ASSAULT FROM THE SKY

ASSAULT FROM THE SKY                        DICK CAMP
Posted: Sept. 14, 2013

This work describes U.S. Marine Corps helicopter operations, including their actions and evolution, throughout the Vietnam War. The book is divided into parts spanning the three stages of the Corps combat deployment: Buildup (1962-1966), Heavy Combat (1967-1969), and The Bitter End (1975). Each part includes chapters devoted to telling the story of Marine helicopters from the individual to the strategic level.

Vietnam has often been called our “first helicopter war,” and indeed the U.S. Marine Corps, as well as Army, had to feel its way forward during the initial combats. But by 1967 the combat was raging across South Vietnam, with confrontational battles against the NVA, on a scale comparable to the great campaigns of WWII. In 1968, when the Communists launched their mammoth counteroffensive, the Marines were forced to fight on all sides, with the helicopter giving them the additional dimension that proved decisive in repelling the enemy.

The author, a Vietnam veteran, uses his experiences as a company commander to bring the story to life by weaving personal accounts, after-action reports and official documents into a remarkably readable narrative of service and sacrifice by Marine pilots and crewmen. The entire story of the war is here depicted through the prism of Marine helicopter operations, from the first deployments to support the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) against the Viet Cong through the rapid United States buildup to stop the North Vietnamese Army, until the final withdrawal from our Embassy.

Colonel Dick Camp, a Purple Heart recipient, served 26 years in the U.S. Marine Corps before retiring in 1988. Upon retirement he served as the Deputy Director, U.S. Marine Corps History Division and as the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, Vice President for Museum Operations at the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Quantico, Virginia. Currently residing in Fredericksburg, Virginia, he is the author of ten books and over 100 magazine articles on various military related subjects.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:

A very good book about the men who flew helicopters and there crew members. The book is broke down by years from the build up through the different parts of the war years to the end. This book is filled with a lot of information on the history of the use of the helicopter. To the missions that were flown and the battles that they were in. At the of each chapter he goes over the after action reports and the different citations different personal were awarded. Of course there were parts that made me upset. One was about a LT. COL. House, who in 1966 lead a rescue mission for some trap special forces. After it was over and men were rescued he was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism. Then later he was given a Letter of Reprimand and was relieved of duty. So in 1966 the B.S. was all ready starting. This about men who would go in and drop off and pick up troops. It did not matter to them if they were Marines or Army. They just needed to get out of the area they were in or support. This was a very good book and touched closed to me for i had a Uncle fight with the Marines over their and a family friend who flew gun ship helicopters for the Army. This was a good book about there heroic deeds. Provided by netgalley.com