Blackjack-33 [Mass Market Paperback]

James C. Donahue (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 7, 1999

"You have to react instinctively. In this game there's no second place, only the quick and the dead."

In Vietnam, Mobile Guerrilla Force was the only American unit that truly carried out guerrilla-style hit-and-run military operations. Armed with silencer-equipped MK-II British Sten guns, M-16s, M-79s, and M-60s, the men of the Mobile Guerilla Force roamed for weeks at a time through steamy triple-canopy jungle in areas owned by NVA and VC, destroying base camps, ambushing enemy forces, and gathering the intelligence Saigon desperately needed.

In 1967, James Donahue was a Special Forces medic and an assistant platoon leader for the Mobile Guerrilla Force's fiercely anti-Vietnamese Cambodian mercenaries. On mission Blackjack-33, they were to act as bait and lure VC and NVA regiments into decisive engagements so that they could be targeted and destroyed by the 1st Infantry Division. Well, the MGF did its job, but the 1st Infantry Division refused to show up. . . .

Now, with the brutal, unflinching honesty only an eyewitness could possess, Donahue relives the deadly adrenaline rush of firefights conducted on the run and medical operations performed under fire, capturing the savage courage and sacrifice of these proud U.S. and Cambodian warriors.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"You have to react instinctively. In this game there's no second place, only the quick and the dead."

In Vietnam, Mobile Guerrilla Force was the only American unit that truly carried out guerrilla-style hit-and-run military operations. Armed with silencer-equipped MK-II British Sten guns, M-16s, M-79s, and M-60s, the men of the Mobile Guerilla Force roamed for weeks at a time through steamy triple-canopy jungle in areas owned by NVA and VC, destroying base camps, ambushing enemy forces, and gathering the intelligence Saigon desperately needed.

In 1967, James Donahue was a Special Forces medic and an assistant platoon leader for the Mobile Guerrilla Force's fiercely anti-Vietnamese Cambodian mercenaries. On mission Blackjack-33, they were to act as bait and lure VC and NVA regiments into decisive engagements so that they could be targeted and destroyed by the 1st Infantry Division. Well, the MGF did its job, but the 1st Infantry Division refused to show up. . . .

Now, with the brutal, unflinching honesty only an eyewitness could possess, Donahue relives the deadly adrenaline rush of firefights conducted on the run and medical operations performed under fire, capturing the savage courage and sacrifice of these proud U.S. and Cambodian warriors.

About the Author

James C. Donahue joined the Marine Corps when he was seventeen years old and served with the Corps through the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. After being discharged, he enlisted in the army and volunteered for Special Forces. As a Green Beret, he served with the 6th and 7th Special Forces Groups (Airborne) in Fort Bragg, NC, and with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Vietnam. His many military awards and decorations include the Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, two Air Medals, the Combat Medical Badge, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

After earning a bachelor's degree in anthropology and a master's in social sciences, Donahue went to work for the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service. He has written two previous books, No Greater Love, which was awarded the Freedom Foundation's George Washington Honor Medal, and Mobile Guerrilla Force. James Donahue and his wife live in Glenwood, NY, and have two grown children.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Presidio Press (September 7, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804117640
• ISBN-13: 978-0804117647
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.8 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #171,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > World > 20th Century
  • #18 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century
  • #26 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military > Vietnam War

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mobile Guerrilla Force Rules!, January 4, 2000

By 

Steven M. Yedinak (Newport News, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackjack-33 (Mass Market Paperback)

What began as an experiment - United States Special Forces A-Teams commanding Khmer Krom (free Cambodians)in the exploitation of Viet Cong and NVA weaknesses in their own forbidden zones - evolves full-scale in this true-to-life thriller.

In 1966-67, I worked with Jim (code named Fox-3), then a 19 year A-Team medic, on what became the most successful unconventional operations conducted by US forces during the Vietnam War. After the first two missions - Black Box and Blackjack 31 - I took the Freedom Flight while Donahue stayed on to play a key role in the evolution of the Mobile Guerrila Force concept - small, light-to-fight, highly (foot) mobile patrols that would locate Charlie's Base Camps & Way Stations, then blow the B-Jesus out of the massed-Cong using Air Force F-4C Phantom jets in early morning,high-altitude, radar-bombing sorties. The author gives a detailed account of just how this is possible when, in fact, these missions featured no artillery, no routine medivac, no big guns, no reinforcements, no large units, and were pre-ordained, by some, to the scrap heap of bold, imaginative, high-risk, failures.

The key? No large signature. Just a bunch of well-trained guys with good secret commo, excellent mining and disengagement techniques, innovative resupply techniques, and a commitment to work together deep behind enemy lines and, of course, were willing to stay out late (30-45 days), work (mostly) the night shift, and beat the guerrillas at their own game. Donahue describes the environment in chilling terms, and make no mistake, there are friendly casualties along the way. But, in the end, the Mobile Guerrila Force Rules!

Donahue is on a roll! His first book, No Greater Love and his second book, Mobile Guerrilla Force, are excellent precursers to this, his most powerful work to date.

Who says medics don't carry weapons?

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Quick and the Dead, March 24, 2001

By 

James Meade (Birrong, New South Wales, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackjack-33 (Mass Market Paperback)

Jim Donahue's ability to convey the sights, sounds and smells of war in a foreign land are awesome. I was never involved in anything so courageous as the MGF but I can vouch for the authenticity of what is portrayed in this book. These men undertook some of the most daring and heroic operations conducted with scant regard for their own well-being. I tip my hat and render a salute to all members of Blackjack-33. Well Done to all of you. As a former member of USSF Team B-34, Song Be, you've all earned my respect and admiration.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Captures the heart of jungle warfare, October 9, 2003

By 

scriptmasterj "scriptmasterj" (No Cal) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackjack-33 (Mass Market Paperback)

Once again James Donahue writes a fine book about some of his experiences while fighting in the Vietnam war. I don't give it 5 stars only because I don't consider it a true must have/must read. But make no mistake this is a really fine book that truly captures jungle combat and all the hardships it entails. This book chronicles the exploits of a special unit, Mobile Guerrilla Force, in the heavily VC infested Warzone D in 1967. The author is a Special Forces medic (Green Beret) and sees lot's of action. The Mobile Guerrilla Force is basically a light company made up of Americans and Cambodians. Their job is to raid enemy base camps, conduct ambushes, and call in air strikes. The danger is constant as they get in ambushes & battle after battle. Since the author was a medic he spends much of the time doing combat medicine. These parts are amazing as he treats the wounded yet fights off the VC. Donahue really brings the jungle and story alive and makes you feel like you are there. Get this book, and his others and learn about how Special Forces fought with amazing bravery in a far off land.