1(F) Squadron RAF, flew air interdiction, armed reccon, close-air-support and airfield attack as well as pure photo-reccon missions. Most weapons were delivered from extreme low-level attacks because of the lack of navigation aids and in the absence of Smart weapons. The only way he could achieve results was to get low down and close-in to the targets and, if necessary, carry out re-attacks to destroy high-value targets. Apart from brief carrier trials carried out many years previously there had been no RAF Harriers deployed at sea. The RAF pilots were treated with ill-disguised contempt by their naval masters, their professional opinions ignored in spite of the fact that the RN knew next to nothing about ground-attack and reccon operations. Very soon after starting operations from the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes the squadron realized that they were considered as more or less expendable ordnance. The Harriers lacked the most basic self-protection aids and were up against 10,000 well-armed troops who put up an impressive weight of fire whenever attacked. "

    Your very belief is tested in combat, you must kill your enemy, or your enemy will kill you – that is the simple, hard cold fact. Because in my humble opinion, War is hell on Earth. Evil roams freely in War, and it will kill you, one way or another, with its evil intent. Nightmares are common and, in their fantasy, never reflect the real horror and the reality that War can bring to your mind. No matter what your personal spiritual beliefs are, you will be tested. The conduct of your intent will be your judge for life. It is your second guessing that can be dangerous to you. A wise Philosopher once said in Greece, “If you want real peace, you must always prepare for War.” This book is about war. It tells my experiences of the paths I took as a United States Marine in Vietnam. The mouths of many soldiers will say the same – the same soldiers who had shared my paths with the experiences of my many paths in life. I have not shared these words or reflections with anyone, except in bits and pieces, and that too, with other veterans in the form of bunker talk.

    This piece of history is set in 1969 West Germany. The reality of what happened in the Cold War on the border between the opposing forces of East and West makes this a great read; it's an important part of our military history. Rick Fontain, the main character, is found just out of high school working for Bell Systems when he is summoned by his friends and neighbors. During his induction into the US Army he is given an aptitude test. The test results change the path of his life forever. He is encouraged to become an officer but the extra time, in addition to his two years, is a no go for Rick. He opts for training on the Redeye, the first ever hand held surface to air missile system designed for close combat for the infantry. What Rick doesn't know is that he is being watched from afar. His progress is being scrutinized and he is being evaluated for recruitment into the CIA. The style of the author, Fortin, is written in the first person. We travel with Bill on a journey that follows the army life of Rick though short snippets of his, at times, humorous and MASH-like journey. The style of headers detailing the timeframe of where and when things were taking place are unique and are always appreciated by the reader always pushing to find out where and when what would happen next. His journey from boot camp continues when he is stationed near the Fulda Gap. Not a well known place, but its stragetic position to the free world was an important post that kept Europe safe during those tense 30 plus years. Rick and his team would become one of the greatest deterrents to an invasion from Mother Russia. Fortin brings all the key elements together to make a fabulous story: mystery; intrigue; love; suspense; bravery and reality. It is a snap shot in history back to when the world was at the brink. Redeye Fulda Cold is a historical expression of our military tradition. The story ends leaving the reader wanting to see a sequel novel to find out where Rick goes next. Author Bill Fortin has deftly combined fictional characters and people he served with in the United States Army to recount some important but little-known events during the Cold War. His story takes the reader to the people and places of the late 1960s European Military Community and a series of carefully crafted CIA military operations designed to thwart a possible Russian invasion through the infamous Fulda Gap.

    This book is about, what some may call, the alternative explanation.Picked up by a larger publisher--the retitled, second, and final edition of the cult hit, Spent Shell Casings.Created as a counterweight for all the politicized and ghost-written books about the Global War on Terror, No Joy is the transgressive memoir to set the record straight! Dark. Hilarious. Disturbingly Honest—this collection of short stories from your average frustrated American teen turned one of its most elite brand of warriors, No Joy rips the veneer off the thank-you-for-your-service Boy Scout façade.Centered on the 2004 Battle of Fallujah, this mosaic of meditation and madness asks the necessary question: what really draws modern young men to war?

    Out of the Blue: The Final Landing: Yet more scary and often funny tales from the Royal Air Force and Friends Foreword by Air Marshall Cliff Spink CB CBE FCMI FRAeS RAF Ret'd

    Boe entered the Vietnam war. Twice wounded during his one-year tour of duty, he endured some of the war's hottest moments, including the Tet offensive. He served honorably, facing an onslaught of bullets, mortars, rockets, hand grenades, and land mines. Through Bill's account, the reader gains a vicarious understanding of the day-to-day life and challenges of an American infantryman in Vietnam. This book's primary purpose is to honor those who made it home and those who did not by telling their story through Bill's eyes and ears. Written in the form of a novel, what makes Bill's true story so compelling is that his experiences likely are similar to those of many other men who served in the infantry in Vietnam. If you served in Vietnam in the infantry, Bill's story will likely bring back vivid memories. If you didn't serve, and if you have a friend who's a Vietnam infantry vet, you'll look at him differently after reading Bill's story. You'll come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges and hardships he faced.

    Decorated extensively, he secured a total of 16 'kills' over the course of the conflict, with 10 of these occurring during the Battle of Britain. Pivotal moments in his career include the time, in August 1940, when his flight encountered around a hundred enemy aircraft, including Messerschmitt 110's; he led the flight in attack against them, and soon found himself in a stalled position, out of which he spun, only to be confronted by a Dornier 215, which he shot down, before later destroying a Messerschmitt 109. Scores of these kind of risky maneuvers and winning victories punctuated a career defined by great courage, leadership and initiative in the face of fierce opposition.This new and engaging biography profiles a pilot who, until now, hasn't been the subject of such a thorough book-length study. The story of his career is incredibly entertaining, featuring a number of hair-raising episodes, and is sure to appeal to fans of aviation history as well as the more general reader seeking out an action-packed biography offering fresh insights into one of the most pivotal conflicts of the twentieth century.

    A futuristic sci-fi action adventure series that chronicles vast bloody battles following humanity’s first reach into the stars. This compendium edition contains the full text of the first three books in the series including the revised and re-mastered edition of the first book.Battle Earth (Remastered)A distress transmission from Mars research colony warns of an advanced and unknown enemy approaching the heavily populated lunar colony. An elite marine unit commanded by Major Mitch Taylor is dispatched to protect the civilians. However, the attack is merely a prelude to a massive invasion of Earth. A futuristic adventure that chronicles vast battles following humanity’s reach into the stars.Battle Earth IIAfter halting the enemy advance across Europe the war continues to rage in Paris. International armies have converged on the French city to make a stand. But Major Taylor learns of an even greater threat. The aliens are developing a weapon which could bring destruction to the human race overnight. Only one hope remains for the planet. A daring mission nobody could hope to survive.Battle Earth IIIThe alien invaders call in troops from the Moon to mount a new offensive. With the Earth forces overrun and in full retreat, Mitch has no option but to escape and confront Karadag once more before the planet is lost. Still carrying the mental scars from his first encounter with the brutal enemy leader, he must succeed for the fate of the human race.

    Army veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan troubled by guilt and sorrow. He is looking for his missing sister, the only family he has left, and for redemption and peace. Bowman finds himself in a small town in New Mexico, where he is arrested for a brutal double murder, which triggers chilling memories of other deaths for which he feels responsible. Circumstance and his guilty conscience drive him to take on those responsible for the murders. His survival skills and combat prowess will be tested as he finds himself in a mortal struggle with vicious drug traffickers and their allies. But not all of the good guys are blameless, and not all of the bad guys are evil. He must use his judgment as well as his fighting skills.

    Falkenberg was created by Jerry E. Pournelle and made his first appearance in “Peace With Honor” in Analog Science Fiction and Fact in 1972. That and other Falkenberg stories appeared in his fix-up novel, The Mercenary. Colonel Falkenberg and his 42nd Marine Regiment served as the last line of defense of the CoDominium and its many colonial words. This book continues the Falkenberg story, detailing his adventures and those of the 42nd CoDominium Marines on Haven (War World) and on Churchill, as Falkenberg and Admiral Lermontov struggle to keep the CoDominium from fracturing. On Haven the Colonel finds himself set between the Mahdi and his fanatical forces, on one hand, and Dover Minerals and the Bronson family, on the other hand. While on Churchill, Falkenberg is called upon to rectify the problems caused by the CoDominium Bureau of Relocations wholesale dumping of antagonistic populations on the hardscrabble world of Churchill, previously settled by British subjects in favor of the monarchy. Nor, does it help when the Brotherhood, a conspiracy of colonial CD military officers, gets involved providing weapons and money to the rebels.

    This is the story of the men on both sides who fought the Battle of the Bismarck Sea. Filled with blasting action, this is a novel of desperate men locked in a savage battle for mastery of the world’s greatest ocean. This was a war without rules or mercy, and one that ended in utter annihilation…

    That was always going to be complicated since he was a Prince of the Realm. Complicated turned into almost impossible when the Empress is attacked. What is a simple lieutenant supposed to do with his mother in a coma, a seemingly invincible enemy on the offensive, a darkness from the past stirring and his paranoid older brother trying to assassinate him. The lieutenant remembers his oath and with a former spy, a handful of Marines, his uncle and most importantly, his father, decides to defend the Empire from all enemies whether foreign or domestic.

    Eli became a decorated Navy SEAL and Ska became a meth addict and a sex slave to her depraved drug dealer. With help, Ska escaped the world of drug use and rebuilt her life. When her dealer is released from prison years later, he comes after Ska, believing her to be responsible for his brother's death. He vows to rebuild a drug empire on the reservation and kill Ska. 

 Eli and his friend, Matthew Wolf Steel, have a different plan in mind and the action gets wild as the two SEALS face the dark, violent adversary. During the course of the adventure, Ska and Eli are drawn together, and the sparks fly.

    Instead, they land in French North Africa to fight the German Army for the first time. In the midst of the invasion, an M4 Sherman tank rolls into combat. It is manned by five men: John Austin, the commander; Anthony Russo, the driver; Charles Wade, the gunner; Amos Swanson, the loader; and Eugene Clay, the bow gunner. Cocky and confident in Allied victory, they expect the battle for North Africa to be a cakewalk. Soon, the Germans will teach them the harsh realities of armored warfare. To survive, they’ll have to show grit—and learn to work together.

    It was fought at a place thousands of miles from land, by hundreds of planes over distances of hundreds of miles. It saw four massive Japanese aircraft carriers pitted against three similarly huge American carriers in a battle for domination of the Pacific. The battle is the story of the young Japanese empire seeking to challenge the established industrial power of America. Japan had smashed America at Pearl Harbour, shaken her at Coral Sea. Now she was ready to risk all in one mighty attempt to drive the United States Navy from the Pacific Ocean. Japan’s admirals put to sea confident that they could take the Americans by surprise, take the Midway atoll and destroy the American carriers. American espionage ensured that Admiral Nimitz had full knowledge of the planned attack, so turning a Japanese trap into an American ambush. The battle that followed raged over three days, full of set backs and disaster for each side. But Admirals Yamamoto and Nagumo had over-reached themselves and suffered the greatest naval defeat in history. America entered Midway on the defensive, still a hesitant participant in the war. She left the battle as the world’s first super power. Richard Freeman graduated in mathematics before following a career in distance education. He now writes on naval history. His other books include 'The Great Edwardian Naval Feud'. Endeavour Press is the UK's leading publisher of digital books.