Book Review: Undaunted Valor

Author Matt Jackson grew up in a U.S. Navy family, spending his formative years at every naval submarine base on the American East Coast. Considering his family's proud Navy tradition, it might seem odd that Jackson would grow up and not only join the Army but stay for 25 years, serving in Vietnam and retiring as a commissioned officer. Today, Col. (ret.) Matt Jackson is a prolific author and creator of the "Undaunted Valor" series, one of the highest-rated book series set amid the Vietnam War. 

In his first book, "Undaunted Valor, An Assault Helicopter Unit In Vietnam," Jackson introduces us to Cory, a helicopter pilot recounting the tale of his transition from high school to flight school. He then tells us the story of his time in the skies over Vietnam. When American ground troops make contact with the enemy, combat helicopter pilots must move in and bail them out, becoming a casualty themselves. Cory is a newly minted officer with that same mission.

Jackson's books are technically historical fiction, meaning the individual storylines may be fictional, but the wars in which they're set and some of the events that take place in the book are real, and the author draws from his military career for that material. There are six books in his "Undaunted Valor" series, books he wrote by tapping into his experience flying UH-1H helicopters in Vietnam. He also has another series called "Crisis in the Desert," about Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where he commanded an Air Assault Infantry Battalion. 

That experience is what lends so much realism to the "Undaunted Valor" series. Jackson's disciplined memory and attention to detail informs his writing and keeps readers riveted and turning pages. Among the thousands of reviews, many of them from Vietnam War-era grunts, the most telling are the ones that praise Jackson for his detail and accuracy. Many expressed gratitude for learning what the pilots and aircrews of those helicopters were thinking and feeling as they swooped in to support the soldiers on the ground. 

The best way to learn about this small but important area of Vietnam War history is to read the books for yourself. "Undaunted Valor: An Assault Helicopter Unit in Vietnam" by Col. Matt Jackson is available at Amazon in hardcover and paperback, as well as Kindle ebook and Audible audiobook, starting at $17.46.