Rattler One-Seven: A Vietnam Helicopter Pilot's War Story

North Texas Military Biography and Memoir Series

By: Chuck Gross

Narrated by: Gerry Burke

Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

Rattler One-Seven puts you in the helicopter seat, to see the war in Vietnam through the eyes of an inexperienced pilot as he transforms himself into a seasoned combat veteran. At the age of twenty, Chuck Gross spent his 1970-71 tour with the 71st Assault Helicopter Company flying UH-1 Huey helicopters. He inserted special operations teams into Laos and participated in Lam Son 719, a misbegotten attempt to assault and cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail, during which his helicopter was shot down and he was stranded in the field.

Soon after the war he wrote down his adventures, while his memory was still fresh with the events. Rattler One-Seven (his call sign) is written as Gross experienced it, using these notes along with letters written home to accurately preserve the mindset he had while in Vietnam.

©2004 Chuck Gross (P)2013 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Exciting reading! Chuck Gross vividly tells the dramatic account of being a combat helicopter pilot in such a way that you feel you are there. Rattler One-Seven is a compelling memoir of what it was like to fly combat helicopters in Vietnam. It is a must-read for all military and aviation enthusiasts." (Chuck Carlock, author of Firebirds)

"Gross' memoir is worth reading. His stories should find an audience among serious collectors of books about Vietnam." ( Military History of the West)

"Chuck Gross' book tells exactly what it was like to fly a Huey slick in combat in the Vietnam War. The only things missing are the smells of gunpowder and the incredible noise as he takes the reader on combat assaults into hot landing zones." (James Joyce, author of Pucker Factor 10)

One of the Best Helicopter books I've listened to!

The first Heli book I listened to was Night Stalkers. That was Very informative and at the same time fed my Love for Helicopters. This book Does it all over again. Gross takes his letters he sent home and other things he wrote at the time and reads them as he progresses thru his Army stint in "Nam". He takes you from when he enters the Recruit center and adds the most Exiting and informative days in that time period and puts them in this book. He becomes one of the more revered leaders of his unit that many guys come to look up to. I hesitated b/c of not many people rating this yet but I'm glad I took a chance and got it. It is now one of my Favorites that I will be re listening to for a long time.

Good story. Mispronunciations distract and annoy

This review is limited to the audio version. Mispronunciations litter this audiobook butchering both helicopter and military terminology as well as geographic locations, such as the historic city of Huế. I found this distracting as well as disrespectful to the earnest efforts of the author. I don't intend this as nit-picking. I simply expect (and hope) for better from Audible. The audio format calls for adequate preparation by the production team prior to entering the studio, with particular attention to accurate pronunciation.

That said, Mr. Gross comes across as one of those decent enough sorts, simultaneously coming of age while developing into a competent combat pilot, yet so straight-laced, pious and temperate that he routinely rubbed his commanders the wrong way and alienated himself from his peers. I respect that he was a young man from a somewhat sheltered background placed in a very difficult, life-threatening situation not of his choosing. In this respect, he performed admirably. Still, he seems to have been a bit of an odd-man-out during his brief, but unquestionably heroic, tour of duty in Southeast Asia.

I found the story compelling, thank the author for his service and urge interested readers/listeners to purchase and enjoy the book.

Not much substance, get "Chickenhawk" instead

Not enough substance and very few accounts of actual action. "Chickenhawk" is the definitive book on the subject.

The importance of a narrator

This book's story line is about the experiences of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. That's fine ... my problem is the narrator. As a helicopter pilot in Vietnam myself, I found narrator Gerry Burke's mis-pronuciation of several words important to the story such as "cyclic" (one of the pilot's controls), and "Hue" (one of the country's earliest capitals and the scene of vicious fighting in 1968) to be extremely off-putting. I was disappointed that neither Mr. Burke, nor publisher University Press Audiobooks, nor Audible took the time to edit the work and ensure correctness of pronunciation.

The title should read,”Whining, moaning, and groaning about my choice to join the Army.”

As an Army Pilot I absolutely hated this book. It’s rancid with victimization and constant complaining. Don’t waste your time and money on this dumpster fire of a book. Download Chickenhawk or Night Stalkers instead.

Very flat

It was a very flat story. There was really not too much exciting about it. Nothing really stood out in this book. It was more or less just something to read about a bad time in American history.

Mixed Feelings

I like the story for the humanity of the situation, combining the military combat pilot experience with being so very young. And yet, the guy kind of rubbed me the wrong way, even though there was nothing I could fault him for, nor anything he wrote that I even personally disagree with. It definitely contained the thing that has always struck me most about the military. My own very unusual and widely varied experience always struck me with the intense surrealism that is apparent, particularly at the end of his story, coming home from a year in combat, to be refused admission to a bar because he was still twenty years old. Then he ended up in his childhood bedroom, recognizing that he was not home, because that place no longer existed. It is cliché and yet all who have experienced it can understand the truth of it in a way that none who have not can ever understand. I think maybe I have just read too many of these, and yet, like many pilots, I can never really stop reading, thinking, and talking about aviation until I die. “Aviation spoken here!”

Great True Story

Found the book to be well authored.
Thank you for a great very detailed
Account of your time in the service.
I believe every word.

Excellent!

Narrator was excellent. Story is concise and on point. Bravery is one word description for our military.

Good story but there are others I I thought were better

I thought the story offered a good perspective but there are other similar books that i thought went into more depth about the writers experience in Vietnam.

Loved it

Thanks will listen to it again peace and love to all who were out there etc great story and nice ending me thinks

Great Listen

Really loved this, such an interesting insight into the life of a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Highly reccomended, couldn't stop listening.

The helicopter war in Vietnam by a young pilot.

The narration and post production let this book down. The pilot was a similar age to the RAF pilots during the Battle of Britain but did not share their beliefs that the war was worth the fight. However, he flew to the best of his ability for his crew and the infantry soldiers he supported. Definitely worth listening to.

Interesting and insightful

teally enjoyed listening to this book. It is very much a personal perspective rather than a historical analysis of the war and, for that, it provides an interesting view of the personal side of being involved.
One small gripe is that some of the Vietnam place names aren't correct (Hue) being the one that sticks out for me. still really enjoyed it.

Good read but missing

I enjoyed the book but what was missing completely was the training to become a pilot. Mr Gross just entered the service, and then he was a pilot. This was one part I was looking forward to. Otherwise a good read(listen)

Not bad, enjoyable

Some bits of the story just end, kinda get lost in one parts
Over all wasn't to bad

Quite a ride

I have a great love of flying and especially helicopters. I have always loved the Huey and always had a respect for the pilots that flu them in the Vietnam war.I really enjoyed sharing the ride and feeling how it would’ve been hanging your arse out in the breeze to be shot at and still maintaining a level head. Much respect to you all.