The Shadow Spirit

About the Book

The Shadow Spirit blends fact and fiction to tell the story of an Air Force pilot who flies Special Operations Attack C-119 Stinger gunships and Strategic Air Command B-52 bombers against Communist aggression in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Possessing a fighting spirit from flying AC-119 Shadow gunships during a one-year tour of duty at Tan Son Nhut Air Base in Saigon and reeling from the death of his fiancée, Knight extends his tour to fly the AC-119 Stinger gunship at Nahkon Phanom Air Base, Thailand. More heavily armed than the Shadow, Stinger gunships prowl the highways, byways, and waterways of the Barrel Roll, Steel Tiger, and Ho Chi Minh Trail, night hunting the enemy. Knight and his pilot buddy, Killer Dameron receive disappointing orders to fly the B-52 Stratofortress. Eventually, the two former Special Ops Air Commandos are winging their way in BUFFs across the Western Pacific from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for Arc Light strikes and Operation Linebacker II in Southeast Asia. To their dismay, an old nemesis from Tan Son Nhut continues to haunt them at NKP and the Rock. All the while, the United States struggles for a negotiated settlement to end the war at the Paris Peace Talks as fighting still rages in South Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. With American ground forces withdrawn, U. S. air power is the sole hammer left behind to help allies strike the Communists. Flying combat missions behind enemy lines over extremely high threat areas laced with triple-A and surface-to-air missiles makes life exciting although perilous for the aircrews manning the warplanes. Knight’s well-kept secret gnaws at his very essence. Only a trip to Paris might resolve his personal dilemma. Historical and technical details abound in The Shadow Spirit which upholds the legacy of the 18th Special Operations Squadron and the Stinger motto, “Vengeance by Night” while reconfirming the irrefutable display of dedication and valor of high flying B-52 aircrews over Hanoi and their motto, “Bombs On Target – It Takes Us All.”

About the Author

Former United States Air Force Captain, Dr. Larry Elton Fletcher flew 177 combat missions as a pilot in AC-119 Shadow gunships during his tour of duty at Tan Son Nhut Air Base; Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. After five years military service, Fletcher returned to the teaching profession, eventually entering school administration as Principal and Superintendent of Schools. He retired in 1997 to pursue a writing career. His first novel, Shadows of Saigon was published in 2001. He and his wife Sue reside at Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri.