{"product_id":"yankee-air-pirates","title":"Yankee Air Pirates","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn the winter of 1972  after many years of armed conflict in Vietnam  President Nixon ordered Operation Linebacker II  the most massive aerial bombing campaign since the end of World War II. In this successful effort to end the Vietnam War  B-52s were sent from Thailand and Guam to attack key targets in North Vietnam that would force the North Vietnamese to capitulate. The primary targets were located in Hanoi and Haiphong  North Vietnam  which were the most heavily defended cities in the history of aerial warfare. Yankee Air Pirates tells the story of this campaign through the eyes of Spike  Bulldog  D-Kid  and the many other crewdogs (as B-52 crew members referred to themselves) who flew the massive Stratofortress on these dangerous missions. In the eleven nights of bombing  fifteen of the huge planes were shot down. Five of the aircraft made it to safety in Thailand before ejecting  and ten went down over Hanoi. Of the 61 crewdogs that went down over Hanoi  thirty-two were captured and later repatriated. The other 29 gave their lives. Who were these crewdogs? In the air  they were serious professionals. They were wise beyond their years  educated by experiences that most will never know. On the ground  they were rowdy  undisciplined  hard-drinking misfits. They were heroes in a time that many at home refused to recognize their heroism  and they were patriots when patriotism was a bad word in America. Most importantly  they were eager to do everything they could  including risking their lives  to end the war and free the prisoners so everyone could go home to their families and friends. Yankee Air Pirates is at times hilarious  moving  thought provoking  and insightful  but it is always entertaining. Whatever you think of any of the wars this nation has fought  Yankee Air Pirates will make you proud to know the men and women who have fought those wars for the rest of us.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44974468464693,"sku":"ByrdShop_0982618050","price":226.37,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780982618059.jpg?v=1770659995","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/yankee-air-pirates","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}