---
product_id: 19428020
title: "Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam"
price: "B/.52"
currency: PAB
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 12
url: https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/19428020-guts-n-gunships-what-it-was-really-like-to-fly
store_origin: PA
region: Panama
---

# Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam

**Price:** B/.52
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam
- **How much does it cost?** B/.52 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.pa](https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/19428020-guts-n-gunships-what-it-was-really-like-to-fly)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

desertcart.com: Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam: 9781629670539: Garrison, Mark: Books

Review: The best Vietnam helicopter pilot book I have read. Full of humor in a bleak situation - Guts N' Gunships is one mans story taking you through basic training, pilot training and his year in Vietnam starting as a slick pilot and moving onto gunships. It is a story of war, friendships, personal struggle and losses. Rather than tell a long drawn out and ultimately something that would be boring tale, Mark Garrison has split the novel into over 60 very manageable chapters. I like this format as you can pick up the book for 10 minutes, read a chapter or two and put it back down again when that is all the time you have. Each chapter tells a tale and each story is engrossing, giving the details of what it was like to be a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Mark really pulls you in and his story telling abilities are second to none. This is perhaps the best book I have read yet on Vietnam helicopter pilots due to manner in which the author has written his memoirs. Mark has injected a lot of humor into something that is really very stark and this pays off in buckets. You can be in the middle of an extraction with the bird taking hits left and right and suddenly you will burst out laughing due to a small comment here or observation there. Absolutely excellent and very highly recommended.
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed the book - 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.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #968,063 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #110 in Vietnam War History (Books) #390 in Vietnam War Biographies (Books) #942 in Military Aviation History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (8,679) |
| Dimensions  | 6 x 0.64 x 9 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 1629670537 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1629670539 |
| Item Weight  | 13.6 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 282 pages |
| Publication date  | September 23, 2015 |
| Publisher  | Wise Media Group |

## Images

![Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/31sURPZh3tL.jpg)
![Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41MyPd76+GL.jpg)
![Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51SK9SfondL.jpg)
![Guts 'N Gunships: What it was Really Like to Fly Combat Helicopters in Vietnam - Image 4](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61mqqwPDKuL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The best Vietnam helicopter pilot book I have read. Full of humor in a bleak situation
*by C***N on June 6, 2018*

Guts N' Gunships is one mans story taking you through basic training, pilot training and his year in Vietnam starting as a slick pilot and moving onto gunships. It is a story of war, friendships, personal struggle and losses. Rather than tell a long drawn out and ultimately something that would be boring tale, Mark Garrison has split the novel into over 60 very manageable chapters. I like this format as you can pick up the book for 10 minutes, read a chapter or two and put it back down again when that is all the time you have. Each chapter tells a tale and each story is engrossing, giving the details of what it was like to be a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Mark really pulls you in and his story telling abilities are second to none. This is perhaps the best book I have read yet on Vietnam helicopter pilots due to manner in which the author has written his memoirs. Mark has injected a lot of humor into something that is really very stark and this pays off in buckets. You can be in the middle of an extraction with the bird taking hits left and right and suddenly you will burst out laughing due to a small comment here or observation there. Absolutely excellent and very highly recommended.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I thoroughly enjoyed the book
*by R***D on August 23, 2016*

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.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The life I almost led ... except for that Chiropractic part!
*by D***S on September 18, 2022*

For a guy who never intended to be an author, this is a well written and edited collection of stories from a year in country. Had circumstances turned out just a little bit differently, I would have followed the author's road into aerial combat in Vietnam. My only other preferred option would have been PBR operations, but the Huey personifies "our" war. The reconstructed dialogue in this book is strained, but it was reconstructed, after all. As a health insurance pro and a Medicare expert ("Medicare for the Lazy Man, 2022...") I am sorry to hear about the turn to the dark side but it apparently served the author well in spite of it's voodoo, bone casting & tree worshiping nature. I hope he was able to help some people along the way. All-in-all, a thoroughly enjoyable read. Thanks!

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/19428020-guts-n-gunships-what-it-was-really-like-to-fly](https://www.desertcart.com.pa/products/19428020-guts-n-gunships-what-it-was-really-like-to-fly)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Panama*
*Store origin: PA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-12*