Produktdetaljer
Biographical note
Steven A. Johnson served more than 17 years in the Marine Corps on active duty and in the reserves (including a call-up for active duty in Desert Storm). He spent 20 years with the Jamestown, New York, Police Department, and six with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. He lives in Jamestown.“a must read...Johnson writes about his experiences...with a clarity and intensity that makes the reader feel as though he is with Johnson throughout his tour...a terrific read”—<i>Caltrap</i>.
In this Marine combat memoir, Steve Johnson recounts his service in Vietnam from April 1967 to May 1968. Only 17 when he enlisted in 1964, Johnson deployed to Vietnam with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and his tour included such now famous locations as Phu Bai, Khe Sanh, Nha Trang and Quang Tri, among others. With a sometimes humorous tone, Johnson describes a war of often terrified high school and college-aged youngsters faced with exotic plant and animal life, monsoon rains, harrowing reconnaissance missions and death. Details are plentiful about tactics, equipment, geography and, always, fellow Marines.
Foreword by Ray W. Stubbe
Preface
Introduction
PART ONE : IN WHICH I MAKE PREPARATIONS TO SEE THE ELEPHANT
1. Transition
2. Reconnaissance School
3. California to Okinawa
PART TWO : IN WHICH I ENTER THE ELEPHANT’S REALM
4. In Country: Phu Bai
5. Learning My Trade
6. Khe Sanh
7. Patrol Preparation
8. Settling In and Environment
9. Lizards and Leeches and Bugs ... Oh, My!
PART THREE : IN WHICH I CAN DEFINITELY SMELL THE ELEPHANT
10. Could’a Been Worse!
11. Sergeant of Marines
12. A Day in the Life
13. Trenches and Bunkers
14. Harborsites and a Little Travel
15. On Patrol
16. A Real Mess
17. Death and a Long Walk
18. Fizzies and Nha Trang
19. Puff and Hill 950
PART FOUR: IN WHICH THE ELEPHANT TAKES A SHORT VACATION
20. A New Company
21. Okinawa; Training
22. Back In Country; Quang Tri
PART FIVE: IN WHICH I FINALLY SEE THE ELEPHANT
23. More Patrols and Agent Orange
24. Ambush
25. China Beach and Malaria
PART SIX: IN WHICH I RELEASE THE ELEPHANT BACK INTO THE JUNGLE
26. Going Home
27. Welcome Back?
PART SEVEN: NO MORE ELEPHANTS
28. More Malaria
29. Duty Done—A New Journey
Appendix A: After Action Report
Appendix B: Myth Busters
Appendix C: How We Lost the War
Maps
Glossary
Chapter Notes
Index