Streetcar 304 Home Page

“An extraordinary story, superbly told...

I predict that "The Rescue of Streetcar304" will become

an instant military aviation classic."

---Stephen Coonts, 'Flight of the Intruder'

Kenny in front of Streetcar 313, an A-7 "Corsair" that he

flew often during his two combat tours aboard USS America

and USS Coral Sea. The plane is now at the Hickory,NC Aviation Museum. www.hickoryaviationmuseum.org

***************************************************************************************************************************

Flash News!!!

Kenny (Streetcar 304) and Pete (Nail 69) depart 21 November 2008 to re-visit the scene where the story took place---Tchepone in Laos. Our goal is to again stand on the actual ground spot where Kenny was hoisted into the rescue Jolly Green helo. Wish us well....

#1 At an annual award banquet on October 16th, Kenny's publisher, Naval Institute

Press, presented him with their "2007 Author of the Year---Second Place Award" for

Streetcar 304. Click here to read more and view photo...THE RESCUE OF STREETCAR 304

#2 On October 11th, Kenny was inducted into the Lincoln Memorial University

"Literary Hall of Fame" in Harrogate, TN.

#3 The publisher has released a full sized, "trade" paperback version of

the book and it's now available for orders on-line at www.amazon.com etc

at a reduced price, $13.59, plus shipping...or, in most bookstores for $19.99

#4 The September 2008 issue of "Air & Space Magazine" has a very favorable review

about the "Streetcar 304" book. Calls it a "gripping narrative...." And, while signing books

recently at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museums in Washington, DC, Kenny was told by

the staff that "The Rescue of Streetcar 304" was the museum's "top selling book for 2007."

#5 Kenny has a new "blog" page on amazon.com so, to check out his current thoughts

and view points, go to: http://www.amazon.com/gp/blog/A3EHPF3M4M99XA/ref=cm_blog_dp_artist_blog .

#6 The author now has a new "Facebook" web page so add him---Kenny Wayne Fields---

to your friend's list if you use that website.

*********************************************************************************************************

The author's recent and future events:

**********************************************************************************************************

Oct 4th 9am-5pm Homer Hickam's "October Sky Festival, Coalwood, WV, book signing

Oct 11th 3pm Kenny's Induction into "Literary Hall of Fame", Lincoln Memorial U., Harrogate, TN

Oct 14th private Navy NCIS School staff/students, Glynco, GA., story presentation/book signing

Nov 5th 6:30pm "The Pines" MOAA Branch meeting, Davidson, NC, story presentation/book signing

Nov 7th 2pm-4pm Matthews, NC Library, story presentation/book signing. Public event...

Nov 16th Noon-6pm Barnes & Noble book store, Birkdale Village Shopping center, Huntersville, NC

Nov 21st thru Nov 29th Streetcar 304 & Nail 69 will be on a secret mission.

Dec 4th 7pm Harrisburg, NC Library, story presentation/book signing

Dec 5th 5pm-8pm Main Street Books store, Davidson, NC

Dec 6th 10am-5pm Fort Jackson Army Base PX store, Columbia, SC, book signing

Dec 7th 11am-6pm Borders Book store, Northlake Mall, Charlotte, NC

Dec 11th 10am-5pm Virginia Military Institute (VMI), Lexington, VA, book store for signings

Dec 12th 10am-5pm Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, Washington, DC

Dec 13th 10am-5pm Smithsonian Udvar/Hazy Aviation Museum, near Dulles Airport

Dec 14th 2pm Leesburg, VA Thomas Balch Library, story presentation/book signing

Dec 20th 10am-6pm Books-a-Million, Concord Mills Shopping Mall, Concord, NC, book signing

**********************************************************************************************************

Click on the "Book Signings" page, upper left, for more of the

author's past events....

**********************************************************************************************************

The publisher, Naval Institute Press, has this to say about

Kenny's book:

On 31 May 1968, Lt. Kenny Fields catapulted off USS America in his A-7 for his first combat mission. His target was in Laos, which at the time was “officially” off-limits for U.S. attacks. What the planners did not know was that

Fields and his wingman were en route to a massive concentration of AAA gun sites amidst an entire North Vietnamese division.

Fields—call sign Streetcar 304—was the first to roll in and destroyed the target with a direct hit. Three AAA guns began to fire, but, following his wingman, he rolled in again. This time many more AAA guns opened up and

Fields was shot down.
'The Rescue of Streetcar 304' is Fields exhilarating narrative of the forty hour ordeal that followed, and what turned out to be one of the largest air rescues of the Vietnam War.

AUTOGRAPHED COPIES OF BOOK... Do you want to buy a book and have it personally autographed by Kenny? Our local, friendly book store, Main Street Books in Davidson, North Carolina, can provide a hardback copy for $30.00 or a paperback version for $22.00 which includes book, autograph and free shipping within the USA. Simply call Betty or Barbara at 704 892-6841 to buy one with your credit card.

Enjoy our site...Enjoy our book...

You'll find that real heroes

still exist in America.

Fields recounts close encounters with Phatet Lao

guerillas and nearly being killed time and again by

friendly bombs. He describes in riveting detail the radio chatter between participants and the stress effects of

coping with fear,no food, the jungle heat, wild animals,

and sleep deprivation. Before it was over, the U.S. Air

Force had flown 189 sorties to rescue Fields, and in the process four pilots had ejected, seven planes were lost or heavily damaged, and one pilot became a POW for over

five years.

The author draws on Air Force radio logs, after-action reports, and extensive interviews with all participants—including the wives at home—to tell the story from all perspectives. The result is a gripping tale of courage and brotherhood on both battlefield and home front.

Kenny Fields was a Bombardier/Navigator in the A-3B

for several years and then piloted A-4C and A-7A “attack”

jets. During two combat tours to Vietnam he flew 139 c

ombat missions in the A-7 over Laos, Cambodia, South Vietnam, and North Vietnam. He later served as a jet flight instructor. He retired after 22 years, 3,350 flight hours, and 475 carrier landings. He lives in Mooresville, North Carolina.

On-line Orders are accepted by Kenny's publisher,

Naval Institute Press, in the book section at www.usni.org ,

or call USNI to order at 1-800-233-8764.

332 pg., 32 photos, 2 maps, 6” x 9”
ISBN: 978-1-59114-272-0

Hardback Cloth: $29.95

Full-sized, paperback version, $17.99.

Or, order either version on-line at:

"Fasten your seatbelt for..."

"THE RESCUE OF STREETCAR 304"---A Navy Pilot's Forty Hours on the Run in Laos by Kenny Wayne Fields