We Dare to Fly
Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War
William Reeder Jr., Lyons Press, 2024, 272 pages
Book Review published on: August 25, 2025
Author William Reeder Jr. is a retired Army colonel who served two combat tours in Vietnam. In his second tour, while flying AH-1G Cobras, he was shot down and taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese army. Reeder chronicled his trials and tribulations in captivity for over a year in his first book, Through the Valley. In his second book, Extraordinary Valor, Reeder tells of a little-known battle in 1972 focusing on the bravery of a South Vietnamese airborne soldier Maj. Le Van Me and his American advisor, Maj. John Duffy, whom Reeder flew in support of during the combat action that resulted in Duffy receiving the Medal of Honor.
In this book, the third in his Vietnam trilogy, We Dare to Fly: Dangerous Secret Missions During the Vietnam War, Reeder recounts his experience during his first Vietnam tour. As a newly minted Army aviator, he joined the 131st Surveillance Airplane Company, call sign Iron Spud, in Phu Bai, a base near Hue in the northernmost military region in South Vietnam.
The 131st flew armed twin-engine Grumman OV-1 Mohawk reconnaissance aircraft in highly classified intelligence-gathering missions deep behind enemy lines. The mission of the 131st was to track the movements of the North Vietnamese army and Viet Cong across the South Vietnamese border in Laos and just over the demilitarized zone in North Vietnam. These were perilous missions that resulted in a number of aircraft being shot down and crews lost in combat. After the war, the 131st was awarded the Valorous Unit Award for "extraordinary heroism in action."
In this book, Reeder describes the demanding missions that resulted in the valorous unit award, putting a human face on the rigors of combat. He has an insider's perspective and writes in a very engaging style that brings the action to life, taking the reader into the cockpit with the crews who flew these dangerous missions. He vividly recounts the challenges of flying nighttime and all-weather missions over hostile territory, often encountering heavy enemy fire. His descriptions of the dangers he and his colleagues faced, such as evading surface-to-air missiles and antiaircraft artillery, are riveting.
Reeder also explores the psychological toll of these missions. He reflects on the constant threat of being shot down, the pain of losing comrades, and the coping mechanisms many in his unit adopted to get through their tours. His introspective accounts offer a profound understanding of the personal sacrifices and resilience required to accomplish critical missions in such an unforgiving environment.
This book works exceptionally well on two levels. It is the little known story of a small unit with a dangerous and unique mission, but it is also the very personal story of the men who carried out those missions and made whatever sacrifices were necessary to accomplish the critical tasks assigned. As such, this book is a valuable contribution to the historical record of the Vietnam War, making Reeder's memoir a worthwhile read for those interested in military history and personal narratives of courage under fire.
Book Review written by: Lt. Col. James H. Willbanks, PhD, U.S. Army, Retired, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.