U-Tapao by Wayne L. Vance
Contributed by Teresa Ascone
U-Tapao, Wayne Vance’s gripping account of life in a 1960s Thailand combat zone, paints a vivid picture of a group of young men who find themselves in harm’s way, confronting the cruel capriciousness of war. This military crew — part college fraternity, part gang of mischief-makers — works on the flight line loading huge weapons onto the B52s that bombed Vietnam: a job fraught with peril, spontaneous acts of courage and sudden sacrifice.
Vance’s prologue tells us that the story, while fictional, is based upon his own experiences with the 4258th MMS at the U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Base.  It is a human interest tale that highlights timeless interactions — friendships forged, enemies made, pecking orders asserted, bullies dealt with, and tenderness found — as they are played out against the wartime danger, violence and death.
We meet John Bishop, a bright, sensitive young man hardened by childhood abandonment, and follow his exploits as he makes his way through a tour of duty at U-Tapao. The combat story, replete with fascinating male characters, is well balanced by tales of romance with the local young women, who are intriguing and well drawn.
The author wastes no time getting to the intrinsic drama of war, detailing in spare prose the horrific events of a B-52 crash as it unfolds before our eyes. The inferno erupts, and we hear the crackling of the fire and smell the acrid smoke as Bishop risks his life to save another’s. Vance wisely chooses not to embellish his descriptions of disaster with flowery adjectives or contrived melodrama; the bare telling of an action episode more than suffices and gives his writing a reportorial flavor that rings true. Just the facts as they transpire are enough to keep the reader on the edge.
The adventure is well developed and continues at a pace that allows for thorough depiction of all players. Wartime drama, romance, violence, and heroism—this tale has all the elements that make up an exciting voyage for the reader.

Quote from the author:  “For me the novel, U-Tapao, was a labor of love. Fictionally based on some of my own experiences in a time of war and from behind the lines of combat; I can only hope I've captured the essence of how a group of young men, catapulted into a difficult situation, can learn and grow from enduring adversity.”