LRRP Team Leader [Mass Market Paperback]

John Burford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1994

Vietnam, 1968. All of Sergeant John Burford's missions with F Company, 58th Infantry were deep in hostile territory. As leader of a six-man LRRP team, he found the enemy, staged ambushes, called in precision strikes, and rescued downed pilots. The lives of the entire team depended on his leadership and their combined skill and guts. A single mistake--a moment of panic--could mean death for everyone.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Vietnam, 1968. All of Sergeant John Burford's missions with F Company, 58th Infantry were deep in hostile territory. As leader of a six-man LRRP team, he found the enemy, staged ambushes, called in precision strikes, and rescued downed pilots. The lives of the entire team depended on his leadership and their combined skill and guts. A single mistake--a moment of panic--could mean death for everyone.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804110514
• ISBN-13: 978-0804110518
• Product Dimensions: 4.5 x 0.4 x 7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #371,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > World > 20th Century
  • #46 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Americas > United States > 20th Century
  • #59 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > History > Military > Vietnam War

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars UP-CLOSE AND IN-YOUR-FACE, September 26, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Southern Califonria, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: LRRP Team Leader (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was a gift from a British researcher of (LRRP) Ranger operations of the Vietnam War. Thank you John, I will treasure it forever. I questioned how he knew so much about the details of a Long Range Reconnaissance Mission. That is until he sent my copy of the book "LRRP Team Leader." I was assigned to Company H, 75th Rangers in Vietnam 1970-1971. There are no words to describe just how violent an ambush or firefight can be. Particularly in a jungle environment where enemy contact is almost certain to be an up-close, in-your-face encounter. You would have to be there to experience the sound of bullets streaking past you; the exploding claymore mines and the concussion of artillery or rockets fired from a Cobra Gunship within mere yards of your position. Sgt. John Burford has performed an excellent job in authoring this book. He has succeeded in putting the reader right in the midst of the action. One can almost feel the fears, emotions and tragedies through the authors' own eyes and real life experience as a LRRP Ranger. Thanks Sgt. Burford for telling it the way it really was.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting, January 2, 2000

By 

Jim Lynch - See all my reviews

This review is from: LRRP Team Leader (Mass Market Paperback)

After reading all three books in the series, "Six Silent Men", I read "LRRP TEAM LEADER", by John Burford. I was unable to put down Rey Martinez, Kenn Miller and Gary Linderer's books without finishing them cover to cover, and John's book was no different.

John has the ability to stick the readers inside his ruck, and make them feel like they are looking over his shoulder.

Having spent a short time based at Camp Eagle with E Company 1st/501st (my war was over after being wounded while working an AO near abandoned Fire Base Brick, Feb 71), I am thankful for John's ability to paint a very detailed picture of everything he came in contact with.

Our government should do more than just award medals to John, Kenn, Rey, and Gary for their bravery under fire. They should also award and thank them for providing future generations of soldiers with the wisdom and knowledge that may help keep them and their fellow soldiers alive and help them defeat their enemies. Often there is made reference to "Rogers' Rangers Standing Orders", which are a great foundation for a soldier's education. However, if you want to go on to earn a Masters Degree, then you need to read these authors.

If either of my sons is ever to fight a war, I would not let them leave before memorizing every word written by John and the rest of the LRRP's.

Thanks, John, not only for serving in Vietnam, but for serving again by volunteering the hundreds of hours from your life, to record your experiences for the rest of us.

Jim Lynch SP4 US Army ret.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Your Typical LRRP Account, March 14, 2000

By A Customer

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This review is from: LRRP Team Leader (Mass Market Paperback)

Unlike the other LRRP books out there this one is organized topically. It starts off kind of slow but if you can get into it, it really gets good. Unlike the Recon Marines who purposely engaged in firefights with the NVA and VC the airborne LRRPs were mostly used for scouting and tended to withdraw (or try to) when in close proximity to the enemy. The accounts of the ambushes in the second half of the book are very tense. Sgt. Burford's return to CONUS at the end of his tour to an unappreciative nation and a bunch of peaceniks is pretty sad.