The Gunner and the Grunt: Two Boston Boys in Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division Airmobile

"That the book simultaneously succeeds on the individual soldier level makes it a standout for any reader with an interest in the airmobile aspect of the Vietnam War."―Vietnam Magazine.

“…a comprehensively researched historic document on one year’s activities for the 9th Cav and the 1st Cavalry Division, worthy of gracing their unit libraries. That the book simultaneously succeeds on the individual soldier level makes it a standout for any reader with an interest in the airmobile aspect of the Vietnam War.”—Vietnam magazine.

The Gunner and the Grunt is written in the voices of two soldiers who fought in the same battles as members of the same recon unit but from different angles. Michael Kelley, the “Gunner,” was flying in an armed helicopter above the jungle providing suppressive fire support, while Peter Burbank, the “Grunt,” was down in the jungle on foot patrol involved in fire fights with Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army troops.

The book follows these two Boston boys from army training through deployment to the war zone and the shock of first combat missions, to helicopter air assault “Search and Destroy” operations from the Cambodian border to the sands of the South China Sea.

Table of Contents

Prologue: The Lost Gunship

Chapter One: High School Warriors
Chapter Two: Basic Combat Training, Mike
Chapter Three: Helicopter School, Mike
Chapter Four: Flying Shawnee Bananas, Mike
Chapter Five: Guns and Rabbits, Pete
Chapter Six: airborne Infantry, Pete
Chapter Seven: Going to War, Mike
Chapter Eight: Aero Rifle Blues Platoon,Pete
Chapter Nine: Aero Weapons Red Platoon, Mike
Chapter Ten: The Bong son Campaign, Mike
Chapter Eleven: The Crow's Foot Battle, Mike
Chapter Twelve: Aero Scout White Platoon, Mike
Chapter Thirteen: Charlie Alpha Combat assault, Pete
Chapter Fourteen: Hot Rod pilot, Mike
Chapter Fifteen: In Memory of our Commander

Epilogue: Mike
Epilogue: Pete
List of Major Campaigns
List of Weapons of War
1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Commanders 1965-1966
Air Cavalry units in Vietnam
Photo Credits
Selected Bibliography