Warnings Unheeded

Twin Tragedies at Fairchild Air Force Base

By: Andy Brown

Narrated by: Michael F. Cochrane

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Mass murder and military aviation disaster. One community's experience with two fatal tragedies that occurred suddenly...but not without warning.

On 20 June 1994, a gunman opened fire on the patrons and staff of the Fairchild Air Force Base hospital. Four days later, a B-52 bomber with four souls onboard went down in a fiery crash. Hundreds of ordinary men and women experienced the tragedies...countless others had struggled to prevent them.

Everyone who met the would-be gunman thought he was odd, but the disturbed airman struck fear in those who knew him. Doctors had him committed to a military psychiatric ward, only to watch him slip through the cracks of a broken system. They warned their staff, "This is the kind of patient who...one day...he's going to come back and kill you."

A veteran B-52 pilot wowed the crowd at Fairchild’s annual air shows. But the men who had to fly with him shared tales of the reckless aviator routinely stressing the airliner-sized bomber and her crew to their breaking point. When their leadership failed to act, concerned aircrews said, "We predicted the worst air-show disaster in history when we found out that he was gonna fly."

Warnings Unheeded is compelling narrative nonfiction from former military policeman and criminal investigator, Andy Brown. Drawing from extensive research, and interviews with the people who witnessed the tragedies unfold, Brown captures their story with cinematic clarity. As the man who ended the killing spree, Brown reveals how he had prepared for the deadly gunfight and offers a candid insight into the hidden cost of becoming a "hero".

Warnings Unheeded is a story of courage and resilience, a true survival story and a lesson from history.

Listen to this fascinating true story of mental illness, mass murder, and aviation disaster.

"A highly readable book...from a unique source. Recommended for a wide audience." (Ron Franscell, best-selling true-crime author of Delivered From Evil and The Darkest Night)

©2016 Andy Brown (P)2017 Andy Brown

Critic reviews

"In vivid and thoroughly researched detail, Andy Brown masterfully weaves two tragic stories ... this is an important and well-written read." (Gregory K. Moffatt, PhD, author of Blind-Sided: Homicide Where It Is Least Expected)

Powerful, Instructive, Tragic

This is a great book, well put together and performed. It is hard to give it a 5 if 5 means "I loved it." The events are so tragic, and could have, yea should have been avoided. I commend for doing such a thorough job on a very difficult subject.

The memories of that day came flooding back...

I knew Dr. Alan London. My husband and I chatted with him outside his office 5 minutes before he was killed.

Thank you Andy Brown for writing this book and filling in so many holes about that day.

Oh...and I was walking out of the BX that Friday, the 24th, buying a sympathy card to take to Dr. London's memorial service. I saw the B-52 crash.... thanks for all the research you did to document the SYSTEMIC idiocy that allowed that damn hot dog F15 pilot wannabe to continue flying and endangering others. I had NO idea that the copilot's teen son's and wife watched the crash. Dear Lord....
Lastly Andy, I'm thrilled to hear your life is joyful in Spokane, a community I love and maintain ties to still.

God bless you and your family.

Excellent! Should be required reading

…for today’s military. We were stationed at a different largeB-52 base when these events occurred. Many in that community knew of Bud Holland and his antics. I won’t repeat other accolades but simply add ours—this book is well with a credit, both for the two highlighted stories and for the author’s own tale. Definitely recommend.

Excellent narration of two very sad occurrences

Andy Brown successfully interweaves his story with that of Dean Mellberg , the shooter , starting at childhood and building to the action of June 1994 . He starts to add in the story of Lt Col Arthur Holland a few years prior to 1994 . He weaves them together very well .

excellent

This was an excellent cautionary tale in highlighted the shortfalls of our mental health treatment in the military and also in the civilian sector every military officer should have to read this

Important lessons and well written.

This is an important story to tell. Mr Brown does a perfect job of laying out the facts and the timeline. As leader, an Airman and a citizen these are very important lessons to learn. So many people could have broken a link in these chains of events. Thanks for writing this book. Be vigilant!

Eye opening details

Very detailed leading up to two preventable tragic events. Heartfelt recount by the the author Andy Brown.

Well written account of two tragic events

Enjoyed the writing and narration. The writing was not morbid or maudlin considering the subject matter. Kept my attention from start to finish.

A Book More People Should Be Reading...

Andy Brown's "Warnings Unheeded" is one of those rare books that have just as strong a message nowadays, as they did when they were originally published.

The book chronicles two tragedies at Fairchild Air Force Base within 2 weeks of each other in June of 1994: one a mass shooting at a Base Hospital perpetrated by a mentally deranged individual who managed to manipulate the medical system established within the military at the time to keep him enlisted; the other, a crash of a B-52 Stratofortress heavy-bomber (callsign, Czar-52) during a rehearsal flight the day before the annual Fairchild Air Show, the pilot of which being a chronically reckless individual who never resisted the urge to push the boundaries of the aircraft he flew- regardless of the wishes and wellbeing of not only his superiors and other higher-ups, but that of the fellow airmen flying alongside him. The failure of authorities to adequately prevent these losses of human life is hard to fathom, but from another point of view, were just results of a system of accountability that failed every man and woman on that base, up to, and including, the men who caused the incidents in question.

Brown's account of events is unique, him having been the person who successfully stopped the shooter before he could continue his rampage further. He lays down precisely what led to these two events, in maddening, brutal details, that will cause readers to question aloud why the leadership of a military installation failed to step in, when both of these individuals displayed serious signs of both mental instability and careless abandon for human life. At the same time, they will be answered with reasoning that will only be reminding of a key fault with any man-made system: the fact that they aren't always perfect. Mortal systems, even that of a military nature, never have been, and never will be... unless the process of accountability is upheld at the highest possible standards.

Like I said, this story is relevant. I really wish I read the paperback, there's way more material in the form of official documents, photos and diagrams showing the layout of the locations and where every event took place. It's worth listening to, but I, personally, would've gone with another narrator. That's my only complaint.

My review of Warnings Unheeded by Ssgt Andy Brown

First of all let me state for the record I Have never met Andy and we are not related! We were both however USAF Security Policemen! We both were stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base at different times. I own and have read his book, several times over! In 20 years as an Air Force Cop I have never needed to either draw my M9 or chamber a round in my M-16! Andy not only had to draw but also engage an armed mass murderer at a USAF hospital! In addition it’s the story of an out of control AF B52 pilot responsible for the death of his whole crew at an air show at Fairchild AFB! His in-depth research is worthy of an NCIS episode! I whole heartedly recommend this Audio book! SSgt F. Brown USAF ret. 377th Security Police Group.