Robert Mason's devastating bird's eye-view of the Vietnam War in all its horror.

Chickenhawk contains a most vivid, astoundingly detailed description of flying. It is a devastating account of men at war, of courage and cowardice, boredom and exhilaration, lasting friendship and sudden death. Roberts Mason's war was supposed to bring the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese to their knees in short order. That it didn't is now part of history and for men like Robert Mason, the futility, the senseless destruction it caused to an ancient society, left scars that will never heal. Chickenhawk is not a book for weak stomachs, but its powerful message will stay in the memory long after the last page is turned.

As a young man, Robert Mason dreamed of flying helicopters, and the US Army gave him his chance. They sent him to Vietnam where, between August 1965 and July 1966, he flew more than 1,000 assault missions.

Details: Non-fiction, published 1984.

Format: Soft cover, illustrations (photographs & maps), 400 pages.

Dimensions: 19.8 cm (h) x 12.7 cm (w) x 2.4 cm (d) / 273 grams.