During the night of 6-7 February 1968, two dozen U.S. Army Green Berets and several hundred indigenous soldiers held off a numerically superior force of North Vietnamese tanks and infantry in one of the finest, most exciting examples of collective bravery, endurance, and will that any war has produced. Here for the first time is the full account of that violent, deadly stand by Special Forces Team A-101 at the tiny compound of Lang Vei. Making use of extensive interviews with survivors, recently uncovered oral histories, and official records, author William Phillips presents astounding tales of individual and team courage against overwhelming odds.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The story of the Battle of Lang Vei is presented here in detail, with unswerving dedication to objectivity and accuracy by its author...I am pleased to recommend [this] book." -William C. Westmoreland, Gen., USA (Ret.)
"Bill Phillips has done a splendid job researching and re-creating one of the most harrowing battles of the Vietnam War." -Stephen Hunter, author of Point of Impact and Black Light
"A truly remarkable battle...in a war distinguished by small unit actions, two dozen Army Green Berets and several hundred indigenous troops established a battle plan at Lang Vei that is still being recalled and related to today. That battle represents the finest combination of U.S. and indigenous troops in cooperation during combat, and Phillip's account confirms completely the Special Forces' confidence and support of its Vietnamese compatriots." -Francis J. Kelly, Col., USA (ret.)
"Night of the Silver Stars should be required reading for all students of military history."
--James C. Donahue, author of Mobile Guerrilla Force
"As one whose own experience in Vietnam was almost prosaic by comparison, I stand in awe of the men of Lang Vei and am grateful to William R. Phillips for recording their heroism."
--John Cardinal O'Connor, Rear Adm., USN (Ret.)
"A poignant lesson in human courage and military professionalism, this detailed account of the tragic Battle of Lang Vei will make you proud to be an American-and will break your heart."-Gary A. Linderer, author of The Eyes of the Eagle and Eyes Behind the Lines
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
"Bill Phillips has done a splendid job researching and re-creating one of the most harrowing battles of the Vietnam War." -Stephen Hunter, author of Point of Impact and Black Light
"A truly remarkable battle...in a war distinguished by small unit actions, two dozen Army Green Berets and several hundred indigenous troops established a battle plan at Lang Vei that is still being recalled and related to today. That battle represents the finest combination of U.S. and indigenous troops in cooperation during combat, and Phillip's account confirms completely the Special Forces' confidence and support of its Vietnamese compatriots." -Francis J. Kelly, Col., USA (ret.)
"Night of the Silver Stars should be required reading for all students of military history."
--James C. Donahue, author of Mobile Guerrilla Force
"As one whose own experience in Vietnam was almost prosaic by comparison, I stand in awe of the men of Lang Vei and am grateful to William R. Phillips for recording their heroism."
--John Cardinal O'Connor, Rear Adm., USN (Ret.)
"A poignant lesson in human courage and military professionalism, this detailed account of the tragic Battle of Lang Vei will make you proud to be an American-and will break your heart."-Gary A. Linderer, author of The Eyes of the Eagle and Eyes Behind the Lines
From the Back Cover
They Knew They Were Alone.
They Knew The Enemy Was Coming.
But They Didn't Know What It Would Take To Survive...
In Vietnam, 1968, the enemy was planning the kind of overwhelming attack that broke the French at Dien Bien Phu. But while U.S. Marines dug in at Khe Sanh, and recon missions probed the Laotian border, the enemy proved elusive-until it struck full force on an isolated Green Beret outpost. In the early darkness of February 7th, two dozen U.S. Special Forces soldiers and their indigenous fighters were overrun, attacked by waves of ground troops, mortars, flame-throwers, and a weapon they had not prepared for: North Vietnamese tanks. The battle of Lang Vei had begun.
In this gripping, keenly told account, author William R. Phillips chronicles a desperate struggle for survival as the Green Berets held out against unrelenting fire from point blank range. Then, as the badly wounded Americans fought their way out of one death trap, they found themselves in another, still besieged with little hope for rescue-until a super secret, quick-reaction strike force launched one of the most daring missions of the war...
"The story of the Battle of Lang Vei is presented here in detail, with unswerving dedication to objectivity and accuracy by its author...I am pleased to recommend [this] book." -William C. Westmoreland, Gen., USA (Ret.)
"Bill Phillips has done a splendid job researching and re-creating one of the most harrowing battles of the Vietnam War." -Stephen Hunter, author of Point of Impact and Black Light
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
They Knew The Enemy Was Coming.
But They Didn't Know What It Would Take To Survive...
In Vietnam, 1968, the enemy was planning the kind of overwhelming attack that broke the French at Dien Bien Phu. But while U.S. Marines dug in at Khe Sanh, and recon missions probed the Laotian border, the enemy proved elusive-until it struck full force on an isolated Green Beret outpost. In the early darkness of February 7th, two dozen U.S. Special Forces soldiers and their indigenous fighters were overrun, attacked by waves of ground troops, mortars, flame-throwers, and a weapon they had not prepared for: North Vietnamese tanks. The battle of Lang Vei had begun.
In this gripping, keenly told account, author William R. Phillips chronicles a desperate struggle for survival as the Green Berets held out against unrelenting fire from point blank range. Then, as the badly wounded Americans fought their way out of one death trap, they found themselves in another, still besieged with little hope for rescue-until a super secret, quick-reaction strike force launched one of the most daring missions of the war...
"The story of the Battle of Lang Vei is presented here in detail, with unswerving dedication to objectivity and accuracy by its author...I am pleased to recommend [this] book." -William C. Westmoreland, Gen., USA (Ret.)
"Bill Phillips has done a splendid job researching and re-creating one of the most harrowing battles of the Vietnam War." -Stephen Hunter, author of Point of Impact and Black Light
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A compelling tale of extraordinary heroism in Vietnam,
This review is from: Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei (Mass Market Paperback)
"Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei," by William R. Phillips, is a gripping nonfiction tale of the Vietnam War. The "about the author" section inside the book's back cover notes that Phillips served in the U.S. Marine Corps and is himself a Vietnam veteran. Phillips' sources for this book include interviews with a number of the participants in the battle. Retired general William C. Westmoreland contributed the book's foreword. The book's poetic title is an allusion to one of the United States military's highest decorations for valor in combat.Lang Vei was a Green Beret outpost that was the object of a major attack in 1968. Phillips strikes a very effective balance of technical details and human elements as he tells the story. The book is full of intense combat scenes. The straightforward, fact-driven style is well matched to the subject matter. Intriguingly, Phillips notes where there are disagreements or ambiguities among his sources, thus reminding us of the difficulty in capturing history on the printed page. The book is full of revealing details about weapons, vehicles, and tactics. Phillips looks carefully at the complex interlocking aspects of 20th century warfare, including human intelligence, air support, illumination, communications, first aid, and leadership. He vividly captures the "Murphy's Law" aspect of combat, whereby weapons malfunction and other things go unexpectedly wrong. Particularly fascinating is the human complexity of the battlespace in this account; the story involves not only U.S. military from different branches, but also Laotian and ethnic Vietnamese forces, as well as different tribal peoples of Vietnam. Phillips weaves the personal stories of a number of the battle participants into the overall story. He also goes into detail about the long odyssey faced by the mother of a soldier who was declared MIA in the battle. The text is further enhanced by several pages of photographs and other illustrations, as well as by a bibliography and index. Written with intelligence and compassion, "Night of the Silver Stars" is a fitting tribute to the remarkable heroism shown by the warriors of Lang Vei.
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
one of the best,
By chad jones (cincinnati, iowa United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei (Special Warfare) (Hardcover)
This book fortells of the horrors to come of the Marines at Khe Sanh and the courage of the Green Beret detachment stationed Lang Vei to defend their small outpost against overwhelming odds against the first armored assult against Americans in the war. My outlook on not just the guys in spec ops but for all the grunts in the field is that they didnt fight for honor or country they fought for friendship and survival and that is one thing that truly speaks itself in this book. This is one of the best written books on small unit action of the war and will be in my collection forever!!!!
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brings new meaning to the "Team" Concept.,
By A Customer
This review is from: Night of the Silver Stars: The Battle of Lang Vei (Special Warfare) (Hardcover)
This book brings out a new depth to the "Team" concept; of how each man was more concerned with his team mates than he was for his own life. The author brings out not only the heroism of the individuals, but the fear that did not diminish their heroism. The author also sets up the backdrop of military "in house" rivalry that almost cost the lives of everyone involved.He brings out the background that led up to that fateful day. If body count is of interest, read how 24 Americans fought off an attack by a dozen tanks and hundreds of North Vietnamese Veterans, and left 600 of their enemy dead.
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Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
The Geneva Accords of 1954 established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), a temporary imaginary boundary. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
marine combat base, medical bunker, indigenous troops, extraction force, unknown station, indigenous personnel, mortar pit, senior enlisted man, team sergeant, team house, marine artillery, antitank mines, airborne training, inner perimeter, command bunker, jump school Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lang Vei, Khe Sanh, Green Berets, Captain Willoughby, General Westmoreland, Bill Craig, Lieutenant Colonel Schungel, Viet Cong, South Vietnam, Lieutenant Longgrear, Frank Willoughby, Paul Longgrear, Dien Bien Phu, Marine Corps, North Vietnamese, United States, Southeast Asia, Dan Phillips, Colonel Lownds, World War, Elephant Battalion, Major General Bowers, Quang Tri, Lang Troai, Lieutenant Quy New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
The Geneva Accords of 1954 established a demilitarized zone (DMZ), a temporary imaginary boundary. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
marine combat base, medical bunker, indigenous troops, extraction force, unknown station, indigenous personnel, mortar pit, senior enlisted man, team sergeant, team house, marine artillery, antitank mines, airborne training, inner perimeter, command bunker, jump school Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Lang Vei, Khe Sanh, Green Berets, Captain Willoughby, General Westmoreland, Bill Craig, Lieutenant Colonel Schungel, Viet Cong, South Vietnam, Lieutenant Longgrear, Frank Willoughby, Paul Longgrear, Dien Bien Phu, Marine Corps, North Vietnamese, United States, Southeast Asia, Dan Phillips, Colonel Lownds, World War, Elephant Battalion, Major General Bowers, Quang Tri, Lang Troai, Lieutenant Quy New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Front Flap | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Flap | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 26
books:
See all 26 books this book cites
4
books
cite this book:
- A Soldier Reports by William C. Westmoreland on 5 pages
- Valley of Decision by John Prados on 5 pages
- The End of the Line: The Siege of Khe Sanh by Robert Pisor on 4 pages
- SECRET ARMIES: THE FULL STORY OF THE S.A.S., DELTA FORCE AND SPETSNAZ by JAMES ADAMS in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Kennedy in Vietnam: American Vietnam Policy 1960-1963 (A Da Capo Paperback) by William J. Rust in Back Matter
See all 26 books this book cites
- The Tet Offensive: A Concise History by James H. Willbanks in Back Matter
- Khe Sanh 1967-68: Marines battle for Vietnam's vital hilltop base (Campaign) by Gordon Rottman in Back Matter
- Special Forces Camps in Vietnam 1961-70 (Fortress) by Gordon Rottman in Back Matter
- Army Officer's Guide: Collector's Edition by Keith E. Bonn in Back Matter
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