Osprey Trade Editions : The Marine Corps in Vietnam

US Marine in Vietnam 1965-1973 provides an in-depth look at the experience of the ordinary US marine 'grunt' participating in the Vietnam conflict. Organisation of the corps, weaponry, equipment and uniforms are all detailed throughout the book, as is the training and even medical arrangements provided for the force. However, where this book differs from other similar works is not only in the detail that it goes into but also in the unifying theme of examining all these differing aspects of marine life from the point of view of a soldier serving in the conflict. Doubtless this is due to the fact that the author, Charles Melson, actually served in Vietnam, and it is this personal experience that allows him to provide a unique angle on the subject. Instead of the sometimes rather dry, clinical accounts of the military minutiae of soldiering, Melson presents both an informative and extremely interesting text by looking not only at the standard patterns of equipment (as any work of this type must) but also by examining the personalisation of this equipment by individuals, due either to personal taste or the rigours of campaign. Detailed study of all aspects of a marine's life from recruitment to combat, combined with an in-depth and extremely readable account of Operation Dewey Canyo, results in a conclusive account of the experiences of the average US marine in this bloody conflict - rendered both more accurate and more real by the personal experiences of the author. Illustrations by Ramiro Bujeiro.