Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam

This is a history of U.S. development of the air-mobile concept; the creation of the first air-assault division; and the testing of both in the central highlands of South Vietnam in October/November 1965the Pleiku Campaign. For the first time, helicopters transported troops en masse as well as carrying organic howitzers and establishing remote fire-bases in support of a division-sized operation. The result was a stunning victory for the Americans. Retired Army Lt.-Col. Coleman (who wrote the official after-action report) had access to ``three duffel bags'' full of captured enemy documents and here covers both sides of the bloody affair. Highly specialized, the book will appeal primarily to only the most dedicated military buffs. Photos. (August)