Phoenix 13

A collection of war stories closely based on the experiences of flying scout/observation helicopters in Vietnam. A collection of war stories closely based on the author’s experiences flying scout/observation helicopters in Vietnam. Story telling was a daily evening occurrence for the solo scout pilots. These stories, called “TINS,” an irreverent pilot acronym for ‘this is no shit,’ allowed the solo pilots to learn from each other’s experiences and mistakes. The “TINS” within this collection reveal the brotherhood that developed between pilots and their crew chiefs in combat. The solo pilots relied on their courage, swapping stories and a bit of luck to survive.