Hill 488 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the best books on the Vietnam war to come out in awhile. I'm still filled with awe after reading this masterpiece of a book. It is a memoir from a veteran recon Marine about a hellish battle on Hill 488 in Vietnam. First we learn about Ray Hildreth and get to know him pretty well as he joins the Marines in 1965 and eventually becomes a sniper in a Recon Marine platoon. In 1966 he ships out to Vietnam and an expanding war. Ray is assigned to 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Recon Battalion. You can feel his fear as he goes on his first patrols with the mostly green platoon. Luckily Sergeant Jimmie E Howard runs the platoon and guides the young Marines in this tense war zone. Sgt. Howard is a veteran of the Korean war, where he won a Silver Star for helping defend a hill named Bunker Hill from a massed Chinese/N. Korean attack. Howard held 30 yds of the perimeter by himself, an amazing feat in itself.
The Recon platoon gets orders to go deep into enemy territory in the dreaded Hiep Duc Valley. (bitterly contested throughout the entire war. See Keith William Nolan's wonderful Death Valley for more.) You can feel the tension build through the story with his wonderful prose. (Charles Sasser helped write the book and has written many fine books about American fighting men) 1st Platoon successfully inserts onto Hill 488 where they call in airstrikes & artillery on NVA & VC troop concentrations. On June 15, 1966 the enemy got smart and attacked Hill 488 hoping to wipe out the small American platoon. Only 18 Americans held the hill, 16 Marines & 2 Navy Corpsmen. A full battalion of enemy troops (400-500 men) attacked. By all rights the Marines should have been overwhelmed by this massive force. (artillery was ineffective because the VC were to close & air support took 2 hours to arrive) You will not be able to put down the book as Ray Hildreth captures the fury, danger, & action of that night. Sgt. Howard is the glue for this platoon and earns the nations highest award for bravery the Congressional Medal of Honor. In fact this platoon becomes the highest decorated small unit in the entire history of the US military for their defense of Hill 488. They earn a congressional Medal of Honor, 4 Navy Crosses! (the nations 2nd highest award.) 13 Silver Stars (nations 3rd highest award.) & 18 Purple Hearts. 6 of these men made the ultimate sacrifice that night. (4 more Marines died trying to rescue this platoon the next day, as did a helicopter pilot.)
Somehow this little group of Marines holds out against overwhelming odds. This book captures the amazing fighting spirit of the US Marines, gives some nice history about the war itself & brings to light one of the most remarkable battles in American history. I can't say enough how grateful I am to Ray Hildreth for sharing this story & to his Marine brothers that fought & died with him. Get this book and you will not be disappointed. This is a must have book for any veteran, historian, or anyone wanting to learn what it was like in Vietnam.

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For some, Hill 488 was just another landmark in the jungles of Vietnam. For the eighteen men of Charlie Company, it was a last stand. This is the stirring combat memoir written by Ray Hildreth, one of the unit's survivors.On June 13, 1966, men of the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division were stationed on Hill 488. Before the week was over, they would fight the battle that would make them the most highly decorated small unit in the entire history of the U.S. military, winning a Congressional Medal of Honor, four Navy Crosses, thirteen Silver Stars, and eighteen Purple Hearts -- some of them posthumously.During the early evening of June 15, a battalion of hardened North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Cong -- outnumbering the Americans 25-to-1 -- threw everything they had at the sixteen Marines and two Navy corpsmen for the rest of that terror-filled night. Every man who held the hill was either killed or wounded defending the ground with unbelievable courage and unflagging determination -- even as reinforcements were on the way.All they had to do was make it until dawn....

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Dead Men Flying Review

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(More customer reviews)General Patric Brady is one of the most highly decorated veterans in American history. After reading this book, you will understand why. He truely merited the Congressional Medal of Honor, which he was awarded during his second tour in Vietnam, for an almost unbelievable rescue effort as a "Dust Off" helicopter ambulance pilot. Flying in bad weather, in enemy held territory, his helicopters badly damaged by enemy fire,utilizing 3 different helicopters, he still managed to evacuate 51 seriously woulded soldiers, many of whom would have died without the rapid treatment that his efforts afforded. Flying over 2500 combat missions, he was responsible for the rescue of over 5000 woulded during his two tours in Vietnam. This book cronicles many of his most notable rescue missions. It also tells the story of the "Dust Off" ambulance helicopter units and the legendary figures that became associated with these units. These units, composed of pilots, crew members and their supporting crews, in my view, were the real heroes of the Vietnam War, though never receiving the recognition that I thought that they deserved. This book should change that. Brady brings forth new information about other heroes of the Vietnam War era, Major Charles Kelly, Doctor Pat Smith and a host of others who devoted their lives to the rescue of others. The stories of Brady's determination, hard work, and faith cannot help but be an inspiration for anyone who, like he, suffered setbacks during the course of their lives.

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The Legend of Dust Off, America's Battlefield Angels. Viet Nam may be the only war we ever fought in which the American soldier enhanced their heroism with humanitarianism unmatched in warfare. Humanitarianism was America's great victory in Viet Nam. Spearheading the humanitarian effort was Dust Off, the most dangerous of all aviation activities and the most amazing battlefield life saver in the history of warfare. This is the story of the father of Dust Off, Charles Kelly, who died to save Dust Off. His dying words, "When I have your wounded", set the standard for aero medical evacuation to this day. It is also the story of Kelly's disciples who struggled and died to meet his standard. One unit, the 54th, did. The author, Gen. Brady, learned from Kelly and led the 54th as it rescued over 21,000 wounded-enemy and friendly-in 10 months; while sustaining 26 Purple Hearts. It is also the story of faith in combat and the miracles it produces. 39 photos.

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Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty Review

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(More customer reviews)I always feel reverence for the service given by the veterans of our armed forces. For me, it matters little what they did because they spent a portion of their life supporting the defense of our freedom. Everyone in the military matters.
Even so, those who have faced the rigor of combat have earned an even deeper gratitude. What they face in battle changes their life forever. It can never be the same. An evidence of this is how difficult it is for combat veterans to describe their experience of the war to those of us who have never shared in that experience. The closest most of us get is watching documentaries on The History Channel or reading serious books on the history of the various conflicts that have required so much of our soldiers.
This is a wonderful and serious book. Our country has awarded the Medal of Honor, our highest military award, to only about 3,400 recipients since the award was created. Of that number, fewer than 140 are alive today. This book provides portraits of those still living. One page provides a current photograph of each man and another page briefly tells about what was done to merit the award. Each story causes me to shake my head in disbelief. These stories describe acts of selflessness, of duty, of courage that inspire a deep gratitude and admiration for these men and the thousands like them who have passed on.
As I turned the pages of this book, I felt I was in a sacred place. I looked at the picture of the young man who became a hero, read the words of his heroism, and then look in the face and eyes of the older man who has lived so long after those acts, and yet I suppose that day is ever with them. I do not know, but from my own life I know that there are certain pivotal events that are never far from the surface.
Millions of soldiers have faced combat and each has my gratitude. In know that there are countless acts of service and heroism that are never recognized. Those included in this book are only representative of the heroism so many have shown in combat. To all of them, I say thank you. To each of the men included in this book I also offer my deepest gratitude. Your stories inspire us and provide examples of the highest qualities for future generations.
We can all aspire to such selflessness, duty, and courage if and when we are called to face an extreme challenge. It is good to document and remember these acts of heroism even if they are only representative of the truly large number heroes who have served our nation. Those honored here are indeed special men with special stories. As we hold these to our hearts with thanks we also need to think about the millions of stories we do not know and remember them as well.
It was wonderful to read about the heroes from World War II and Korea that are still with us. However, I was especially gratified to read about those whose heroic acts were given in Vietnam. It is past time for us to take seriously our neglect of these veterans and realize all that was given in service on our behalf. We owe then a debt and we need to pay it. A first step is to get to know what was done for us and learn the truth instead of simplistic anti-war propaganda.
You owe it to yourself to take a tour through this book and think about what these men, and so many like them, were asked to do and what they did to answer that call.

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