I just finished
Flying Black Ponies by Kit Lavell and I found it was a great read. I must confess that I had never heard of VAL-4 before I saw the book at my school's library when I was actually looking for another book. But after reading it I was able to appreciate the risks these men took and the sacrifices they made to protect a lot of sailors and soldiers in the Brown Water Navy. I checked around to try and find a copy to keep, and it's impossible to find on
Amazon for a good price, but I was able to buy a copy from the US Naval Institute who I believe actually publishes the book. Unfortunately I tried to post a link and it looks like they no longer offer the book in their online store, but you might be able to get a copy if you contact them directly. It is one of the few books that due to its rarity and quality that I was willing to pay the full price of a hardback addition.