Books and Stories by William H. Heilman

Reviews

Chuck

I thought this book was very well done. I enjoyed reading it from the first page to the last. When I started reading it, I really didn't know what to expect. It turned out to be a very human story about the author's view of what went on from inside his head starting with his early years through his second Vietnam tour. It was very personal and insightful - a really good read and a very unique view of war from an individual pilot's point of view. (It would make a great movie....)

Scott

Superb accounting of the pilot's adventure from the start of training to the thrilling flight through valleys, mountains, and jungles, VFR & IFR, of South Vietnam in the '60s. Detailed stories of daily missions that carry the reader from takeoff to the battlefield, with the pilot's perspective as he engages the enemy, maintains survival, provides rescue, and covers his buddies. Entertaining recounts of scrounging, military life on deployment, staying alive, and returning home. A page-turner that you will not want to put down until you are finished! Great tales of an accomplished pilot!

Mike

I have finished reading it and only found two problems. One ,I couldn't put it down once I started and two, it was too short. It is a great book and adds a lot to the understanding of how things were over there.

Toni

I just finished reading the book, "A Pilot's Tale - Flying Helicopters in Vietnam." Thanks for sharing all those stories, it's one thing to write for therapy, quite another to share that with the world. I think I also came out of it with a different perspective on Vietnam.

John"LeRoy"

I find this to be a well-written little book about both the training, and the combat flying, for/in the Vietnam War. While striving to remain factual (and documenting embellished stories), Bill Heilman manages to mix in a bit of humor, including a joke or two on him. This book really helps me to better understand the huge amount of training required in order to actually pilot a chopper in combat, and the skills and nerve required to ferry men and materials into and out of combat zones, even under artillery attack. The book is interesting, easy, and at times technical, serious, and yet at times humorous, reading.

Loco1

This book gets to the core of flying choppers in Vietnam. From the training in the U.S. to the actual flying in 'Nam his love of flying comes through. Entertaining and factual, an excellent read.