Robert Gleason. (TLC member)
Sunflower University Press.
This is a nonfiction story that has waited too long to be
told. It traces
the seminal events surrounding the recruitment and training of a unique USAF
tactical unit (code name JUNGLE JIM) and its deployment as the first United
States combat unit to enter Vietnam in 1961 (code name FARM GATE). It
illuminates a notch in the history of America's involvement in Vietnam that
has generally been ignored, that is the formative period of 1961 thru 1962.
The story begins with an incident, previously unreported,
which occurred
during a meeting of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, (JCS) in very early 1961. This
incident, and the trail of subsequent Air Staff actions, resulted in the
formation of a tactical unit composed of volunteers sworn to secrecy and
asked to commit themselves to a mission that went well beyond the oath of
duty normally administered to members of the US military. The book is
introduced by General "Pete," Piotrowski, formerly the Vice Chief of
Staff.
USAF, who was also one of the original members of this elite group.
Although the genre of the book is military history, the
manuscript is
written from a human interest perspective with many tales containing either
humor or poignancy. The book is not an autobiography. It is mostly the
story
of others. It does, however, reflect the experience of the author who was a
unit commander in the early commando movement and who later served on the Air
Staff before becoming Deputy MACVSOG.
Much of the narrative revolves around untold stories
associated with two
great military leaders one is quite renown, Gen. LeMay, The other, General
Ben King, has received little recognition for his considerable
accomplishments. Just as Col. Phil Cochran and Col. John Allison were hand
picked by Gen. Hap Arnold to be the commanders of the WW II Air Commandos,
Gen Ben King was interviewed and hand picked by Gen. LeMay to form and lead a
unit which in effect was a resurrection of the Air Commando movement.
An essay written by Jimmy Butler for the TLC network
giving a thumbnail
summary of some positive aspects of the Vietnam war is included in the annex.
The price of the book is $24.99 plus $3.50 s/h. A sales tax
of 6% will
apply if sold to a NC resident or if bought at the ACA reunion in FL. There
is no additional charge for author's indorsement or signature. A $5.00
contribution will be made by the author to the TLC children's fund for each
copy bought by a TLC member. Expected delivery in two to three weeks.
ORDER FROM: R. L. GLEASON, 3775
BROOKDALE DR. , CLEMMONS, NC 27012