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| Six months before his murder, President
John F. Kennedy looks into the eyes of graduates at the
Air Force Academy and challenges them to protect freedom
around the globe. Rising, applauding loudly, they answer
his call, having no inkling of the turbulent decade about
to break over them. The Light on the Star
is about upheaval in America, as a war in Asia fans incendiary
turmoil at home. Idealistic young men struggle with duty,
honor and bonds among classmates as their once-victorious
Air Force faces defeat, as one era in aerial warfare ends
and another emerges dimly. The consequences reverberate
through the lives of fighter pilots caught in the crosshairs,
battered by forces they can't comprehend. Their tumultuous
journey is an inspiring story of service to country under
adversity. It is marked by the pure thrill of flying jet
airplanes and the stark terror of things going desperately
wrong under fire. |
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Read the novel's prologue
This link leads to a site with the patch and history of
the 357th Fighter Squadron, the "Dragons", the
main character's unit:
357th
Fighter Squadron [357th FS]
I didn't fly with the 357th. I flew with the 354th Tactical
Fighter Squadron, a year after the time period in my novel.
This link leads to a site with the patch and history of
the 354th "Bulldogs":
354th
Tactical Fighter Squadron
This link leads to an excellent map of Thailand and Laos.
Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base (RTAFB) is 21 miles south-southeast
of Nakhon Sawan (which is about 120 miles north-northwest
of Bangkok) and Udorn RTAFB is near Udon Thani, northeast
of Takhli. In Laos, Sam Neua is in the upper right corner
of the map as Xam Nua, the Bird's Head is east of Ban
Ban -- where the road takes a turn to the south -- and the Fish's Mouth is the border area between Laos and North
Vietnam, running north and south from Ky Son just inside
North Vietnam:
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/thailand_pol_2002.jpg
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