19 Minutes to Live cover art

19 Minutes to Live

Helicopter Combat in Vietnam

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19 Minutes to Live

By: Lew Jennings
Narrated by: David Colacci
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About this listen

Over 12,000 helicopters were used in the Vietnam War, which is why it became known as "The Helicopter War". Almost half of the helicopters, 5,086, were lost. Helicopter pilots and crews accounted for nearly 10 percent of all the US casualties suffered in Vietnam, with nearly 5,000 killed and an untold number of wounded. Lew Jennings flew over 700 Air Cavalry Cobra Gunship Helicopter missions and received three Distinguished Flying Crosses for Valor.

This memoir describes first-hand the harrowing experiences of helicopter pilots and crews in combat operations, from the far South to the DMZ, including the infamous Ashau Valley, Hamburger Hill, LZ Airborne, and others. 19 Minutes to Live illustrates the incredible courage and determination of helicopter pilots and crews supporting those heroes that carried a rucksack and a rifle in Vietnam.

©2017 Lew Jennings (P)2018 Tantor Military & War Aviation Air Force Military War US Air Force Vietnam War Imperial Japan

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All stars
Most relevant
This is a good book. I've read lots of war memoirs from soldiers of all ranks. Some are too technical. Some are too much about the person. Some unfortunately aren't very good.

This one strikes me as just about right. It's easily as good as Chickenhawk which seems to be held up as some kind of standard. The narrator has an easy voice and the subject matter is excellent.

It's a book which at some point I will listen to again.

Would recommend.

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A gripping and emotional book on the war. Once I had started it was difficult to put it down.

Grabs your attention from the start

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This gives a great insight into the experiences of an American helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. It’s very well read and interesting.
Now for my criticism(s).
In the prologue and epilogue the author talks about flying in Iraq and saving thousands of lives including innocent civilians! Really? How many innocents were killed or maimed after George W Bush declared the end of major combat operations in Iraq, under a banner that read ‘Mission Accomplished’?

Other than these two sections (prologue and epilogue) the whole book is about flying in Vietnam and very interesting it is too.

However, I do take exception to him talking about ‘killing bad guys’ when perhaps the Americans were the bad guys. Some reflection on the rights and (especially) the wrongs of the war and American actions should have been included in my view.

Very good with one major criticism

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Narrator comes off a bit boring in the beginning, but you'll get used to his warm voice quickly. But for the love of God, someone tell him that Army callsigns are not read as normal numbers. 23 isn't twenty three but pronounced two three. But if you know you know. Otherwise very informative without being boring and great stories throughout.

Awesome listen

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Certainly one of the best books I have ever listened to, captivating from the opening chapter. The book is superbly written with a dark sense of humor in parts. Could not stop listening to it and very sad to get to the end.
The narrator brought it alive beautifully! one of the best narrations I have ever heard

Magnificent

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