Hard Chargers From The Sky is not just another Vietnam War story. It is a historical novel seen through the eyes of a young lieutenant, Ryan "Rye" Anders, Vietnam, 1967-8, who is called upon to airlift and drop his 127 men and 6 1/2 ton guns into battle. Rye travels naively into war, arrives unassigned, and selects a 155mm artillery unit believing he would be supporting safely from the rear. He was wrong as his 6 1/2 ton guns are airlifted into the battle for Khe Sanh, a bold experiment dreamed up in Washington to win the war. Now as a lead assault unit, each mission becomes more difficult with less chance of survival. Rye returns to the abandoned Khe Sanh Base under siege to rescue guns and finds men left behind. He becomes the last American standing. Three weeks before returning home, he airlifts two guns and 27 men into the "Valley of Death", 37 miles inside the enemy on a suicide mission. Will he make it out? Rye finds love with a warrior nurse. They are damaged goods. On returning home, he is conflicted in leaving brothers behind. Unable to wash off the blood, escape the horror, he succumbs to post trauma, and years later suffers complications from Agent Orange. Hard Chargers From The Sky honestly imparts the action, dialog, and introspection of a soldier fighting in an unpopular war. It is a war that has formed a pattern for wars that have followed. -- Back cover.

---ARRIVAL--- --Top-down strategy/into battle -- The formation -- Kath -- On the way -- No turning back -- Arrival in country -- ---SURVIVAL--- -- At the bar -- South Beach -- Last dance at the country club -- North to Nha Trang -- In from the jungle -- Going up-country -- Becoming a warrior -- Hard Chargers all the way -- Making it a home -- The enemy divide -- Bloodbath at Que Son -- Finding acceptance -- Going on up to Alpha Battery -- Angels of mercy -- Holiday triage -- On the return, Hell on Ross -- I Corps all the way -- Hue bound -- Wasting the Imperial City -- Take a chaw -- Hold your fire -- The village as an enemy -- Last rites -- Those around us -- Winning the hearts and minds -- Return to Sane Jane -- The All-American hero -- The voices of war -- And the dead shall rise -- The care package -- The march north to Khe Sanh -- Into battle, Ca Lu to Wharton -- Lift-off -- Dead to rights -- Requiem -- Hidden enemies -- Strategy to extend -- Out to Snapper -- Tear their guts out -- Where the hell's the support? -- Meet me Down Under -- The duel - what's your poison? -- They knew best -- Hundred-pound darts -- "Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright" -- The gift -- Peanuts -- Leaving the Khe Sanh -- Return to sanity -- Rest stop - Quang Tri -- The game -- Return to Jane -- Almost normal -- Escape -- Across to Darwin -- Arriving Down Under -- First night out -- Not what it seems -- Betting on winners -- Sound bites -- Whose war is it anyway? -- How're the Blacks? -- The dance -- Dianne -- Coogee to Bondi -- The long way back -- Last American standing -- Pass the olives -- Into the Valley of Death -- Attacked by our own -- It's a flyby -- Blood sun -- Bad landing -- Never coming home -- One with their enemy! -- Blood of the Lamb -- Leaving them behind -- ---FALL OUT--- -- Bound for home -- On the way -- Fallout -- Reunion/echoes -- Recall/next generation.