‘Songs of War’
Former U.S. naval aviator Don Purdy flew the A-4 Skyhawk attack jet on 218 combat missions over North Vietnam from July 1967 to February 1969. He was a member of Attack Squadron VA-164, the “Ghostriders.” Purdy’s book, Where the High Winds Sing: A Naval Aviator’s Poetry of War and Reflection, won a gold medal for poetry presented by the Military Writers Society of America in 2021.
In the book Purdy recalls his difficult Vietnam experiences, including combat and its aftermath, through poetry and artwork. His squadron was part of Carrier Air Wing 16 aboard the USS Oriskany and Carrier Air Wing 21 on the USS Hancock. Air Wing 16 suffered the highest loss rate of any Navy air wing during the Vietnam War, Purdy says.
Purdy’s poetry is resonating with other Vietnam veterans and inspiring them to write about their own battle experiences. Purdy talked with Senior Editor Zita Ballinger Fletcher about his writing and artwork and how they give form to the echoes of warfare
