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 Transportation War US Air Force Vietnam War

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All stars
Most relevant  
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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Brilliantly narrated and full of bravado and life. This book takes you very quickly to the life of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam.

It doesn't skip.... It just focuses on the real true story.

From earliy training to the end of the tour.

Well worth a listen.

Adventure From The Start.

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great story & narration thanks for relating your experiences & all the best for the future sir !👍

great story

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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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A brilliant book that didn’t leave anything to the imagination really
One that I just couldn’t stop listening too

An amazing story

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without anything earth shattering happening to this guy during the war, he gives a nice overview of the war, shares enough stories of his friends, and gives enough detail of his own activities to make you feel close to it. The reader conveys it well too

Good choice of reader; good overview of the war

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A fascinating and compelling story of helicopter warfare in Vietnam from the pilots PoV. Real Stories from places you see in war films putting into perspective how close air warfare was in support of the ground troops throughout the conflict.. the comradeship and the feelings of an individual during his time in area, the close calls, the loses and the euphoria of coming through such a brutal conflict..

A story from the air in frontline Vietnam

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2nd time within 6 months I’ve listened to this audio book and that is very rare for me, thoroughly enjoyed listening to it and it has inspired my love for aviation even more

Couldn’t put it down

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Loved this book. Didn't think it could get better than Chicken Hawk. I prefer this book to Snake Pilot.

Held me from start to finish.

Fantastic book.

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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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