Vietnam War Helicopter Art : U.S. Army Rotor Aircraft (Stackpole Military Photo Series)

The first volume garnered such popular acclaim--and drew so many more veterans and photographs out of obscurity--that a follow-up book was called for. Like the first installment, this one assembles hundreds of photos--most of them in color, most of them never seen by the public before--of the artwork soldiers painted on their helicopters during the Vietnam War. Shown here are the cartoons (such as Charlie Brown), musical and film references (Iron Butterfly and Easy Rider, for example), slogans (“Ho Chi Minh sucks”), and names that adorned aircraft like Hueys and Chinooks. This is a vivid slice of American folk art but also a unique look into the military history of the Vietnam War.