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Small Unit Action In Vietnam Summer 1966 [Illustrated Edition] by [Captain Francis J. West]

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Francis J. West

Bing West

Small Unit Action In Vietnam Summer 1966 [Illustrated Edition] Kindle Edition

by Captain Francis J. West (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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[Includes 11 illustrations and 6 maps]
The Guerilla Warfare in the jungles and paddies of Vietnam was unlike the previous wars that the United States had been involved in for the past hundred years; there were no frontlines, no rest areas, few uniformed enemies and a terrorized population unwilling to help. The tactics, strategies and experiences that would show the way forward were often developed by the small units; squads, platoons and outposts who saw the most of the hard fighting in isolated engagements with their elusive enemies. To ensure that this valuable resource of knowledge and experience was disseminated to all the men of the Corps, the Marine Intelligence department plucked Captain Francis J West Jr and sent him to join the 5th Marines on their day-to-day engagements, patrols and ambushes. What he learnt and recorded, frequently under fire, were the actual experiences of the USMC at the sharp end of the fighting during the Summer of 1966. Aimed at the men of the Corps he wrote of the tense ambushes, long range patrols, 15 second engagements, artillery support, airstrikes and even battalion level sweeps through the awful conditions of the war.
A vivid and visceral account of the struggle of the U.S. Marines during the summer of 1966.

Print length

123 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Normanby Press
Publication date

August 15, 2014
File size

5725 KB
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Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XGJ4W47
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Normanby Press (August 15, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 15, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 5725 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 123 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #836,997 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #546 in History of Military Special Forces
- #621 in Military Intelligence & Spies History
- #719 in Vietnam War History (Kindle Store)

Customer Reviews:
98 ratings

About the authors

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Francis J. West
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Bing West is a former assistant secretary of defense who chaired the US Security Commissions with El Salvador, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Pakistan, South Korea and Japan. A combat Marine, he has been on hundreds of patrols in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. He has written ten books about national security and battle.
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Bing West
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Bing West's novel, The Last Platoon, is the story of duty in savage, unwinnable combat. West served in Marine infantry in Vietnam. A graduate of Georgetown and Princeton Universities, he has served as both Special Assistant to Secretary of Defense and as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security. Based on his own combat and dozens of embeds over the decades, he has written a dozen books about the wars in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the co-author of General Jim Mattis's memoir, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead, that is on the Commandant's Required Reading List. He has twice been awarded the Department of Defense Distinguished Civilian Service medal, as well as numerous awards for his reporting on combat.
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Customer reviews

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1 star		3%

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Chuck Cameron. - Marine Mustang PA

Good snapshoots of Marine units operating in I Corps Vietnam 1966 between Danang and Chu Lai

Reviewed in the United States on April 4, 2014

Verified Purchase

Covers several units of First Marine Division and describes tactics, leadership and bravery displayed. Provides a very good picture of just how tough it was to be a Marine in Vietnam and the conditions they had to fight under. As a retired Marine officer (Mustang) who served in Vietnam among other places and had the privilege of serving both as an NCO/SNCO and officer I thought the book was well written and organized. I recommend it for all military and those interest in our military. As bad as it was then it became even worse to lead as our politics took over, restricted our movements and finally provided trash in our ranks resulting from the problems back home in 69 on.

7 people found this helpful

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SkyGunner

Head On

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2014

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This is the way quite a bit of action was fought. The author pulled no punches describing the action as when you first get hit, you try to determine the parameters of the ambush. Is it hasty ambush, which wouldn't have lasted long against a force the size of the marines. This battle kept expanding as each side kept trying to flank the other. That was the cause of so many Marine casualties at first as they had walked into a fully prepared ambush by NVA, who are well trained also. The weather kept the Marines from using their air assets so they had to develop the ambush blindly, which is deadly. Even in these conditions the Marines never panicked and their valor, with well trained leaders
kept them in the fight and not ovverrun, until air could be brought in.

3 people found this helpful

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panther

the way it should have been done

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2014

Verified Purchase

The book is a great study of the USMC operations in RVN During 1966. It covers all type of operations from recon to hamlet action programs to company operations and shows all the supporting arms as well.
In my opinion if westmorland had fought the small unit way of the USMC rather than his ww2/ Korea mindset not only would casualties have been lower, but more would have been achieved to the point were I believe the south would have been able to do it all themselves and not have the financial support taken away by a leftist congresses in 1973.

A great read written at the time so it doesn't have any 20/20 hindsight Monday-morning quarterbacking!

2 people found this helpful

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W. E. EVANS

VERY ENJOYABLE

Reviewed in the United States on February 21, 2014

Verified Purchase

THIS IS A HISTORIANS ON SIGHT AND AFTER ACTION REPORT. IT IS A "NO CRAP" REPORT OF INFANTRY OPERATIONS THAT INCLUDES NAMES,DATES, AND LOADS OF THE MINUTIA THAT MOST HISTORICAL REPORTS LEAVE OUT. IT IS WELL WRITTEN ( A FEW MISSPELLINGS) AND OVERALL VERY ENJOYALBE TO READ. NO MADE UP "BS" HERE, A GREAT EFFORT AT BRINGING HOME THE REALITY OF THE GRUNTS WAR IN NAM. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TO ANYBODY WHO WANTS TO KNOW HOW IT WAS THERE IN 66. BY THE WAY, IT SHOWS THE SIDE OF MARINES THE MEDIA RARELY SHOWS.

2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Have always loved this book, Semper Fi.

Reviewed in the United States on March 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

I have read book a long time ago, it was worth a second read. I really liked the Howard's hill story. As a retired SDPD officer I knew Jimmy and worked with his daughters who were reserve officers with our dept. Just before Jimmies death his daughters requested I make him a custom scabbard for the Ka-bar they were giving him for his birthday. I was told Jimmy really liked the scabard. As for the rest of the book the stories were all interesting and short enough not to wear on you.

3 people found this helpful

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Hummingbird

this was probably censored but still ok

Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2014

Verified Purchase

SMALL UNIT ACTION IN VIETNAM SUMMER 1966...journalist inserted into different platoons, not as interesting as it is a basic documentation of the action, and the element of propaganda is apparent, it's too positive, and the men itching for a fight...is this real? Pretty dry reading in sections and lacking a personal perspective. Some of the situations are interesting and funny. Overall, glad I read it.

2 people found this helpful

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Louisiana Cajun

Interesting; Title misled me.

Reviewed in the United States on June 27, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book is a well-written detailed account of combat operations that read like a series of after-action reports with a little more detail. A large portion chronicles a battle fought by elements of a Marine line battalion. This account vividly shows the courage of the GI Joe, line company Marine. Interesting, but the title made me think I was getting something else, like a Spec-Ops operation.

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Ken Carlson

Very informational book

Reviewed in the United States on January 18, 2014

Verified Purchase

I found the book a good read . I wish there were more out there like it. I was in Viet Nam with the USAF as a C-130 crew chief . We were all around and I know the area -- from the air of course.
I am just now learning from my Kindle what was happening with all of the supplies we were carrying to those remote landing strips all over the country.

Ken Carlson

One person found this helpful

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