Colonel in the usaf, who was navigator of an eb66 electronic warfare aircraft shot down during the 1972 north vietnam offensive. Andersons book bat 21 was the basis for that movie. He was an electronic warfare officer whose eb66 was shot down during the 1972 easter offensive. Iceal hambleton has been in military service for most of his adult life, but he has never seen the face of the enemy. Bat 21, the 1988 movie of his experience, starred danville native hackman as hambleton. For five more days, he evaded the enemy on a course relayed to him in the disguise of golf course holes. Ltc iceal gene hambleton 19182004 find a grave memorial. It does give the bat 21 storyline, but not through the eyes of hambleton.
Based on the true story of lieutenant colonel iceal e hambleton, usaf by anderson, william c hardcover 16 first edition 3. This book fictionalizes the true life story about the rescue of lt. Iceal hambleton in this factbased drama about survival during the viet nam war. Hambleton s harrowing ordeal was recounted in the book bat 21 1980, which was made into a movie of the same name in 1988. While serving as a navigator during the vietnam war, his plane was shot down on easter sunday april 6, 1972. Set during the vietnam war, the film is a dramatization based upon the rescue of. The rescue is rumored to be the longest and most costly search and rescue mission of. During the last days of the vietnam war, usaf lieutenant colonel iceal e. The story was also told in the books, bat 21 1980, and the rescue of bat 21 1998. Hambleton, a retired lieutenant colonel whose harrowing ordeal was chronicled in two books and was the basis for the 1988 movie bat 21, starring gene hackman, died of pneumonia related to lung. Hambleton, a retired lieutenant colonel whose harrowing ordeal was chronicled in two books and was the basis for the 1988 movie bat 21, starring gene hackman, died of pneumonia related to. He was aboard an eb66 aircraft whose call sign was bat 21. Rescue of bat 21 national museum of the united states.
When lieutenant colonel iceal gene hambleton was shot down just south of the dmz on april 2, 1972, he ejected at 31,000 feet and left behind an exploding aircraft and his five fellow crew members. The rescue of bat 21 bravo, the call sign for iceal gene hambleton, from behind north vietnamese lines was the largest, longest, and most complex searchandrescue operation during the vietnam war. Buy the rescue of bat 21 book online at best prices in india on. Hambleton is forced to bail out when his plane is shot. Some even went to extraordinary lengths to bring home the bodies of fallen servicemen. Correctly chronicled in the books and movie was most of the harrowing rescue of air force lt. Norris and arvn petty officer third class nguyen van kiet. This story was later recounted in the book and movie, bat 21. Iceal hambleton whose plane was shot down in vietnam. For the 53yearold air force strategist, combat has always been a. The rescue of bat 21 bravo, the call sign for iceal gene hambleton, a navigator aboard an. Iceal hambleton who survived for 11 days behind enemy lines until he was rescued after his eb66 aircraft was shot down over vietnam. Iceal gene hambleton bat 21 bravo, who was shot down on april 2, 1972 and evaded capture for 11 12 days behind enemy lines during the vietnam war. He retired from the us air force a year following his rescue with 22 years of combined military service.
Bat21 based on the true story of lieutenant colonel iceal e. As it turns out, hambleton s parents lived just nine miles from hackmans parents those years ago in. Air force lieutenant colonel iceal gene hambleton hackman, after he survives being shot down over vietnam, finding himself directly in the path of the north vietnamese armys. Gene hambleton november 16, 1918 september 19, 2004, ranked lieutenant colonel, was a united states air force navigator and electronic warfare officer who was shot down over south vietnam during the 1972 easter offensive. In fact, the movie bat21 was adapted from william andersons 1983 book bat21. Gene hackman turned in a great performance as usaf lt. Working with an air force reconnaissance pilot, capt. Bat 21 provides an objective look at the vietnamese war as seen through the eyes of a successful rescue attempt and the men who sacrificed themselves to get colonel hambleton out of harms way. During the vietnam war, he was the subject of one of the largest oneman rescue efforts in air force history.
Two books were written about the search and rescue operation to bring. William c anderson recounts the 12day ordeal of an air force colonel shot down over vietnam with secret military information. A costly mission finally rescued lieutenant colonel iceal gene hambleton in vietnam. Six days of massive effort to extract him with conventional air rescue forces failed. Iceal hambleton after he parachuted into north vietnam. Hambleton, a retired lieutenant colonel whose harrowing ordeal was chronicled in two books and was the basis for the 1988 movie bat 21, starring. This bestselling novel was later turned into a film by tristar pictures starring gene hackman and danny glover. Whitcombs 1998 book the rescue of bat 21 recounts in detail the extent of the aerial and ground attempts to rescue hambleton. When lieutenant colonel iceal gene hambleton was shot down just south. Anderson from his own 1980 book of the same title, is based on a true story about the controversial and very costly rescue of u. Iceal gene hambleton s real life rescue from behind enemy lines in vietnam. Hambleton, the lone survivor of his aircraft, parachuted into the midst of the nva invasion of the south. Bat 21 is a 1988 american war film directed by peter markle, and adapted from the book by william c.
This was followed by the dramatic 1988 movie, bat21, starring gene hackman as hambleton and danny glover as a forward air controller. He was flying aboard an eb66 leading a b52 bomber strike when his aircraft was struck by a surfacetoair missile. Hambleton was a lieutenant colonel in the united states air force. The incident gave hambleton famous status and led to the making of the 1988 film, bat 21, which starred actor gene hackman as hambleton. Buy the rescue of bat 21 book online at low prices in. During the vietnam war, numerous american soldiers risked their own lives to rescue their comrades. Gene hambleton, bat 21 bravo, an expert in surfacetoair missile technology with top. Gene hambleton gene hackman call sign bat 21 bravo, is flying onboard a eb66c electronic warfare aircraft, engaged in electronic countermeasures preparatory to a major bombing strike. Hambleton, usaf by anderson, william c and a great selection of related books, art and. The story of hambletons evasion and rescue was told in the 1980 book, bat 21, written by air force col.
Iceal meaning and origin of the name iceal wikiname. The only one to eject safely, hambleton landed near a highway junction on a communist supply route. Whitcombs 1998 book the rescue of bat 21 recounts in detail the extent of the aerial and ground attempts to rescue hambleton in the middle of a ground battle between two vietnamese armies. The story was also written in the books, bat 21 1980, and the rescue of bat 21 1998. He was an avid golf enthusiast and was actively involved in church and community service. On easter sunday, 2 april 1972, lieutenant colonel iceal gene hambleton was shot down in his eb66 aircraft call sign bat 21 just south of the demilitarized zone in vietnam. He is survived by one sister, fran luning of wenona, il, and one brother. Hambleton knows the area hes in is going to be carpetbombed but. Based on the true story of lieutenant colonel iceal e.
Anderson, novelist and retired united states air force colonel. Anderson 1980, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. This is the story of the ordeal iceal hambleton, a lt. Iceal hambleton, whose call sign was bat 21 bravo, c. The object of their rescue attempt was lieutenant colonel iceal hambleton, whose call sign was bat21. This mosaic reconnaissance photograph was used by the 3rd aerospace rescue recovery group to plan lt.
Unsung hero in the amazing rescue of bat 21 bravo historynet. Hambleton the harrowing experience of being shot down in vietnam and trying to avoid capture, and the thing that makes the book even better is the fact that its true. Hambleton knows the area hes in is going to be carpetbombed but a temporary shortage of helicopters causes a delay. Bat21 project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks read. Whitcombs the rescue of bat 21 gives rich development of the background, circumstances, and aftermath of that story, which hollywood already portrayed. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Bat21 crew laid to rest in arlington national cemetery. A second book, the rescue of bat 21, based on a large amount of.
Colonel in the usaf, who was navigator of an eb66 electronic warfare aircraft shot down during the 1972. Iceal ham hambleton is a weapons countermeasures expert and when his aircraft is shot over enemy territory the air force very much wants to get him back. The incident inspired the making of the 1988 film bat 21, which starred actor gene hackman as hambleton. An avid golfer, it describes how he survived and finally got rescued by transmitting his location by way describing his intentions by comparing to holes at golf courses. Bat 21 is the kind of lean, nononsense war film hollywood used to make back. This story details his 2 week long struggle to avoid capture by the vietcong.
1437 642 1449 616 1464 982 499 5 342 838 681 542 764 1058 474 480 1176 1264 1585 1267 136 1403 100 1047 11 713 700 262 19 313 1014 113 1419