Guts 'N Gunships: What It Was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam
Audible Logo Your audiobook is waiting!
Enjoy a free trial on us
$0.00
  • Click above for unlimited listening to select audiobooks, Audible Originals, and podcasts.
  • One credit a month to pick any title from our entire premium selection — yours to keep (you'll use your first credit now).
  • You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
  • $14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $19.95
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Guts 'N Gunships: What It Was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Mark Garrison (Author), Eric Martin (Narrator), Mark V Garrison (Publisher)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 8,221 ratings
See all formats and editions

In the summer of 1967, Mark Garrison had dropped out of college at Southern Illinois University just before entering his third year. He had run out of money and had to work for a while. These were the days before the lottery and the draft soon came calling. In order to somewhat control his own future, he enlisted in the US Army's helicopter flight school program. Little did he know that this adventure would be the most profound experience of his life.

Garrison flew hundreds of missions for the 119th AHC, stationed in the Central Highlands at Camp Holloway in Pleiku, Vietnam. He was awarded 25 Air Medals, four campaign Bronze Stars, and The Distinguished Flying Cross, among numerous other awards. His narrative takes you through the whole process, from basic training, flight school, flying combat in Vietnam, and his return to the United States. His description includes many incidents in combat flight, including being hit by rocket propelled grenades and being on fire in the air, over hundreds if not thousands of enemy troops. But this is not all. He elaborates on the daily lives, emotions, and nuances of the pilots and what they considered their mission to be.

Guts 'N Gunships is a must listen if you are to have a realistic understanding of what flying helicopters in Vietnam combat was all about.

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    8 hours and 25 minutes
  2. Author
    Mark Garrison
  3. Narrator
    Eric Martin
  4. Audible release date
    December 9, 2015
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Mark V Garrison
  7. ASIN
    B0192AF9OU
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
Next page

Read & Listen

Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to Audible audiobook.
Add the audiobook for a reduced price of $7.49 after you get the Kindle book as part of your Kindle Unlimited subscription.

Product details

Listening Length 8 hours and 25 minutes
Author Mark Garrison
Narrator Eric Martin
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date December 09, 2015
Publisher Mark V Garrison
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B0192AF9OU
Best Sellers Rank #29,489 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#17 in Air Forces Military History
#137 in Vietnam War History (Books)
#479 in Asian History (Books)

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
8,221 global ratings
Great read!
5 Stars
Great read!
I served in the 119th at the same time as Mark (Pigpen). I was in maintenance so I'm sure we crossed paths. The reading brought back many memories of events that occurred at Camp Holloway, mortar and rocket attacks, spending many night in bunkers on the perimeter, late night work on the flight line, etc. Thanks for the travel back in time.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

Jerry Fraser
5.0 out of 5 stars An Army helicopter pilot’s insightful account of service in Vietnam
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2022
Verified Purchase
This is an honest and insightful account of flying helicopters in the service of one’s country in wartime, and as a bonus Garrison is a gifted storyteller and a compelling writer who brings the reader on each flight. Along the way he recalls our country’s schizophrenic relationship with the Vietnam War, characterized by mismanagement by our elected government and the disdain of an uninformed, if not misinformed public. Over the course of 500 missions in a single year, Garrison maintained his sanity by virtue of his deep-seated commitment to saving the lives of American soldiers, whether by engaging the enemy or by extracting troops in harm’s way; a wry and at times self-deprecating sense of humor; and not a little off-duty drinking. Garrison is the product of an era in which young men faced the prospect of a draft and service to country. Hopefully, readers who have come of age since will reflect on their own commitment to their country. In the final pages of the book, Garrison recalls being spat at upon his arrival back in the United States. It is probably asking too much to hope that some of those who were contemptuous of our fighting forces will read this book and take it to heart.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Ross Howard
4.0 out of 5 stars I thoroughly enjoyed the book
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2016
Verified Purchase
As a Vietnam era Army vet and a wannabe Gunship pilot of the era, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. Kinda' profane in places, but the times were the worst of times and life was lived hour-to-hour by these guys. I was spared the trauma that these pilots and aircrews endured because I never left the U.S.A. I remember having waited month after month for a levy with my name on it and having tried my best to prepare for duty over there (in ATC). That fateful levy never came and I ETS'd a free man early in '71, frustrated that my aviation dreams were not to be.

Now I realize just how close to death I'd ventured. Over 30% of those heroes never came home and their number could quite easily have included me. The emotional scars still carried by so many of those survivors is a lifelong cross. The open betrayal of their own countrymen upon return from 'Nam only doubled their suffering. The author covers that with the eloquence of simplicity. I was blessed and I didn't know it.

So, yeah, a worthwhile read, especially for us of the era. It's cathartic and it's history well told.
2 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Iris
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book !
Reviewed in the United States on February 2, 2024
Verified Purchase
I love Mr Garrison's book. He's a true American hero, having served his country in Vietnam as a Huey helicopter pilot. Saved so many lives! He really paints pictures with words. Watch his videos on YouTube too!
Helpful
 Report
John
5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2016
Verified Purchase
I thoroughly enjoyed "Guts N' Gunships by Mr. Mark Garrison. The story begins with the author volunteering for the draft in 1968 and signing up for helicopter training. The author takes us through his training, flight school and then on to Vietnam. One thing I enjoyed was that the author has a flare for entertaining as much of his writing is filled with witticism that will make readers smile. War is also funny, especially in the antics these soldiers pull on one another. Although chopper pilots are a special breed of heroes, us grunts held them all in high esteem for they were our saviors and came whenever called. Without them, food, water, ammo, extraction, medivac and fire support would not be there and many more soldiers would have died.

Mark's first mission was a baptism of fire, and even he could not understand the "coolness" and patience portrayed by these chopper drivers as they flew through a hail of enemy bullets to land. Soon, finding that he, too, would become a skilled and professional pilot.

Mr. Garrison stays away from politics but admits that he will continue to fly and fight the enemy as long as it will help young American Soldiers survive and return home.

It's understandable that the pilots work extreme hours and then still get special night projects which results in their getting little sleep, but the war must go on and there are only so many officers to go around. However, on those nights when they didn't fly, it seems that all of them dabbled with booze to erase the tension of the day and be able to sleep at night. It's easy to see the camaraderie developed by this special group of soldiers and the bond that remains even after returning home.

If you are looking for a shoot-em-up type of book, then Guts N' Gunships is not for you. If you want to learn what these young men had to endure during training and war - both when it was dangerous and even the boring times - then jump on this one. Highly recommended! Thank you Mr. Garrison! Welcome Home, Brother!

John Podlaski, author
"Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" and "When Can I Stop Running?"
20 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Lanny R. Julian
3.0 out of 5 stars From Another Huey Pilot's Perspective
Reviewed in the United States on June 4, 2017
Verified Purchase
As a former Huey pilot in Vietnam (1966-67), I wanted to see what memories another chopper pilot retained after all those years. There have been other books written by former pilots of the Vietnam War and too many of them reflect rather large egos and exaggerated stories. Our stories seem to vary a good deal but it depends on what unit you were in. I flew slicks for the 1st Air Cav and we had our fair share of combat. Our living conditions were primitive with no hooches, hooch maids or officers clubs. Rather, we lived in tents, slept on bunks made from ammo boxes and had the privilege of outhouses (while the grunts slept on the ground and the great outdoors was their outhouse). We were a united brotherhood and that's the common ground of most pilots' stories. If you were a pilot, you will find technical mistakes and stories that there are a bit contrived but that is not to criticize this book. The Huey pilots (slicks or guns) saw the war mostly from above but on the ground (briefly) as we inserted and retrieved our grunts. The gunship drivers were a different breed, taking on any challenge in the face of certain fire. If you want to learn about the war from a gun pilot's perspective, I would recommend this book.
65 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Mark E Esterhuizen
5.0 out of 5 stars Struck home
Reviewed in Canada on April 7, 2024
Verified Purchase
As a pilot veteran myself, this is so similar to my experiences in Angola that it made compelling reading. Recommended.
Report
blinky
5.0 out of 5 stars Could not put Facebook down
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2022
Verified Purchase
Thoroughly enjoyed this read give you a real insight into the life of the helicopter pilot in and during the Vietnam war very enlightening like no book I've read before on this subject and I've read a lot I would highly recommend
Report
Argonauta
5.0 out of 5 stars La vita di un giovane elicotterista in Vietnam
Reviewed in Italy on September 1, 2022
Verified Purchase
Libro davvero molto interessante, scritto bene, in un inglese semplice e comprensibile. Gli acronimi sono sempre spiegati ed i modi di dire comprensibilissimi. Un libro di memorie dove la guerra è sempre presente, ma il focus è sull'amicizia e sull'esperienza di piloti poco più di vent'anni. Una lettura davvero consigliata
Report
Reinhard
5.0 out of 5 stars Schonungslos.
Reviewed in Germany on April 30, 2024
Verified Purchase
Heutzutage ist der Vietnam-Krieg mehr oder weniger in Vergessenheit geraten, kaum ein Mensch weiß noch etwas davon. Die Deutschen hatten damit ja auch nichts zu tun.
Was die Sichtweise amerikanischer Soldaten betrifft - hier ist die Beschreibung eines Hubschrauberpiloten eines sog. Gun-Ships. Wer bis dahin noch Illusionen über diesen Krieg hatte - hier erledigen sie sich.
Es geht an dieser Stelle auch darum, dass niemand gern dort hin ging, weil das Risiko, verletzt oder getötet zu werden, unabweisbar war - und wer will das mit 20 Jahren? - Eine Frage, die jeden Krieg bewegt. - Es wird aber auch gezeigt, wie die Soldaten sich für das, was sie gut fanden, einsetzten.
Kurz und gut: kein Buch für eine Gute-Nacht-Geschichte, aber wer etwas über den Vietnam-Krieg erfahren will, kommt hier weiter.
Report
don
5.0 out of 5 stars hard to put down
Reviewed in Australia on December 30, 2023
Verified Purchase
very good read,,lots of mental strain moral fibre, lots of people owe their lives to these hero's, pilots and techs. Incredible mental strain day after day.
Report