Super Slick: Life and Death in a Huey Helicopter in Vietnam

This book is well written and very detailed. I have a couple of friends who served as crew chiefs and door gunners in Viet Nam 1965-73. Their experience parallels that of the author, Tom Feigel. I had no idea the number of hours it takes to service, maintain, and keep a Huey or Slick flying 7 days a week. The narrative details the amount of time a crew chief had to put in just so his ship could stay in the air each night. If you want to read a superb book about the daily life of a grunt (enlisted man) who did his part in keeping his friends alive, read this book.My friends that served in Viet Nam in combat roles are mostly gone now. One thing they all had in common is that they slept very little, nightly. The level of PTSD was noticeable in their after-service lives. Some handled life well, others dealt with their return to the World (USA) with a plethora of serious life problems, divorces, drug and alcohol issues, chronic underemployment etc. Sadly, most of friends who served are now gone.As an avid reader of many any years, I started reading returning soldier's VN narratives about 40 odd years ago. Tom Feigel's book rates up there with Phillip Caputo's and Michael Herr's books from the early 1980's. This book is stunning in detail of growing up in the 1950's and '60s as well as the transition into young adulthood. The unfolding story reads like well written fiction. The detail in the coming of age for a regular guy in middle America is compelling. Read this book if you have any interest in military history, the 1965-1975 war years, and want to know what war is really like from a bird's eye view of being in a Bell UH1 night after night in combat.

Good real life story of what these young men went through in Vietnam. Very well written. Makes you feel you are right there with them.

Such an honest account of Tom’s story, raw with emotion and so well written. You could feel the fear of the unknown when he first left the security of his home and family to the sorrow he felt when he lost friends in battle to the pride he felt at all his accomplishments as a Crew Chief. It was hard to put down and I highly recommend it to all readers. Well done!

I have watched documentaries about the Vietnam War, and have always been interested in learning more about the war, the country and what these soldiers went through. No matter how uncomfortable it is. This book is a wonderful story about a soldier who after many years was able to tell his story. It is a book you don’t want to set down. You will want to read and understand what so many young men went through and after many years are still dealing with PTSD. There are parts that make you uneasy and sad. There are parts that are very interesting and informative.

This is a true story of Tom Feigel who was a crew chief of a Huey Helicopter for a year in Vietnam. Tom's detailed memory of that time over 50 years ago is amazing. His highly personal story will stay with you long after you have finished reading it. The best book I have read in years. Exceptionally well written.

Captivating !

Exceptional reading. This book gives you a glimpse into what it was like being a “crew chief” on a helicopter during Vietnam as a 20yr old, fresh out of high school. How that 1yr over there changed his life forever. Honest and personal. Highly recommend.All proceeds going to Tunnel to Towers Foundation !!

Well documented first person history.