Vietnam Book Author Signing at Fayetteville’s Airborne and Special Operations Museum
On Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 6:00 p.m., there will be an Airborne and Special Operations Museum book signing featuring Thomas Ross author of “Rescue in the Valley of the Tigers.”
In the book, Ross details the life-changing events that took place that day saying “after three brave mountain villagers escaped the enemy captors, who had enslaved and abused them for years, they made their way to one of Special Forces Detachment A-502’s isolated outposts. There, the American advisers at the outpost placed an urgent call to A-502’s Operations and Intelligence officer, 1st Lieutenant Tom Ross.
Reaching the outpost, the lead villager, Mang Quang, begged the young lieutenant for help in rescuing his family and the other families held hostage. Responding to the villager’s passionate plea for help, Tom planned and led a rescue team deep into enemy territory and the remote mountain jungle of Vietnam.
Flown to the village by the 281st Assault Helicopter Company and guided by Mang Quang, mist was still rising from a steamy jungle when the team launched a blazing attack early the next morning.
Before the mission was complete, Tom and his small remaining team would become cut off and stranded. The rescue of Tom and his team would fall to others who would risk their lives.
On August 13, 1968, Walter Cronkite reported the story of the rescue on the CBS Evening News. 165 men, women and children had been freed because of the daring and extremely dangerous rescue mission in the Valley of the Tigers.”
Renee Lane, Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation Executive Director says that following the event, there will be a Vietnam War Veteran pinning ceremony, as well as a book signing.
Lane also says that all Vietnam War Veterans and active-duty service members get in FREE upon registration.
To register or to get more information about this event, click here.
The United States Airborne and Special Operations Museum is located at 100 Bragg Boulevard in historic downtown Fayetteville, North Carolina.
