Book Nook: Chariots in the Sky

 Chariots in the Sky is a personal book for author Larry Freeland, having served as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. Freeland wrote his historical fiction many years later, and pulls heavily from his journal entries he wrote while in service, and shares moments and feelings he had not even shared with his own family. This is a heroic story, with a brutally honest portrayal of the realities and human impact the Vietnam War created on the author. 

Join Captain Taylor St. James, along with his friends and comrades, as they fly harrowing combat missions, cover for each other, deal with bad weather, mechanical problems and human error during the later part of the Vietnam War.  When not flying, they are harassed by rocket attacks and sappers in the wire. Taylor discovers the North Vietnamese are not his only enemy as he copes with the pressures put on him by a commander more interested in personal glory than his men’s well being.  

This is the story of Captain Taylor St. James, a dedicated Army helicopter pilot, who is sent to Vietnam. He just wants to do his job, survive the war and return home to his wife Sandy and family. While performing his duties, Taylor will be challenged and tested beyond any measure he could have ever envisioned.

He is assigned to the Eagles, a Huey Assault Company with the 101st Airborne Division in I Corps. Taylor’s unit is stationed at Phu Bai Base where  they fly missions throughout the northern region. Their flying exploits take them into many familiar places to include:  A Shau Valley, Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, Hue, DMZ, North Vietnam and Laos.

Along the way Taylor participated in Lam Son 719, the last major American Offensive Operation of the war.  This historical campaign lasted for sixty days and involved over 750 helicopters flying in and out of Laos supporting the South Vietnamese incursion into Laos.  Lam Son 719 was the costliest period of helicopter warfare for the Americans.  More helicopters were shot down and sustained battle damage than any other period during the Vietnam War.

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