The Limits of Air Power: American Bombing Campaign in North Vietnam - Military History Book for Strategy Studies & Vietnam War Research

The author of this book has been one of my closest friends, allies and brothers for over 38 years. When we worked so closely together in the radar control field in Korea, we had many opportunities to discuss the highs and lows of each of our lives. Mr. Clodfelter, "Clod" or "Uncle Pervert" as my daughter still refers to him following her first meeting with her at the age of 2. At first appearance Mark gives the impression pf a calm, industrious, bookworm or "shoe clerk" as I often called him. Surprise! A sheep in wolf's clothing.This young man has a extremely innate ability to not just skip across a pond like a pebble. Rather to dive in deep to the very bottom if necessary to discover all facts regarding personal military situations and operations providing the reader with meticulously documented evidence as to what hehas found. He never hesitant to provide the reader with both sides of a story if possible. Each situation then seems to end with a lesson learned not only on the part of the actual players, but on the part of you the reader.Mark was kind enough to provide me an autographed original of this book. He somehow credited me with planting the seed of military flying in his head and from there it apparently caught on fire. I had flown B-52 bombers, F-86 fighters and was considered a Forward Air Controller at the time. Nothing real glamorous despite the way I strutted around Air Bases with my scarf blowing off the shoulder of my flight suit. Yet, it must have been enough for Mark. He took some of my B-52 experiences and off he flew with them. He would have made an excellent fighter pilot for he yielded the energy, killer instinct and "Get out of my way I'm coming through" attitude and fortitude it takes to survive some of the situations in which you may find yourself involved.In this book he recognizes he has heard pilots brag about their individual and collective ability to end the fracas, battle or brush fire, "for we don't need the support of anyone else, we can do it all ourselves."Clodfelter says, "Well, that's nice Maj," As I slowly turn each page here I find though he never disagreed with anything I ever said, he subtly reveals the other sides of each story and humbles me, as he will you, with the fact that to be successful from the Air Power aspect, it takes extensive blood, sweat and tears on the part of what we call the unsung heroes. As a pilot I never even considered there were ever other friendly participants. The Army, Navy, Marines, ships, artillery, Marine fighters, reconnaissance and an enormous amount of interaction, coordination, communication, problem solving and decision making. Mr. Clodfelter will show you in this and how it took all these elements of cooperation and coordination to arrive at a successful outcome.Recommend each of you about to read this fine book, strap into your ejection seat, put or "Don" your helmet, pull the red pins from your rocket fired seats/chairs, hook up your mike cord and Oxygen hose, give a few Hail Mary's and hang on tightly. "Clodfelter #1, understand guns, rockets and bombs armed. Holding #1 for Takeoff. Base Altimeter 29.97, winds 040 at 15, you are cleared for takeoff."