INVITED TO A WAR
by Air Vice-Marshal Alan Reed AO
16 December 1933 - 24 July 2021
| The life of Air
Vice-Marshal Alan Reed AO is one that could read like a ‘boy’s own
adventure’. From humble beginnings as a National Service trainee in
Perth in 1952, Alan’s career took him all the way to the rank of Air
Vice-Marshal and in command of over 12,000 people within the RAAF
Support Command organisation. Along the way Alan flew a wide variety
of RAAF aircraft, including the maritime version of the Lincoln, the
Canberra bomber, the F-4E Phantom and the F-111. His experiences
included fortuitously being removed from a doomed Lincoln flight
that crashed into Mount Superbus in South-East Queensland, a 24-day
around the world trip in a Canberra formation, and his opportunities
to fly both the Phantom and the F-111C in RAAF service.
Alan was also privileged to be one of only six RAAF pilots to fly Phantoms on exchange with the USAF during the Vietnam War, where he flew over 100 reconnaissance missions during a 179 temporary duty assignment, receiving the USAF Distinguished Flying Cross. Alan passed away on 24 July 2021, not before he had the chance to reminisce with many of his compatriots at the Air Force’s centenary commemorations on 31 March 2021. This book draws upon the content of Alan’s autobiography, also entitled "Invited to a War", and presents the episodes of Alan’s life in the RAAF. It tells the story of a man who dedicated his life to the RAAF and, despite the highs and lows of any service career, never lost his passion for flying. |
The Australian Air Campaign Series - 5
Soft Cover, 241 pages
Dimensions: 155mm x 230mm
8 pages of Index
Order your copy of this book from:-
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"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products
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© Peter Dunn OAM 2020 |
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This page first produced 22 August 2022
This page last updated 22 August 2022
