Thud Ridge

Lippincott, 1969. 1st Edition . Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Book is clean with a square, tight binding and bright, white pages. Book has minor wear on the top and bottom of spine and previous owner's embossment stamp on half title page and written in pen name on the obverse side of the half title page. Dust jacket has minor wear on the edges, including 4 small (1/8") tears that are difficult to see in the scans. This is the story of a special breed of warrior, the fighter-bomber pilot; the story of valiant men who flew the rugged F-105 Thunderchief 'Thud' fighter-bomber over the hostile skies of North Vietnam. From the briefing rooms to the bombing runs, Colonel Jack Broughton recounts the tragedy and heartache, the high drama and flaming terror, the exhilaration and thrill of life on the edge. He relives the incredible feeling of high-speed, low-level sorties where SAM missiles, deadly flak, and enemy MiG fighters were all in a day's work. The bravery of the pilots and their commitment to each other in times of extreme fear, crisis and catastrophe are highlighted by vivid, fast moving aerial combat sequences. Thud Ridge is a fascinating and graphic memorial to the courage of American pilots, the power of their machines and their dedication to achieving successful missions despite the difficult challenges they faced. Author Jack Broughton, who passed away in 2014, had an exemplary career in the U.S. Air Force, receiving 43 separate awards and decorations, including four Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars and the highest Air Force service decoration for heroism, the presidentially-awarded Air Force Cross. Broughton was also proud of the fact that he was combat-qualified in every USAF fighter from the WWII P-47 to the supersonic F-106 all-weather interceptor. Thud Ridge continues to be an inspirational memoir for each new generation of air force officer candidates, as well as an enduring and timeless military history classic. The book you see in the images is the actual book we have for sale. Why pay more? When you buy this book from us, you are helping to support a small brick and mortar family owned store. We have been curating our collection for three generations and currently have over 250,000 volumes in stock. Please feel free to call for more stock.