a big fan of oral histories and this uses a lot of interviews with pilots and is written directly from those conversations.A great look into the buildup before Desert Storm and what the pilots did before and during the War in the Gulf area.

Excellent work!
The A-10 "Warthog" is a slow, ugly warplane but deadly efficient in battle given that it operates under complete air supremacy. The author has done a great job describing in vivid details this potent aerial weapon as well as the brave fliers who took it in the Gulf War for its battle debut. The destruction that A-10s achieved against the Iraqi Army was awesome and the enemy's armour was decimated by the combination of Maverick missiles and the GAU-8/A Anenger gun. Smallwood gives many behind the scenes details of improvisation regarding the use of weapons, the tactics and the ways the pilots used to bring more firepower on the enemy. The vast array of the iraqi air-defense weapons and the dangers that Warthog pilots faced are also presented. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
THE GULF WAR: OVERREACTION & EXCESSIVENESS

Hassan A. El-Najjar

This book is critical of the way the Bush administration reacted tothe 1990 Iraqi-Kuwaiti crisis and the way it conducted the 1991 GulfWar. It reveals the real story of the War in a way thatcounter-balances the pro-War accounts that have flooded the market,during the last ten years.

The chapters of the book reveal the real story of the Gulf War througha thorough investigation and analysis of the major issues andquestions that led to the development of the Crisis and the War. Amongthese are the Iraqi claims of Kuwait; how Kuwaitis treated themajority of the population, immigrants; the background of inter-Arabconflict; the role of Western interests in the development of theconflict; how the 1990 Crisis developed; how the War decision wasmade, who made it, and when? why did the Bush administration rejectall peace initiatives? Was the War excessive? Was the destruction ofIraq a goal in itself? What about Kuwaitis, were they innocent? Whatdid they do to Palestinians after the War and why? Finally, what werethe War results and consequences, for America and Arabia? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Anti-semetic garbage
This is the worst piece of bigoted trash I have read in a long while.Dr. El-Najjar's hatred of Israel comes through loud and clear.I feel sorry for his students at Dalton State University.I'm sure is biases permiate his lectures.
Dennis P. Skea, BBA, EA, PFA ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
In a unique combination of journalism and military expertise, Gordon, the chief defense correspondent for The New York Times, and retired three-star general Bernard Trainor provide a definitive, behind-the-scenes account and analysis of the planning and execution of the Persian Gulf War. Photos & maps. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

A War that Went Right...Mostly
Michael R. Gordon, chief defense correspondent for the "New York Times," and Bernard E. Trainor, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General who was a reporter for the "Times" during the first Gulf War, have written an informed account of that conflict that is fascinating and often evocative of Operation: DESERT STORM.The central players in their drama are Generals Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf.Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney plays an important supporting role.

Gordon and Trainor present Powell as an extremely reluctant warrior who puts the institutional interests of the military before the foreign policy of the United States.He was, according to them, terrified of a repeat of the Vietnam War, where the American people blamed the uniformed services for a war that went wrong.Schwarzkopf despite his "Stormin' Norman" reputation emerges as more bark than bite.He might have abused his own staff, but he led with a light hand.He knew he had to be diplomatic with the allies and make sure that each had an important role to play, even if it upset U.S. plans or complicated military operations.He also allowed each of the other U.S. armed services to develop their own battle plans.As a result, DESERT STORM was a loosely coordinated fight rather than a strongly multi-lateral joint operation.

The strengths of this study also its weaknesses.Gordon and Trainor are defense correspondents, and while they can and do use their contacts in the Department of Defense to great advantage, they have far few in the political realm, and it shows.Secretary of state James Baker and President George Bush are almost absent from this account.Although the central thesis of this book is that the civilian leadership abdicated responsibility to the generals--hence the title--the reader needs to take this argument with a certain amount of skepticism.Gordon and Trainor make no effort to examine U.S. foreign policy in the Persian Gulf or Middle East before this conflict, or its diplomatic impact.They also tend to exaggerate the influence of the media.Staff officers advance their plans over Schwarzkopf's objections by leading to the press and some generals owe their survival against enemies in the service due to their media coverage.Maybe, or maybe it was that they had good ideas and were competent commanders.

We could've lost this one!
So, you thought that the US really kicked butt during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm?I did -- until I read this book (required reading for a military studies course).What I had throught was a finely tuned, well oiled US political-military machine was a facade.Until reading this book, I never knew -- and thank goodness, neither (apparently) did Saddam Hussein or his cronies know -- how tenuous the early US military presence in Saudi Arabia was.I've heard it said that it's better to be lucky than good in battle; thankfully, the US forces were both lucky AND good in Desert Shield/Desert Storm.Read this book if you're interested in learning the un- (or under-) reported inside history of the Gulf War.

Good Reading For Any Desert Storm Vet
I was in the Persian Gulf (Saudi Arabia)in the U.S. Army, from October '90 to August '91 as part of Desert Shield/Storm.This was the first book I've read on the subject.The ground war was so short (100 hours), and was such an anti-climax after waiting months for something to happen, that I didn't feel any book would be very good reading.This book was very good, though not great.Very revealing.
The first part of the book leading up to the air campaign kind of dragged a bit at times.It was interesting to read about the preparations at the higher levels, and the in-fighting amongst the services.Saddam Hussein's blunders early on are explained very well.I had never heard of any of these arguments before. Had Saddam waited a few months more to invade Kuwait, the U.S. military would have been in the midst of a huge drawdown in personell, and we would have had even more problems coming up with the forces to act against him. (The draw down did happen, starting in late 1991 after all the units had returned.)
The book left me with a very negative view on Colin Powell.He was willing to leave 400,000 troops sitting in the desert (99% of us who would be living in tents) for over a year waiting for economic sanctions to work. Go to Death Valley and live in a tent, General!!!
Once the air campaign starts, the book reads like a Tom Clancy novel.Very riveting.
General Schwarzkopf comes off as an egotistical hothead, and a bit of a 'screw-up'. He fails to seriously heed intelligence on the poor morale and combat effectiveness of the Iraqi troops. There also seemed to be a lot of blundering getting the ground campaign off on the right track.
Schwarzkopf was also overly generous to the Iraqi's after thier defeat.He allowed them to fly helicopters, which they used to slaughter thousands who rose up against Saddam.
General McCaffrey, who commanded the 24th Mech Division, comes off as one of the Army's best generals. To bad he wasn't in charge of the whole operation.
After reading this book I realized that this was not such a great victory as advertised.Mainly due to a very political JCS Chairman (Powell), various other politicians, and an egotistical (Jonathan Winters look alike) General Schwarzkopf, who had his memoirs planned before it was all over.
The military acronyms used might be a problem for someone never in the military, but the authors do a good job of explaining them at the outset.
There is not to much 'high tech' mumbo jumbo either. The book flows decently.

The First Gulf War: A Necessary Corrective...
"The Generals' War", by correspondent Michael Gordon and retired General Bernard Trainor, is a well-researched historical account of the First Gulf War, with a focus on general officer-level decision-making.Published in 1995, the authors took full advantage of access to senior participants and declassified records to publish a necessary corrective to the triumphalism that immediately followed the end of hostilities in 1991.

DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM were the largest military operations conducted by the United States since the end of the Vietnam War.The operations were also a proving ground of modern weaponry and of doctrine for joint and coalition warfare.Shining a 20/20 hindsight spotlight, Gordon and Trainor found that the making of war was far messier than was advertised at the time.Rivalries between CENTCOM and the Washington Beltway hindered integrated planning, while joint conduct of the war suffered from the attempts of each of the services to carve out their own piece of the action.

The hype that accompanied the release of "The Generals' War" was a bit overdone.Few of Gordon's and Trainor's findings should be surprising to dedicated students of warfare, let alone to participants in the war itself.Wars are inherently political in planning.Execution is inherently messy and subject to all kinds of friction.For a national security structure with limited experience in the planning and conduct of war, the Bush Administration by and large did a very acceptable job.The point is well-taken that the Bush Adminstration might have done a better job of warning off Saddam from invading Kuwait prior to August 1990; it remains unknowable what if any actions might have produced different results.The point is also well-taken that the ground war was ended before the destruction of the Republican Guards, based on incomplete reporting from the battlefield.The service jostling for participation was inevitable, given the expectation that post-war budgeting would be based on wartime performance.That JCS Chief General Powell did a good job of deflecting these service pressures is to his credit.

"The Generals' War" is a very useful dissection of a complicated conflict, one that is a direct precusor to our current ways of conducting military operations.It is highly recommended to students of warfare as a detailed and generally balanced account.

Wrong Book
Bought this by mistake, thought it was a diffewrent one.Will read it sometime in the futre or donate it to local library. ... Read more

Product Description
Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914) was an American naval officer, considered one of the most important naval strategists of the nineteenth century. In 1885 he was appointed Lecturer in Naval History and Tactics at the US Naval War College, and served as President of the institution between 1886 and 1889. His series of books examining the role of sea power in history influenced the rapid growth of international navies in the period before World War I. This book, first published in 1883 and reissued here in its 1898 London edition, examines the role of the navy in the American Civil War of 1861-1865. It covers actions in the Gulf of Mexico and along the length of the Mississippi, where the Union's blockade starved the Confederate army of vital resources. Mahan himself had served on the Union side, and interviewed veterans in order to supplement the official naval records. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

How Space & Info OPS rules the battlespace...
This AFCEA book, "The First Information War," provides great coverage of how information helped win the Persian Gulf war of 1990/1991. While the compiling editor included text from all areas of information operations (computers, satellites, nodal analysis), the best area covers satellite communications.

The utility of communication satellites (DSCS and commercial links) was proven during this conflict by the ingenuity of the systems operators, planners and architects. Since Info Ops and satellite communications are so integrated, I would recommend this book to CSPs (Certified Space Professionals) as an 'area-broadening' book, not a primary text.
... Read more