1500 feet over Vietnam: A marine helicopter pilot's diary Review

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(More customer reviews)Bruce Lake's 1500 FEET OVER VIETNAM: A MARINE HELICOPTER PILOT'S DIARY is an excellent first-person narrative dealing with what it was like to be a Marine combat aviator in Vietnam. He has an understated writing style that manages to keep the reader involved with each chapter.

This reviewer conversed at length by phone with Bruce on a number of occasions awhile back while doing some project research on 1st Lt. Horace H. Fleming, USMC, who is still listen as a POW/MIA. Lt. Fleming, known to his fellow Marines as "Bud," was the pilot of a Marine CH-46A helicopter that was bringing reinforcements into the compound of Ngok Tavak, about five miles away from the border outpost at Kham Duc, in Vietnam. Ngok Tavak had been attacked by elements of the NVA 2nd Regiment in the early morning hours of 10 May 1968, and by the time the two CH-46s arrived, the camp was undergoing heavy rocket, mortar, and infantry attack.

As Lt. Fleming lifted off, his aircraft was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire, severing either the fuel or oil line, forcing him to land his aircraft within the besieged compound. As a second aircraft, a UH-1 Huey, hovered over the fouled landing pad in order to take on wounded. Fleming and some Nung soldiers mounted the skids but were unable to enter the crowded cabin. After the aircraft lifted off, Fleming and the Nung soldiers fell over 100 feet into the thick jungle outside of the defensive perimeter that was controlled by the NVA.

The Ngok Tavak defenders withdrew to the base camp at Kham Duc, arriving just in time to fight in the unsuccessful defense of that camp. Lt. Fleming was one of at least 39 Americans who died or was taken prisoner during the defeats at Ngok Tavak and Kham Duc, and one of the 32 whose possible remains have not been repatriated. Bud Fleming was promoted to Captain, then to Major over the years, but his status is still unknown.

Bruce Lake and Bud Fleming were fellow Marine CH-46A pilots, both members of HMM-265, a Marine Medium Helicopter squadron that was with MAG-16 at MMAF. If you read this book you will find Lt. Fleming mentioned as "Bud."

The author offers a great deal of insight about what it was like to be "Up North" flying daily helicopter missions in what was some of the most hotly-contested territory of the entire Vietnam Conflict. 1500 FEET OVER VIETNAM is one of those books that's hard to put down once you start reading.

The author also describes what it was like to come home to New England after his tour of duty; a young combat pilot who had seen far more than most civilians could imagine from the daily news coverage that was being displayed in the media.

It's not difficult to imagine what it was like flying from the way that the author relates his experiences there. Though frequently understated, the images of what Bruce and others experienced can be shared by reading this superb recollection of just one part of the Vietnam conflict.

This reviewer has a personal interest in this book, as I still wear a POW/MIA bracelet that bears the inscription "MAJ HORACE H. FLEMING, III, USMC - 10 MAY 68 SVN." It's my third bracelet with his name since the 1970s.

Thanks, Bruce, from one 'Nam-Era Marine to another. It's a superb read. Semper Fi!



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U.S. Air Force (Hugh Lauter Levin's Military History) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is quite possibly the ultimate U.S. Air Force History book. It is written under the general guidence of Lt. Col Dik Alan Daso, USAF (Ret), Curator of Modern Military Aircraft National Air and Space Museum. The individual contributors, some 35 in number vary from retired military, professional historians, librarians, and more. All in all, individual experts to write on particular subjects of interest.
This is a large format book, and it contains a lot of pages. It begins with the first flights taken by the military in balloons and concludes with operations in Iraq. The book is arranged like a diary, with significant events in chronological order. A particular point of interest is the little pictures of the medals of honor won on those dates, along with a description of the actions of the winner.
In addition there are periodic two page spreads that describe significant activities, technical advantages, or historical points of interst regarding the Air Force.
It's a beautiful book, one that belongs in every military library.

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Masters of the Art: A Fighting Marine's Memoir of Vietnam Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very impressed with the frankness and honesty in this book. It held me captive from beginning to end. The parallels to the war in Iraq provided a startling inside view on today's issues. This book is an incredible tribute to America's veterans, both modern day and from the Vietnam era.

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No punches are pulled in this gripping account of Vietnam combat through the eyes of a highly decorated Marine helicopter crewman and door gunner with more than three hundred missions under his belt.In 1968, U.S. Marine Ronald Winter flew some of the toughest missions of the Vietnam War, from the DMZ grasslands to the jungles near Laos and the deadly A Shau Valley, where the NVA ruled. Whether landing in the midst of hidden enemy troops or rescuing the wounded during blazing firefights, the work of helicopter crews was always dangerous. But the men in the choppers never complained; they knew they had it easy compared to their brothers on the ground.Masters of the Art is a bare-knuckles tribute to the Marines who served in Vietnam. It's about courage, sacrifice, and unsung heroes. The men who fought alongside Winter in that jungle hell were U.S. Marines, warriors who did their job and remained true to their country, no matter the cost.

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Warrior Culture of the U.S. Marines Review

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(More customer reviews)My parents, friends and girlfriend could never understand my so called obsession with the Corps..from the stickers on my car, to my reading material and even my apparel. To truely understand a Marine, you must be one. This book, however, does a great job explaining to the non-initiated. The book can sometimes be repetative and the constant references to the "Diety" (cant you just say God?) can be annoying, but, overall this was a motivating and refreshing look at my beloved Corps. It breaks everything down from the history, customs and mentality of the Marines. For the person in your life that just does'nt get it, or for Motivating yourself, this is a darn good read.

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Leathernecks? Jarheads? Devil Dogs? By any name the world recognizes U.S. Marines as the premier warriors on planet Earth. Marine Warriors have evolved into American Icons, the warrior elite. These American Samurai, these proud patriots, live in the province of legend. WARRIOR CULTURE OF THE U.S. MARINES contains timeless Marine Corps quotations, fighting words from fighting men. Here readers will find the legacy of the Corps -- Tun Tavern, the Marine Corps birthday, USMC slogans, the Commandants, the Rifleman's creed. Air America, Blood Chit, Blood Stripe, Mameluke and NCO swords -- all of that and much more. Also, Happy Hour laws of combat and military terms. This book is gung-ho, upbeat, and Politically Incorrect -- the ultimate book for Marine Corps warriors. No profanity

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Force Recon Command Review

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(More customer reviews)Sir, Your accounting of the abilities of our teams brought back so many memories. The price we had to pay is still so unknown to so many. I carry the memory of my friend and teammate Sgt.A.Garcia with me every day. I am proud that I had the honor to serve under you and with men like him. For those who fought for it freedom has a taste the protected will never know.
Doc Parrish 3rd. Force Recon 1969-1970

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THE A SHAU VALLEYWHERE THE NVA WAS KING . . . In order to prevent surprise attacks on U.S. forces as they were pulling out of Vietnam, someone had to be able to pinpoint the NVA's movements. That dangerous job was the assignment of then-major Alex Lee and the Marines of the 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company when he assumed command in late 1969. They became the tip of the spear for Lt. Gen. Herman Nickerson's III MAF. And each time one of Lee's small, well-motivated, well-led, and wildly outnumbered teams was airlifted into the field, the men never knew if the day would end violently.But whether tracking NVA movements, recovering downed air crews, or making bomb-damage assessments after B-52 strikes, Major Lee's Few Good Men never forgot who they were: Each of them was in Vietnam to live like a Marine, win like a Marine, and, if need be, die like a Marine.Forthright and unabashed, Lieutenant Colonel Lee leaves no controversy untouched and no awe-inspiring tale untold in this gripping account of 3rd Force Recon's self-sacrifice and heroic achievement in the face of overwhelming odds.

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Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Tom Clancy's Military Reference) Review

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(More customer reviews)I enjoyed reading this book and view this as a prized addition to my military book collection. Also as a Marine (77-81) I'd recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Marine Corps or the U.S. military in general. While I've been a long time fan of Clancy's "techno thriller" fiction work. I feel that in reading some of his other informative nonfiction books of this series like Armored Cav, Submarine & Fighter Wing - he seems to focus more on the equipment & tactics. But in Marine (as Clancy himself points out) that while the equipment is no less sophisticated (in some cases coming off of the same procurement shelves) the Corps effectiveness has always been the result of the quality of it's People. Along with an in-depth view of the MEU (SOC), Marine gives a good overview of the development of the individual. I feel that this book truly captured the essence of what it means to be a Marine. Semper Fi!

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Victory Point: Operations Red Wings and Whalers - the Marine Corps' Battle for Freedom in Afghanistan Review

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(More customer reviews)READ THIS BOOK! Mr Darack spent two months with 2/3 in Afghanistan in 2005. That time period was the genesis for the book. He spent a great deal of time interviewing the Marines and sailors and lived at Camp Blessing with the Marines, sailors, and Afghan Security Forces. The book was well reviewed by Bing West, Dalton Fury, and others. The battalion achieved victory not by technology dependent special operations that are so lionized by Hollywood and the press these days, but by time-tested boots-on-the-ground, small unit counterinsurgency tactics, tactics codified by the Marine Corps. Read it if you want an honest view of the challenges on the ground for a unit engaged in the COIN fight at the Edge of the Empire. Mr. Darack witnessed first hand the success of the batallion, and how it was achieved through working closely with locals, spending as much time outside the wire as possible, proving our intentions for a unified and pacified country, and of course, always being ready for the tough fight. VICTORY POINT brings the reader into all aspects of what it took to win a difficult counterinsurgency campaign in Afghanistan, conveying the no-nonsense, classic, and time proven methods of this type of warfare, from the dividends yielded from passing out school supplies to children, to helping build roads and other infrastructure, to the necessity of undertaking a high intensity combat.


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The Riveting untold story of the Marine missions that led to free elections in Afghanistan. In late June 2005, media sources recounted the tragic story of nineteen U.S. special operations personnel who died at the hands of insurgent / terrorist leader Ahmad Shah- and the lone survivor of Shah's ambush-deep in the Hindu Kush Mountains of Afghanistan. The harrowing events of Operation Red Wings marked an important-yet widely misreported-chapter in the Global War on Terror, the full details of which the public burned to learn. Victory Point reveals the complete, as-yet untold, story of Operation Red Wings (often mis-referenced as "Operation Redwing"), and the follow-on mission, Operation Whalers. Together, these two U.S. Marine Corps operations (that in the case of Red Wings utilized Navy SEALs for its opening phase) unfurl not as a mission gone terribly wrong, but of a complex and difficult campaign that ultimately saw the demise of Ahmad Shan and his small army of barbarous fighters. Due to the valor, courage, and commitment of the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Marine Regiment in the summer of 2005, Afghanistan was able to hold free elections that Fall. Here is the inspiring true account of heroism, duty, and brotherhood between Marines fighting the War on Terror.

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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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Force Recon Diary, 1969 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a story about Bruce Norton, who joined the Navy and then became a
> Navy medic.(Corpsman)
> > He was assigned to 3rd Force Recon Company in 1969-1970 in Vietnam. He
> served with Alex Lee, who wrote his own book about commanding 3rd Force
> Recon Company.
> >
> > Norton, like the Marine sniper Carlos Hathcock, was raised in the woods,
> and learned to shoot and find his way around the woods as a kid. This came
> in handy in Vietnam.
> > He learned to shoot rats in the city garbage dump in his home town in
> Mass. They hunted at night, with flashlights taped to their rifle barrels
> to spot the rats.
> >
> > While in Vietnam, he went through a typhoon and was in the jungle, with
> his 6 man team. They tied themselves together, and to some banana trees to
> avoid being blown away by the 120 mile per hour winds.
> >
> > He was on patrols that encountered a bear on one, and a tiger on another.
> >
> > He lost several friends in the Ashau Valley. Alex Lee describes the
> Ashau Valley as spooky and filled with evil spirits in his book, Force
> Recon. Horton, on the other hand compares it to the Garden of Eden.
> > While in the Valley, he describes how he got very sick on water the North
> Vietnamese poisoned by killing a pig and throwing the carcass in a pond.
> Norton drank the water, not realizing there was a dead carcass in there,
> even though the North Vietnamese left signs on the nearby trees announcing
> this.(The Marines could not read Vietnamese)
> > The 3rd Recon Company was disbanded when he was there, after Gen
> Nickerson, who created the Company, got transferred back out of Vietnam.
> >
> > Norton notes the outstanding leadership in the Company. Alex Lee, Major,
> Commanding, had the Legion of Merit, Silver Star, Bronze Star, 3 Navy
> Commendation medals, Navy Achievement medal, 2 purple hearts. Today, Lee is
> still considered a genius at small unit tactics. Clovis Coffman, another
> officer won the Navy Cross.
> > Two of his best friends, died bravely in the Ashau Valley winning medals.
> Charles Sexton, won the Navy Cross in the Ashau Valley and Paul Keaveney
> won the Silver Star.
> >
> > Norton stayed in the military, leaving the Navy and made a career
> > of the Marines, and was a Major when writing this book in 1990.
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>

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The riveting, true-to-life account of survival, heroism and death in the elite Marine 3d Force Recon unit, one of one two Marine units to receive the Valorous Unit Citation during the Vietnam War. Doc Norton, leader of 3d Force Recon, recounts his team's experiences behind enemy lines during the tense patrols, sudden ambushes and acts of supreme sacrifice that occurred as they gathered valuable information about NVA operations right from the source.

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Marines: An Illustrated History: The United States Marine Corps from 1775 to the 21st Century (Illustrated History (Zenith Press)) Review

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(More customer reviews)This was purchased for a gift. The recipients are both Marines and appreciated receiving it.

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Book DescriptionThe Marine Corps came into being with the nation it serves, in 1775--and has been a proud defender of the American ideal ever since. With photographs of historic missions and shots of the Corps in action today, this illustrated volume gives readers a feel for what it means--and has meant--to be a Marine. Here, over time and wherever duty calls, are the select few who make up the tightly knit fighting force known for its lightning speed, overwhelming power, and truly heroic sense of duty.About the AuthorChester G. Hearn, an American military veteran, has written several books on U.S. military and naval history, three of which have been main selections of the History Book Club. A graduate of Allegheny College, he is a full-time writer who lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

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Murphy's Laws of Combat Review

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(More customer reviews)This book contains lots historical trivia I found to be very interesting. Not everything in the the book is specifically directed at the soldier. A persons could apply the often humorous advice to "combating" life's problems. A good book for the bathroom or out on the coffee table.

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Want to stay alive in battle? If so, read and heed Murphy's Laws of Combat. Hundreds upon hundreds of tongue-in-cheek rules, axioms, and principles for American warriors. Separate chapters for Infantry and Aviation laws. Off duty, study Murphy's time-tested beer-drinking guide. Learn the rules of sex and seduction for warriors. Identify pitiful civilians who have contracted Politically Correct Disease. Learn how to avoid all pathetic socialists, communists, and liberals. Then, in the final 100 pages, take a serious look at the heritage of the American Warrior; military anthems of the U.S. Armed Forces, the history of blood chits, patriot dreams, and the legacy of Air America. Also, General Orders, codes of keep, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, rules for life, somber reflections upon combat, eulogy for warriors, and much more. The book includes 52 photos, 96 unique illustrations, and scores of display boxes.

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Cleared Hot: A Marine Combat Pilot's Vietnam Diary (Special Warfare Series) Review

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(More customer reviews)I was a Marine "guy in the Back" of RF4 aircraft for 13 years. One of the most important jobs of a Gib is to be the communicator. We learned that phraseology used over the radio had to be precise and very very clear. Make no mistake radio procedures are written in blood, widows and smoking holes.There is absolutely no room for BS and colorful language. Col. Stoffe got it exactly right. He mentions one instance where a couple of Air Force F4s got [messed] up and nearly killed themselves becouse their radio procedure was slack. Col. Stoffe does a great job of telling his story. He was a warrior. He faced down the enemy time after time and survived. His book makes facinating reading for thoes like to read about men who could have a gunfight every day.

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Daring missions. Dangerous rescues. Deadly accuracy.Many pilots never made it out of 'Nam. This one did. Highly decorated Col. Bob Stoffey-- a Marine Corps pilot for over twenty-five years, who served multiple tours in Vietnam-- has seen and done it all. Cleared Hot! is his story-- a fast-paced, high-casualty flight into heart-stopping danger.Full of vivid detail, this combat diary uncovers the real heroes of the Vietnam War, the behind-the-scenes Marine Corps pilots who helped our boys return home...then went back for more.Includes eight pages of heroic photographs!

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The First Battle: Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam Review

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(More customer reviews)Otto Lehrack has described, analyzed and ultimately explained in fewer than 200 tightly yet lucidly written pages the reality and significance of Operation Starlite--a battle that took place in August 1965 and was, as the title notes, the "First Battle" of the Vietnam War between U.S. troops and Viet Cong Regulars . The description of the battle itself is set in a carefully and clearly established historical framework and geographical setting while throughout the text the reader is given insightful "color commentary", including relevant and invariably interesting facts about the personal history of the key unit commanders on both sides as well as the operational doctrine, training and tradition, unit history and behavior in combat of both the Marines and Viet Cong who fought this critical engagement.
A significant part of the appeal of this excellent book lies its methodical "zoom in" approach, commencing with the reader's high-level historical and geographical orientation in Chapters 1 and 2 entitled, respectively, "Inching Toward the Abyss" and "America Touches the Tar Baby." These chapters together total only 18 pages yet set out the best capsule account of America's long slide into the Vietnam War I have read anywhere. The opening sentence of Chapter 1 is chilling both in retrospect and, whether or not so intended, in its implicit parallels with current events: "The United States came to this pass in baby steps, characterized more by Cold War fears, hubris and inattention than by level-headed policy examination."
Having given us a high level zoom view, First Battle narrows the focus somewhat and moves to an informative and substantive discussion of the Marine's entry into the geographical area in Southern I Corps where the battle was fought, including an excellent discussion of the establishment of and operations at the Marine's Chu Lai base, and, tightening the focus again, moves to the engagement itself, addressing in logical sequence the intelligence that led the Marines to conclude the 1st VC Regiment was on the Van Tuong peninsula south of Chu Lai base, the command process leading to the Marine's decision to undertake the operation, including a helicopter reconnaissance flight over the peninusula whose "brevity and apparent casualness" did not fool the VC, the Marines'decision to undertake and the planning for a surprise assault combining amphibious and helicopter elements and the conduct of the assault itself. These chapters also provide specific description of and insight into the planning of the VC who, though warned by the reconnaissance and able able to determine the Marines' objective, nevertheless "seriously underestimated the speed with which the American Marines could mount the attack." Lehrack develops this point nicely and it reappears as a theme throughout the book both in connection with the fast-moving operations of the Marines in Starlite and the later flexibility and ingenuity shown by the VC and North Vienamese forces in adapting to American tactics and capabilities as the war continued.
Lehrack has documented the text in a highly professional manner and the text itself artfully interweaves facts from a variety of primary and secondary sources to tell the story of Starlite. In this regard, Lehrack conducted extensive interviews not only with Marines participating in the engagement at all levels of command but, very significantly, with numerous members of the VC 1st Regiment. (It was apparently during these interviews that he came to understand the Vietnamese concept of "blood debt" that appears in the title of the book and, as he explains it, sheds light on the conduct of the VC and North Vietnamese both during and after the war.) The descriptions of the key small unit engagements that took place in the context of the battle now called Operation Starlite are vivid and filled with detail that illuminate both the nature of the action and the character of the combatants themselves, which one can only conclude was remarkable on both sides. There is insufficient space to do justice to the excellent discussions of these engagements in First Battle. Suffice it to say they make for a "good read" and are clearly informed by the author's research, including review and assessment of command logs, after-action and interrogation reports, his walks of the battlefield and interviews and conversations with the participants on both sides and, finally, his own combat experience as a Marine infantry company commander in the Vietnam War.
This is an excellent book and I recommend it highly. One cautionary note...if you're not familiar with the lexicon of Marine and VC operations in Vietnam, make sure you identify the glossary set out in Appendix 2 (page 188) of the book before you start reading so that, as you read, you can refer quickly to its brief but clear definitions of terms.

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"The First Battle" is a graphic account of the first major clash of the Vietnam War. On August 18, 1965, regiment fought regiment on the Van Tuong Peninsula near the new Marine base at Chu Lai. On the American side were three battalions of Marines under the command of Colonel Oscar Peatross, a hero of two previous wars. His opponent was the 1st Viet Cong Regiment commanded by Nguyen Dinh Trong, a veteran of many fights against the French and the South Vietnamese. Codenamed Operation Starlite, this action was a resounding success for the Marines and its result was cause for great optimism about America's future in Vietnam. Those expecting a book about Americans in battle will not be disappointed by the detailed descriptions of how the fight unfolded. Marine participants from private to colonel were interviewed during the book's research phase. The battle is seen from the mud level, by those who were at the point of the spear. But this is not just another war story told exclusively from the American side. In researching the book, the author talked with and walked the battlefield with men who fought with the 1st Viet Cong Regiment.All were accomplished combat veterans years before the U.S. entry into the war. The reader is planted squarely in America in 1965, the year that truly began the long American involvement. Operation Starlite sent the Vietnam War into the headlines across the nation and into the minds of Americans, where it took up residence for more than a decade. Starlite was the first step in Vietnam's becoming America's tar baby. The subtitle of the book is: "Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam". Blood debt, han tu in Vietnamese, can mean revenge, debt of honor, or blood owed for blood spilled. The Blood Debt came into Vietnamese usage early in the war with the United States. With this battle, the Johnson Administration began compiling its own Blood Debt, this one to the American people. The book also looks at the ongoing conflict between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marines about the methodology of the Vietnam War. With decades of experience with insurrection and rebellion, the Marines were institutionally oriented to base the struggle on pacification of the population.The Army, on the other hand, having largely trained to meet the Soviet Army on the plains of Germany, opted for search-and-destroy missions against Communist main force units. The history of the Vietnam War is littered with many "what ifs."

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Force Recon 2: Death Wind Review

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(More customer reviews)To write a book with the kind of action, conflict, dialogue and flow found in Death Wind is obviously a rare ability. You barely know that the clock is ticking as you keep reading, keep reading and keep reading until you end up with the kind of finish that makes you wish the next Force Recon book was on the shelves right now. Smith clearly knows a lot about the military, but he knows even more about how to tell a story. Great reading, great writing, great book.

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High-tech toys.Extreme action.Second in the thrilling new series!After taking out a meeting of international terrorists, the Force Recon team finds itself tracked by the one who got away."Bloody kills and high-tech novelties will appeal to fans."--Publishers Weekly 2nd in the explosive new military action series

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Force Recon Diary, 1970 Review

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(More customer reviews)As a former gunnery sergeant with 1st Force Recon Company, in Vietnam from 1969-1970, I can assure any of Norton's readers that what he wrote about in Force Recon Diary, 1970, was totally accurate and factual. I was there with him. I also know the former Marine who lives in Seattle, and that pathetic individual, afraid to state his name in his April review, is both a coward and a phony who is known to many of us within the Marine recon community. Tossed out of the company for cowardice under fire, he resides as a Marine malcontent in the Seattle area. I hope Norton's books will only continue to enlighten his reader's and that they will learn from our experiences. Credit to Norton and shame on the former Seattle Marine who comments from ambush. It figures.

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In the thickof a jungle war where there often wasn't enough food, enough, water, enough air support, enough explosives, or even enough radio batteries, the vulnerable Force Recon Marines knew that the only things that could keep them alive were their courage, their skills, and their loyalty to one another.Here is the story of a Force Recon Company that put its lethal skills to work to make sure its team could survive combat behind benemy lines--where one slip could mean body bags for everyone.

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Gunbird Driver: A Marine Huey Pilot's War in Vietnam (Blue Jacket Bks) Review

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(More customer reviews)[[ASIN:1591140196 Gunbird Driver: Gunbird Driver is a remarkable autobiography. Former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, David Ballentine, looks back on his 1966-67 tour of duty in Vietnam, flying the UH-1E (Huey) on a variety of missions, from supporting drops of ground troops into hostile territory, evacuating wounded and dead Marines, to flying high ranking officers around on inspection tours. On one mission, enemy gunfire severs his oil lines and he is forced down. On another, he watches with fascination as a stunningly accurate rocket fired from his ship explodes within a foot of its target-- a luckless man in black-pajamas running for his life through a rice paddy. Lt. Ballentine sees the fellow wobble to his feet and disappear into the underbrush. Ballentine doesn't stop there. He also lays bare the ordinary and wacky details of military life, such as the use of makeshift urinals called "piss tubes" and the hazard of splash-back, "hooch rats" nesting in his helmet, and the stress of finding himself laboring to make small-talk alongside a high-ranking officer inside a crude latrine. Reading this, I often found myself smiling, and occasionally, laughing out loud. This account could not have been authentically written without use of the Marine Corps' incomparable array of four-letter words, and it is not for the faint of heart. No subject is overlooked. Ballentine, who after the war earned a PhD in history, is both sensitive and introspective but understandably proud of his air crewmembers. No macho here. His story is one of a humble young officer's adaptability to the demanding circumstances of war and his emergence as a man. This is a perfect gift for any ex-Marine or anyone, civilian or military, man or woman, who has wondered what it was like to be in combat.


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Ballentine recalls his experiences as a young pilot flying an armed UH-1E with Marine Observation Squadron Six in Vietnam. Like any good war memoir, parts of the book are deadly serious, while others are filled with thrilling, often humorous descriptions of squadron life during the early stages of the war. The book provides little-known details about the missions, operations, and living conditions at Ballentine's base in Ky Ha, shortly before the Tet Offensive. The book preserves not only Ballentine's impressions, but also reflects the experiences of others who crewed the Hueys, and describes scenes that will resonate with all those who served in helos in Vietnam.

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By Duty Bound: Survival and Redemption in a Time of War Review

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(More customer reviews)Ezell Ware's book is difficult to put down once the reader begins this eye-opening, heart-tugging journey. You find yourself in the middle of two battlefields-one in Vietnam and one in the USA. The author does a remarkable job in moving the reader back and forth over the suspension bridge between those wars-- through a literal jungle in Vietnam and an unbelievable jungle of another kind right here in the United States of America-- all in one volume. After enduring a lifetime of hostility, having your helicopter shot down in enemy territory is immediately life threatening and horrendous; but facing the realization you have been flying with the enemy as well is mind-boggling. Each war zone involved human spirit, endurance, and heroic action. The fighting spirit of an American with a full measure of determination, patriotism, and true grit is what you get when you pick up this work. I salute American Ezell Ware for sharing his remarkable life and battlegrounds.

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