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Unsung Heroes, Saving Saigon

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First of all, some disclosure here: I am not exactly an unbiased source since one of the photos I shot that day, when I was a young Army photographer, is on the cover of this book and several others appear inside. But it is an undisputed fact that the 716th Military Police Battalion saved Saigon during the first bitterly fought hours of the 1968 Tet Offensive, as did other members of Headquarters Area Command. Gen. Irzyk, our commander during those difficult times, tells a much-overlooked story of how that happened. Tet has often been compared to the 1944 Battle of the Bulge, and therein lies a particular irony insofar as it concerns this book and its author. Bastogne was relieved by the 4th Armored Division in December 1944, and Gen. Irzyk, then a 20-something major in command of one of the division's armored battalions, spearheaded that historic accomplishment. In 2009, he attended a ceremony in Belgium that honored his role in the battle -- and which saw a plaza named after him. Although well north of 90 years of age at that time, in the photos he sent me, he still looked very sharp in his dress blues. This book holds an honored place in my extensive collection of military history. You should have a copy, too.

I was at the American Embassy during TET 1968. We new General Irzyk along with General Westmorland. We have about 2300 members of the 716,527 and attachments on our roster. This book sets the rcord straight and validates our purpose and loses.We are greatful to our cadre for our saving of many lives and defense of Saigon. Special thanks to General Irzyk.

The Vietnam war is not regarded as a war of heroes, but that doesn't mean there weren't any. "Unsung Heroes, Saving Saigon" tells of just one of these events where heroes were made. Brigadier General Albin E. Irzyk served as an unofficial mayor of Saigon, and he tells his story of how he lead his men in an epic defense of Saigon against the oncoming Viet Cong. A story of heroics in an unheroic time, "Unsung Heroes, Saving Saigon" is a solid addition to any military collection or for military readers.

I too was a member of the 716th MP Battalion living in Cholon (Chinese sector of Saigon) at the time of TET. Even living and working there I found by reading Gen. Irzyk's "Saving Saigon", that I was not aware of certain details of the attack and days and events leading up to it.

The fact I was sleeping almost within blocks of batallions of the enemy I was not aware of,like most of us, surprised me. My patrols and assignments during and after the TET attack were near MACV and the American Embassy. I knew a lot of what was going on around me but not all, not until I read this book.

I had always been proud of my work in Saigon as a 19 year old military policeman but this book made me even moreso. Learning the actual timelines, enemy buildup and strength of force and the job one battalion of MP's(policemen!) with the assistance of headquarters clerks, cooks and administrative personnel, along with GI's who lived in quarters we helped protect who were quickly and minimally armed, we all saved Saigon, until the big guns got there to save US!

Read the book and you'll be proud also!

I was in Saigon during the time described in this book. The author (a general) has written an excellent book about the 1968 Tet attacks on Saigon. I knew many MPs were killed a couple of blocks from me but I did not know that non-combat troops from the local support command, and eventually a passing US combat unit, were also involved in a street battle a couple of blocks from me. Before it was over, a Vietnamese Marine company helicoptered into the Vietnamese Joint General Staff Compound where I was next to in another compound. The VC were then surrounded and defeated. Without the MPs, local support command troops, US combat unit, and Vietnamese Marines, the JGS Compound and my compound would have been overrun. I really, really, really thank those troops for their efforts and eventually defeating a large and heavily armed Viet Cong unit.