Hero Found Notes From Readers
Dear Mr. Henderson,
Just finished reading HERO FOUND. Congrats on a job well done. You brought Ltjg. Dengler to life, and let readers such as myself marvel at his courage and determination.
Gregory G. Sarno
Hello Bruce,
I just finished reading HERO FOUND. What an amazing book! Thanks for telling such as important story. Your writing is exceptional.
Connie Larimore
Dear Bruce,
HERO FOUND was one of the BEST books I have ever read. Thank you.
Peter Kasenchak
Bruce,
I want to tell you that HERO FOUND is one of the best books I have read recently. I want to thank you for writing this book, which brought back memories of Spads and other aircraft that we had on USS Kitty Hawk, and what carrier life was like then.
Jerry Warren
I just finished HERO FOUND. What a dynamic, intense account of heroism, patriotism and dedication to fellow-man. It held my undivided attention and also created a deep appreciation for the effort it must have taken to research and write with such “dead on” accuracy.
Gordon Kelly
USMC 1961-66
Where can I start? HERO FOUND is a magnificent work of art and an extremely engaging story. Dieter seemed like such an interesting man and his will to survive makes him more of a man tenfold. I only wish I could have met him myself. Anyway, congratulations on the book. It was a wonderful read and I can not wait to get to your other titles.
Patrick Maloney
Hi Bruce,
I’ve read alot of books thru the years. It’s been quite some time since I last read a book that contains such a great story and is so well written that I can’t put it down. HERO FOUND is that book. What a refreshing, well written, true story. Great Job. Keep up the good work.
Jeff Arnold
Bruce,
Great true story about a great American hero. Dieter Dengler epitomized great survival skills, courage and never allowed the enemy to destroy his love of country and will to escape with his fellow POWs! I remember the events very well since I was on active duty myself at the time and also served aboard Ranger during the Gulf War. Thank you for writing this book. I hope that many people will read it, especially veterans like myself. It was a very uplifting experience for me but also sad!
Ron Fischer OSCM (SW) USN Ret.
Tucson, AZ
Dear Mr. Henderson,
I just read HERO FOUND. It is an amazing story of courage, character, and pride. I think your book should be standard reading for military SERE, SOF operators, pilots and any other behind-the-enemy-lines personnel.
Matt Kelly
North Reading, MA
Hello Mr. Henderson,
I just completed reading HERO FOUND. I was so enthralled reading your book that I completed it from cover to cover in one day. I had previously rented the movie “Rescue Dawn,” based on the same events, but the movie did not do justice to the full story.
In 1964, my first tour of duty in Vietnam was at Tan Son Nhut airbase outside of Saigon, with a mission to defend South Vietnam with two F-102s and train South Vietnamese pilots how to control jet aircraft, which they were never interested in learning or doing.
During my 2nd tour of duty in 1965, I was a roommate of Lt. Duane Martin (who, as chronicled in HERO FOUND, was later captured, held as a POW, and escaped with Dieter Dengler), while stationed at Nakham Phanam. As part of a Search and Rescue Team (SAR) and as an aircraft controller, my mission was to monitor Air Force F-105s from Thailand, and Navy carrier-based aircraft, on bomb runs into Laos and North Vietnam. During my seven months there we successfully rescued seven Air Force and Navy pilots shot down over North Vietnam and Laos. To this day, when I think of what I have ever done worthwhile in my life, I think back to that time, that place, and am proud to have been a part of helping save men’s lives — men who only 20 or 30 minutes earlier were facing certain death or capture.
Thank you for writing this story.
Barry Coffsky
Marietta, GA
Dear Bruce,
Just finished reading HERO FOUND. We (myself, future wife and three shipmates) were friends with Dieter and Marina in San Diego in the summer of 1967.
Congratulations on a magnificent story. I don’t believe anyone could have done a better job. It was a real “page turner” for me and brought back so many memories of the Vietnam era. It so happens that we were in WestPac with Ranger on Yankee Station in 1966. Our ship was the USS Robison (DDG-12).
Once again, many thanks for a job extremely well done. I will be looking for your other books.
Bravo Zulu! as we used to say.
Best Regards,
Bill Houlihan
San Diego, CA
Dear Bruce,
Never before have I been so emotionally hit with such realism from the heart about a true story. Once I started reading I could do nothing else except finish the book! You are an amazing writer and this subject deserves only the best from the heart. It was so wonderful to learn that Dieter Dengler had survived the jungle, and the POW camp, and to read his story with such honest compassion is a blessing.
You made me feel as though I knew him personally, and actually with him during his ordeal in the jungle every step of the way. Needless to say I was on the edge of my seat and had a few tearful moments getting through the story.
Thank you from my heart for writing Dieter’s story and for doing it so very well.
Judith Davies
Black Point, CA
Bruce,
I just finished reading HERO FOUND. I was surprised at how many of the names were familiar. I was working in Pri-Fly the night 901 went in and remember our initial reaction that it was a bolter. Both the Air Boss and Bridge called for them to eject.
I felt as I read the book that I finally got the rest of the story, and that Dieter Dengler got out in large part as a result of his preparation, action and drive — with a major sprinkling of luck.
Thanks for your effort in telling Dieter’s story.
Steve Momsen
Mr. Henderson,
I just finished HERO FOUND. Thank you for telling the story. Even though I flew 194 F-4 Phantom missions from Ubon, Thailand in 1972-73, I marvel at the heroism of our American military POW’s and I thank God I never was put to that test.
Best Regards
E.J. Pounds
Lt. Col. USAF (Ret)
Dear Bruce,
I just finished reading your great book about this remarkable man and his escape. HERO FOUND ranks with the best. Thank you for writing it.
I flew as a navigator out of Takhli in the EB-66 from August 1967-68. Retired in 1987. I have read a few books recently about the Vietnam War during that time frame. It is amazing what went on below as we flew over Laos and North Vietnam. Your description of events was so graphic they were real to the reader. You have a talent very few have. Our generation found guys to do things that are just unbelievable, but they did them. You were one of them too being on the Ranger. God bless you!!!
I just wanted to say thank you for writing the book and give you my kudos. Without writers like you, a big part of history would never be told.
Sincerely,
John Bandy
San Antonio, Texas
You had me pinned to my seat as if I was pulling g’s reading HERO FOUND. I couldn’t put it down. I was even daring enough to want to count my reading time, to be entered in my logbook. Honestly, I never heard of you before, but now, I am going to search out your other books. You certainly don’t skip the smallest details. Thanks for honest and enjoyable reading.
Bob Lucas
Bruce,
Just finished your book, HERO FOUND, and it brought back a lot of memories.
I was a Spad pilot in 1971-72 at NKP Thailand and flew almost all my missions in Laos. I was in the “Hobo” 1st Air Commando Squadron that found Dieter Dengler (in 1966). Many times I thought about going down in the jungle and what I would do. We lost eight pilots during my year-long tour — a lot of good people.
Thanks again.
Larry Gazzola
Major, U.S. Air Force (Ret)
Bruce,
As a former naval aviator, I have always felt a kindred spirit with Dieter Dengler. I really enjoyed HERO FOUND, as it brought back many memories of Navy Flight Training and of my service deployments in the Vietnam War theater of operations.
Benjamin F. Folsom, Jr.
Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret)
