They Dared to Fly is the true story of the young menwho daily risked their lives on classified surveillance missions deep behind enemy lines during the Vietnam War. The Army aviators and enlisted observers assigned to the 131st Surveillance Airplane Company, call sign Iron Spud, flew the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk into the jaws of death to capture timely intelligence for top military decision makers and senior national officials. This is the story of the author’s assignment to that special mission unit, of the history that came before and the events that unfolded while he was there. The unit brought 18 of the Army’s most sophisticated surveillance airplanes to Vietnam in 1966. In just over two years, three-quarters of those aircraft were lost, most to combat action in Laos and North Vietnam – some of the most hostile threat environments in aviation history. The Army quickly replaced losses because of the critical need for the information they collected. Very few downed crew members were recovered; most were killed or missing in action. The book is filled with riveting combat accounts and delivers a human-interest story, introducing a cast of fascinating characters and bringing the reader into their lives with many revealing personal anecdotes.