The Other Vietnam War: A Helicopter Pilot's Life in Vietnam

By: Marc Cullison

Narrated by: Marc Cullison

Each of us who served in Vietnam was the guy next door, the average Joe, not a hero. The boy who might date your daughter or sister. The young man who might mow your yard.

In Vietnam, we weren’t out to be heroes. We just did our jobs. For a helicopter pilot, each day was like all the others. You flew the mission and never stopped to think that it might be your last. You didn’t think about the bullet holes in the helicopter, the cracks in the tail boom, or any of it until night, lying in bed when you couldn’t think of anything else.

The Other Vietnam War is the story of the introduction to a new country, a backward culture, the perils of a combat zone, and the effects on a young lieutenant fresh out of flight school. It does not labor the listener with white-knuckle adventures, as so many other fine books about the Vietnam War do. It instead focuses on the internal battle each soldier fought with himself to make sense of where he was, why he was there, and if he was good enough.

The administrative duties of commissioned officers, while tame compared to the exploits of valiant pilots who wrote about them, caused a deep introspection into life and its value in an enigmatic place like Vietnam. Aside from the fear, excitement, deliverance, and denial that each pilot faced, the inner battle he fought with himself took its toll. Some of us thought we’d find glory. But many of us discovered there is no glory in war.

©2015 Marc Cullison (P)2018 Imzadi Publishing

A different point of view

I really enjoyed listening to this book in the authors voice. He shows that those who served had their own internal conflict and that's not something you often hear about. He was in a completely different environment under very difficult circumstances....and he left changed. I never felt he hated everyone, I felt he dealt with situations as they came up. Well done and thank you!

it was so real, makes you think of the things at that age

so honest, it was like growing up all over again. Liked that he was so real of the massage parlor reminded you Biloxi blues movie

An atheist in war

It’s must be so hard for a person like Marc to go through life, especial through war, without God. I pray for all those like Marc, to go through life without God, you will never be able to see the truth and will live a life alone and one of confusion and doubt. I hope Marc finds our Lord and be able to find within himself the power to love and forgive.

Good story but....................

If you're looking for a book about flying helicopters in Vietnam you might want to look else where. It's more of the authors rolling in the mud about coping with Vietnam. Surprisingly you would think the author never had a friend in the world. He pretty much dislikes everybody he ever met including his family. But that being said it is a good book. It's more about dealing with demons than flying helicopters.

Lots of us went. I did in 1968 and again in 1970 flying helicopters. I had a different outlook than the author both during and after my two tours.

A very Good story

well written and told som tumes he was a bit whiney but such is life in a 😳 dangerous situation

Little Disappointed

First let me say thank for your service and welcome home. Reading your book reflects your attitude about the war, you became a pilot because you didn't want to fight on the ground as other soldiers did. Probably best because you would have made a bad officer in the field. Most Vietnam pilots talk about the lives they saved to justify the risks they toke, you just said you didn't take any risks that you didn't need to. Best wishes.

A Waste of Time and Money

As a former Warrant Officer Army VN helicopter pilot, I suffered reading this book. I could not recommend it to any Army VN helicopter pilot or anyone who considers themselves a military warrior. The author is what is known as a rated commission officer and not a true Army Aviator. As a commissioner officer, AKA RLO (real live officer) he is expected to do additional duties and not constantly whine about those duties. When he is not whining about his additional duties, he is wrapped up in his personal fear that he is going to die in VN. Come on. This is a guy that does not make Aircraft Commander until he has been in country 7 months. The average is 3 months. He either did not fly that much or he was not that good. I did not really hear about any hot LZs where he flew in to save the grunts on the ground. Must be the only book about flying in VN that does not have that chapter. I was sad about the way he described his homecoming. A sad individual. He did not return to a flying unit in the States where his experiences could be passed on to others but went to a Corp of Engineers assignment. He even when as far as to say those who avoided the draft or even deserted to Canada, may have had the right idea. I honestly could not wait for the final chapter finally come up. Final word, do not waste your time or money on this book. There are far to many great books to read on VN.

Not about flying.

As the title states, this "story" isn't about flying. It's the author talking about his feelings and complaints about everything. If your looking for a story about aviation look elsewhere as there is very very little mention of actually flying anything.