Valor in Vietnam: Chronicles of Honor, Courage and Sacrifice: 1963 - 1977

2014 Military Writers Society Bronze Award Winner in the History Category

Every war continues to dwell in the lives it touched, in the lives of those living through that time, and in those absorbed by its historical significance. The Vietnam War lives on famously and infamously dependent on political points of view, but those who have “been there, done that” have a highly personalized window on their time of that history. Valor in Vietnam focuses on nineteen stories of Vietnam, stories of celebrated characters in the veteran community, compelling war narratives, vignettes of battles, and the emotional impact on the combatants. It is replete with leadership lessons as well as valuable insights that are just as applicable today as they were forty years ago.

This is an anecdotal history of America’s war in Vietnam composed of firsthand narratives by Vietnam War veterans presented in chronological order. They are intense, emotional, and highly personal stories. Connecting each of them is a brief historical commentary of that period of the war, the geography of the story, and the contemporary strategy written by Lewis Sorley, West Point class of 1956, and author of A Better War and Westmoreland.

With a foreword by Lt. Gen. Dave R. Palmer, U.S. Army (Ret.), Valor in Vietnam presents a historical overview of the war through the eyes of participants in each branch of service and throughout the entire course of the war. Simply put, their stories serve to reflect the commitment, honor, and dedication with which America’s veterans performed their service.

Allen B. Clark graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1963. Two years later, in 1965, he volunteered for service in Vietnam and was assigned to the Fifth Special Forces Group. He was wounded in an early-morning mortar attack on the Dak To Special Forces camp on June 17, 1967, that necessitated the amputation of both legs below his knees. He lives in Dallas, Texas, and is the author of Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior, the story of his journey of healing.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Lt. Gen. (ret.) Dave R. Palmer
Introduction
Historical Overview: The War in Brief

Chapter 1 Early Special Forces “A” Teams In South Vietnam
Chapter 2 “How’s It Feel To Be The Man That Started World War III?”
Chapter 3 Vietnamization To Americanization
Chapter 4 Garry Owen (Lzs X-Ray And Albany)
Chapter 5 The Unlonesome End Story
Chapter 6 Take The High Risk, High Reward Route
Chapter 7 The Air War And Incredible Rescues
Chapter 8 Surrounded On Three Sides!
Chapter 9 “Mom, I’m Joining The Marines Again”
Chapter 10 A Ranger’s Ranger
Chapter 11 The Real Horrors Of War
Chapter 12 Mission Of Mercy At Son Tay
Chapter 13 Winning Hearts And Minds
Chapter 14 The Reluctant Warrior
Chapter 15 Coming Home
Chapter 16 Ghosts In The A Shau Valley
Chapter 17 A Will To Survive
Chapter 18 Evacuation Of Saigon, 1975
Chapter 19 Left Behind

Reflections
Author’s Afterword
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Bibliography
Index, ISBN13: 9781612000954 ISBN10: 1612000959 Material Type: hardcover