Product Description

"America had a secret weapon," writes Steve Call of the period immediately following September 11, 2001, as planners contemplated the invasion of Afghanistan. This weapon consisted of small teams of Special Forces operatives trained in close air support (CAS) who, in cooperation with the loose federation of Afghan rebels opposed to the Taliban regime, soon began achieving impressive--and unexpected--military victories over Taliban forces and the al-Qaeda terrorists they had sponsored. The astounding success of CAS tactics coupled with ground operations in Afghanistan soon drew the attention of military decision makers and would eventually factor into the planning for another campaign: Operation Iraqi Freedom.

But who, exactly, are these air power experts and what is the function of the TACPs (Tactical Air Control Parties) in which they operate? Danger Close provides a fascinating look at a dedicated, courageous, innovative, and often misunderstood and misused group of military professionals.

Drawing on the gripping first-hand accounts of their battlefield experiences, Steve Call allows the TACPs to speak for themselves. He accompanies their narratives with informed analysis of the development of CAS strategy, including potentially controversial aspects of the interservice rivalries between the air force and the army which have at times complicated and even obstructed the optimal employment of TACP assets. Danger Close makes clear, however, that the systematic coordination of air power and ground forces played an invaluable supporting role in the initial military victories in both Afghanistan and Iraq. This first-ever examination of the intense, life-and-death world of the close air support specialist will introduce readers to a crucial but little-known aspect of contemporary warfare and add a needed chapter in American military history studies.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #62626 in Books
• Published on: 2007-11-30
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781585446247
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
". . . seeks to tell a straight story, presenting shortcomings and errors as well as positives." -- Dennis E. Showalter, Colorado College

"This book brings forth previously untold and important accounts of airpower used to decimate Taliban and Iraqi forces, ahead of U.S. ground-force advances into enemy held terrain. . . ." -- Col. Mark Buckman, USAF, Council on Foreign Relations

About the Author
STEVE CALL is an assistant professor at Broome Community College in Binghamton, New York, teaching both American and military history. During his twenty-year career in the air force, Call held many command and staff positions, including liaison officer with the army, Pentagon staff officer, and squadron commander. His Ph.D. in military history is from Ohio State University.

Customer Reviews

All about TACP's
Okay, it looks like I'm the first to review this thing and it's a pretty good read. As a younger TACP, I found this book very informative. The author is a former Air Laison Officer. The author briefly talks about our "twilight worlds" where we're "held at arms length by the Air Force" and "not fully embraced by the Army" that we live with everyday. This book, at times, reads like a collection of events from the initial invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq told by TACP's in their own words. Among the numerous topics covered are the virtues of Close Air Support, the difference CAS makes on the battlefield, how TACP's are often misused by the Army, how reluctant the Army is to use TACP's, how CAS has saved the Army numerous times, and how TACP's always improvise and overcome obstacles to do our job. It talks about our fallen brothers and their sacrifices. It addresses the problems within the job and how in the past of TACP's, we were largely ignored before the war and how the future needs to be better as the battlefield evolves into the Joint atmosphere. There're about 2-3 years of war covered in the book, so it's a lot to address here. If you're a TACP, ALO, Army officer, or anyone curious as to what TACP's are or have done in the last two wars, buy this book. The book doesn't really offer any real solutions to the TACP problems it mentions, but I guess if you you at least identify the problem, that's a good start.

Great Book
This is really a great book, hard to put down at times. You can see the battles through the eyes of the people that were there. You also get their perspective as well as the importance of the techniques that they are using, and in some cases developing for the first time. This is a must have for anyone interested in knowing the real story behind the overwhelming success in the initial days of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Excellent
Really sets the record straight on who actually control Air Force air-strikes. A job well done!