From Publishers Weekly
When the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Marines moved into position near the DMZ in September '67 they didn't know that an entire North Vietnamese regiment lay close by. Hammel ( Khe Sanh ) here relates what happened in an integrated series of statements by the surviving Americans. In two battles the Marine battalion lost 40% of its combat strength and barely escaped annihilaton. For the Americans the September 7 and 10 contacts exemplified Murphy's Law in action: 3/26 was bombarded by its own artillery, became the target of its own planes, received a minimum of resupply while running low on ammunition, and was subjected to relentless assaults by the 812th NVA Regiment. The desperate defensive tactics as well as the raw emotions of the men are vividly conveyed in this memorable mosaic of concentrated warfare. Superb oral history.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
The Third Battalion, 26th Marines, set out on September 7, 1967, to scout an area near a beleaguered fire base in northern I Corps and were attacked by over twice their number of troops from the disciplined and well-armed People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). On the 10th, while moving into a new area, they encountered the same unit again, and the PAVN made a concerted attempt to wipe them out. This harrowing action is told almost entirely in the words of the survivors in a style that resembles the script for a documentary. By switching back and forth between voices Hammel is able to reinforce or expand on moments in the action; the device elevates this oral history of small unit action over most of its kind. The voices reflect bravery, loss, the sense of having overcome impossible obstacles; a solid entry in writings on the Vietnam War by an experienced military historian.
- Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
- Mel D. Lane, Sacramento, Cal.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
