Providing close air support to ground troops in Vietnam was hazardous anytime, but on March 10, 1066, the Special Forces in the old French Fortress of Ashau were in particular trouble as the Viet Cong closed in.
When an American airman went down, his death was a near certainty. That’s when Major Bernie Fisher had a decision to make: leave the pilot to his fate or undertake a near-suicidal landing to get him out.

President Lyndon Baines Johnson later described the operation: "Hostile troops had positioned themselves between the airstrip and the camp. Other hostile troops had surrounded the camp and were continuously raking it with automatic weapons fire from the surrounding hills…In the belief that the downed pilot was seriously injured and in imminent danger of capture, Major Fisher announced his intention to land on the airstrip to effect a rescue. Although aware of the extreme danger and likely failure of such an attempt, he elected to continue.

"Directing his own air cover, he landed his aircraft in the face of withering ground fire and taxied almost the full length of the runway, which was littered with battle debris and parts of an exploded aircraft. Major Fisher’s profound concern for his fellow airman and at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in the highest traditions of the United States Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself – the Armed Forces of his country."

Bernie’s decision made him just one of sixteen members in the history of the Air Force to earn the Congressional Medal of Honor. Now, in Beyond the Call of Duty, the full story of this remarkable childhood, family life, and military career is finally told.

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Reader Reviews:

John Bytheway

I love airplanes and I love airplane stories, but this book is about more than airplanes. After finishing Beyond the Call of Duty I have a new hero. Bernie Fisher's daring mission under fire in Vietnam had me on the edge of my seat.

Bill Gallagher

Bernie Fisher's story will appeal to all Americans, as it tells not just of heroic moments but also of the daily effort spent by members of the Armed Services in defending our freedom.

Ted M. Demars

As a former pilot and navigator with 195 combat missions over Vietnam I found Beyond the Call of Duty to be not only fascinating but extremely accurate. This is the kind of book you don't put down, as it so vividly describes the life, the joys, and the heartaches of an Air Force aviator.