Bøker av Brian D. Laslie

Much like Carol Reardon’s Launch the Intruders: A Naval Attack Squadron in The Vietnam War, 1972, this book will look at the War in the Pacific from August 1942 through January 1945 and demonstrate that one unit’s example was indicative of a wider whole. This book was birthed out of the August 2019 issue of Naval History titled “The Tale of Eleven,” which details the exploits of Carrier Air Group 11 during World War II. CVG-11 was composed of three to four squadrons of aircraft, most memorably fighter squadron VF-11, nicknamed the Sundowners for the dual nature of downing the rising sun of Japan and for the term indicating hard working sailor. CVG-11 saw action early in the war at Guadalcanal during its first tour and was later assigned to the USS Hornet in 1944 and fought at Leyte Gulf, Luzon, Mindoro, French Indochina, and Okinawa. The fighter squadron produced several aces during the war. The book will also demonstrate the exploits of the other two squadrons, illustrious in their own right: VB-11 and VT-11.

The story of the United States Air Force stretches back to aerial operations prior to the First World War-well before the USAF became a separate service-and looks forward to a new era of air power in space. Fighting from Above presents a concise account of this expansive history, offering a new perspective on how the air forces of the United States created an independent way of warfare over time.From the earliest battles of the USAF's predecessor organizations to its modern incarnation, Brian D. Laslie identifies four distinct and observable ways of war that developed over four distinct epochs. Beginning with the development of early air power (1906-1941), he highlights the creation of roles and missions, with bombardment theory and practice ascendant. An era of strategic dominance (1942-1975) followed, in which the ideas of strategic bombardment ruled the United States Air Force; when such notions were unceremoniously proven false during the Vietnam-era conflicts, a period of tactical ascendancy (1975-2019) began. Finally, Laslie considers the current environment, where much of the story of the USAF remains unwritten, as we are still grappling with the challenges posed by an unmanned future with drones and realization of the promises of a final frontier.While detailing combat operations, Fighting from Above also pays close attention to technology, politics, rivalries, logistics, policy, organization, equipping, and training. Thorough, concise, and innovative in its approach, it is an authoritative, exceptionally readable history of the development of American air power.

The first comprehensive treatment of the air wars in Vietnam.Filling a substantial void in our understanding of the history of airpower in Vietnam, this book provides the first comprehensive treatment of the air wars in Vietnam. Brian Laslie traces the complete history of these air wars from the beginning of American involvement until final withdrawal. Detailing the competing roles and actions of the air elements of the United States Army, Navy, and Air Force, the author considers the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war. He also looks at the air war from the perspective of the North Vietnamese Air Force. Most important for understanding the US defeat, Laslie illustrates the perils of a nation building a one-dimensional fighting force capable of supporting only one type of war.