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Author | Robert Mason |
---|---|
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Subject | Vietnam War, Helicopter |
Publisher | Viking Press |
Publication date | August 1983 |
Media type | Print (Hardcover & Paperback) |
ISBN | 978-0-14-007218-1 |
Chickenhawk is Robert Mason's narrative of his experiences as a "Huey" UH-1 Iroquois helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War. The book chronicles his enlistment, flight training, deployment to and experiences in Vietnam, and his experiences after returning from the war.
Mason was encouraged to write his Vietnam memoir by Knox Burger, the editor of an author-friend of Mason (Bill Smith, better known as Martin Cruz Smith). He began writing Chickenhawk on May 17, 1979 while living in Florida. The first chapter written became the fifth chapter in the finished book. By February 1980, Mason had a 200-page partial manuscript (about one-third), and an outline of the rest of his memoir. Knox agreed to offer the book to publishers.
While waiting to see whether Burger could sell the book, after several rejections (i.e. "it is good but no one wants to read about Vietnam"), Mason was running a paper route each night, 100 miles on back roads, and his car blew up. He decided to take a job sailing as a deckhand on a 30-foot boat to Colombia. As he puts it "I found out I could be bought." [ citation needed ] In January 1981 he was arrested with a boatload of marijuana from Colombia in a creek in South Carolina. [1]
In early 1981, while awaiting trial on the criminal charges, Mason learned that Viking Press had purchased Chickenhawk and started work on finishing the book. He didn't tell Viking about the bust. He wrote steadily submitting each third of the manuscript on time. [2]
By Christmas of that year, the manuscript was finished. Editing was completed by June 1982.
In the meantime, in March 1982, Mason was convicted on the smuggling charges. In August 1982, he was sentenced to five years in a minimum-security prison, but was allowed to remain free on bail pending an appeal of his conviction.
In early August 1983, Chickenhawk was published. Early reviews were positive, including a glowing review in The New York Times . [3] He was booked for an appearance on The Today Show and was interviewed several times. A film version was set to be written and directed by John Carpenter was announced but it was discarded by New World Pictures as it never got made. [4] [5] In the midst of this, Mason's appeals were exhausted and he learned that his incarceration was set to begin on August 19, 1983. The Today Show appearance took place August 15, and sales of the book benefited from the author's own ongoing drama as well as his widely praised writing.
Mason was released on May 17, 1985. While he was imprisoned, Chickenhawk had become a hardcover and paperback best-seller. He was unable to write while in prison.
Mason has subsequently published two novels, Solo and Weapon , as well as a second memoir, Chickenhawk: Back in the World.
Chickenhawk deals chronologically with Mason's training and his experiences in, and immediately after, Vietnam.
The book begins with Mason's training at the Army's Primary Helicopter School at Fort Wolters, Texas. After graduation in May 1965, he eventually learns he will be sent to Vietnam, making the trip in August with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) aboard the USS Croatan. The Cavalry is initially posted to An Khe, in central South Vietnam, where Mason first experiences combat.
The book then details his year-long posting, including the Battle of Ia Drang, R&R periods in Saigon and Taiwan, his encounters with soldiers of the South Vietnamese army, and his experiences piloting the UH-1 "Huey". Mason eventually transfers to another unit, which is engaged in an unofficial side-business of delivering ice in return for favours and various commodities. In August 1966, as Mason approaches the end of his posting, he develops some signs of post-traumatic stress disorder, which grew worse after his return.
In an epilogue, Mason sketches out his activities upon returning to the US, including his incarceration for smuggling.
Mason's post-Vietnam activities were expanded upon in Mason's sequel, Chickenhawk: Back in the World, which was published in 1993.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a utility military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace company Bell Helicopter. It is the first member of the prolific Huey family, as well as the first turbine-powered helicopter in service with the United States military.
Chickenhawk is a political term used in the United States to describe a person who is a war hawk yet actively avoids or avoided military service when of age. In political usage, chickenhawk is a compound of chicken and hawk from war hawk. Generally, the implication is that chickenhawks lack the moral character to participate in war themselves, preferring to ask others to support, fight, and perhaps die in an armed conflict.
USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2) was the lead ship of her class and type and the first amphibious assault ship to be designed and built from the keel up as a dedicated helicopter carrier. She carried helicopters and typically embarked USMC elements of a Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU)/later Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) principally the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) to conduct heliborne operations in support of an amphibious operation. There was no well deck to support landing craft movement of personnel or equipment to/from shore. Iwo Jima was the second of three ships of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of Iwo Jima, although the first to be completed and see service.
Jesus nut is a slang term for the main rotor retaining nut or mast nut, which holds the main rotor to the mast of some helicopters. The related slang term Jesus pin refers to the lock pin used to secure the retaining nut. More generally, Jesus nut has been used to refer to any component that is a single point of failure which results in catastrophic consequences, and the only thing left to do is, metaphorically speaking, pray to Jesus, hence the name.
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George William Casey Sr. was a United States Army major general who was killed in a helicopter crash in July 1970, in South Vietnam. General Casey, who had served in the Korean War, was in command of the US 1st Cavalry Division at the time of his death. His son George W. Casey Jr. served as the 36th Chief of Staff of the United States Army from April 2007 to April 2011.
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Bruce Perry Crandall is a retired United States Army officer who received the Medal of Honor for his actions as a pilot during the Battle of Ia Drang on November 14, 1965, in South Vietnam. During the battle, he flew 22 missions in a Bell Huey helicopter into enemy fire to evacuate more than 70 wounded and bring ammunition and supplies to United States forces. His actions in the battle of the Ia Drang valley were portrayed by actor Greg Kinnear in the Mel Gibson film, We were soldiers. By the end of the Vietnam War, he had flown more than 900 combat missions. He retired from the army as a lieutenant colonel and worked several jobs in different states before settling down with his wife in his home state of Washington.
The Bell UH-1N Twin Huey is a medium military helicopter designed and produced by the American aerospace manufacturer Bell Helicopter. It is a member of the extensive Huey family, the initial version was the CUH-1N Twin Huey, which was first ordered by the Canadian Forces in 1968.
John C. "Doc" Bahnsen, Jr. is a retired United States Army brigadier general and decorated veteran of the Vietnam War.
Robert C. Mason is a Vietnam War veteran and author of several books, including his first, best-selling memoir: Chickenhawk (1983). Mason piloted Huey "Slicks" in the United States Army as a Warrant Officer 1. He sailed to Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) and served a one-year tour, nine months with the "First Cav", the last three months with the 48th Aviation Company.
The Bell UH-1 Iroquois military helicopter, first introduced in 1959, is the first production member of the prolific Huey family of helicopters, and was itself developed in over twenty variants, which are listed below.
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The 17th Aviation Brigade was a military formation of the United States Army. It was originally activated at Nha Trang, Vietnam, as the 17th Aviation Group (Combat) on 15 December 1965 under the 1st Aviation Brigade. Later it moved to Tuy Hoa in November 1970 and then to Pleiku in January 1972. The group had the mission of commanding and controlling all non-divisional assets in II Corps Tactical Zone, under I Field Force. The 10th, 14th, 52d, 223rd and 268th Aviation Battalions as well as the 7th Squadron, 17th Cavalry served with the group.
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