Iceal Hambleton

A U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, "Gene" Hambleton commanded the 571st Missile Squadron at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base from 1965 to 1971. But he is better known as "Bat 21", the radio call sign he used in Vietnam when he piloted a radar jamming plane. He was shot down in 1972 while jamming enemy radar, and parachuted behind enemy lines -- into the midst of an invasion force of 30,000 North Vietnamese troops. But he was able to avoid capture for six days, and used his survival radio to call in air strikes against the invasion force. Rescue crews gave him coded instructions on where to go to be rescued, but that came at a great cost: his rescue chopper was shot down, killing all six crewmen aboard. "It was the most terrible day I had ever lived," he wrote to the crewmen's families. "I had to stand by and watch six young men die trying to save my life. Heroes, you bet they were." A second helicopter rescued him successfully. Hambleton's harrowing ordeal was recounted in the book Bat 21 (1980), which was made into a movie of the same name in 1988. He died from cancer on September 19 at age 85. From This is True for 19 September 2004 Suggestions for further reading: Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War by Karl Marlantes Amazon Price: $14.68 Customer Review: This novel truely depicts the death, distruction and heroism that existed during this era gone by. What is it that we just can not seem to learn from the mistkaes made then that are so applicable today. Nicely done.   The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien Amazon Price: $9.93 Customer Review: if you believe that truth is a mixture of hard facts and individual perceptions. In one of O'Brien's stories, "The Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong," fictional Tim O'Brien says that he could never trust the tales of his friend Rat Kiley because he blu...   Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds by Robin Olds, Christina Olds, Ed Rasimus Amazon Price: $17.81 Customer Review: Great read and story of one of America's finest. Reccomended for all to read.   I, Sniper: A Bob Lee Swagger Novel by Hunter, Stephen Amazon Price: Customer Review: My husband was pleased with this book. He normally does not read but he finished this book in one day.   Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers Amazon Price: $6.99 Customer Review: Fallen Angels is on my high school summer reading list and from the way it's going I'll probably be reading it in the fall. I ordered the book from smokymtnbooks on May 23rd, today is June 24th and I am still waiting for it to be delivered. Yesterday...   Newsfeed display by CaRP

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