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Quoth the Raven
Humor and danger intertwine this memoir of the secret air war over Laos. Joining the Air Force in 1968, Jim becomes a Covey Forward Air Controller. He pilots low and slow spotter planes over the Ho Chi Minh Trail, directing airstrikes on North Vietnamese trucks and guns. He flies daring missions helping super-secret Studies and Observations Group (SOG) reconnaissance teams, who routinely run into large enemy forces. One by one, Jim's friends die. Cynicism builds. Jim realizes the futility of his efforts in a war where the U.S. has become its own worst enemy. He volunteers for the Top Secret Steve Canyon Program, the Raven FACs. Civilian clothes, unmarked airplanes, and bloody missions in close support of Laotian forces around the capital of Luang Prabang mark this phase of Jim's war, where larger-than-life characters fight a vicious enemy. Death strikes close, and Jim's mission becomes survival.
Jim Roper's
Biography:
Retired USAF Colonel Jim Roper logged nearly 1000 combat hours in small, unarmed spotter planes. After the Vietnam War, he flew A-10s and commanded an F-111 squadron, parachuted into Grenada with Army Rangers, and taught Joint Warfighting at the Air War College. He is married and has three sons.
Jim Roper's book tells the story of friends of mine. Doc Russell, Dirty Ernie Anderson, John Swanson, Craig Bradford, Frank Birk, Mike Crier and more were guys I knew, either over there or back in the world. I flew the OV-10 on daylight mission over the Ho Chi Minh trail. I never flew Prairie Fire or Raven but knew those who did. Jim Roper's captured the true reality of what happened over there. I couldn't put it down. I will recommend it to anyone who wants the straight story about this kind of FAC mission. Thanks Jim for a great book!-
Brad Wright
I read the book with some first hand knowledge of the subject. Jim is not only absolutely accurate but he captures the "flavor" of the Raven program extremely well. I'm sure the Prarie Fire portion of the book is accurate, as well. It is an exciting, fast moving book filled with high adventure and some heart felt, revealing emotion on the part of the author. Jim has done us a great service by capturing a moment in our nation's history that will never be repeated.-
Craig
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