Capturing Skunk Alpha, a Barrio Sailor's Journey in Vietnam by Vietnam veteran and author, Raúl Herrera
Capturing Skunk Alpha
ABarrio Sailor's Journey in Vietnam
Thenewest riveting memoir by Vietnam veteran and critically acclaimed author, Raúl Herrera
Released and published by Texas Tech University Press
The book is available worldwide in e-book and print
On the evening of July 11, 1967, a Navy surveillance aircraft spotted a suspicious trawler ininternational waters heading toward theQuang Ngai coast of South Vietnam. While the ship tried to appear innocuouson its deck, Saigon quickly identified it as anenemy gunrunner, codenamed Skunk Alpha.A four-seaborne intercept task force wasestablished and formed a barrier inside South Vietnam’s twelve-mile territorial boundary. Asthe enemy ship ignored all orders to surrender and neared the Sa Ky River atthe tip of the Batangan Peninsula, Swift Boat PCF-79 was ordered to take the trawlerunder fire.
What followed was ship-to-ship combat action notseen since World War II. Capturing Skunk Alpha relates thatbreathtaking military encounter to readers for the first time. But Capturing Skunk Alpha is also the tale of one sailor’s journey to the deck of PCF-79.Two years earlier, Raúl Herrera was growing up on the west side of San Antonio,Texas, when he answered the call to duty and joined the US Navy. Raúl wasassigned to PCF Crew Training and joined a ragtag six-man Swift Boat crew witha mission to prevent the infiltration of resupply ships from North Vietnam.
The brave sailors who steered into harm’s way in war-torn Vietnam would keepmore than ninety tons of ammunition and supplies from the Viet Cong and NVAforces. The Viet Cong would post a bounty on PCF-79; Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Chief of State Nguyễn Văn
Thiệu would congratulate and decorate them for their heroism. CapturingSkunk Alpha provides an eyewitness account of a pivotal moment in Navy operations while also chroniclingone sailor’s unlikely journey from barrio adolescence to perilous combat actionon the high seas.
"Capturing Skunk Alpha is quitesignificant in that it tells of the courage, enthusiasm, and professionalism of those fortunate enough to be known as SWIFT Boat sailors, and the very important role they played in successful operations by the Navy's Brown Water forces during the Vietnam War." --William L. Schachte Jr. (Rear Admiral, JAGC, USN Ret.)
"This is a true storyof what Swift Boats and their gallant crews accomplished during that underappreciated war in South Vietnam. Capturing Skunk Alpha will secure our honorable place in US militaryhistory."--Captain Edward J. Bergin (USNR, Ret.)
About :
Raúl Herrera is a decorated Vietnam War Veteran. He volunteered for theNavy in September 1965 and received an Honorable Discharge after four years ofservice. He has written for VIETNAM magazine, Sea Classics magazine and the NewYork Times. He served as a board director and president of the Swift Boat Sailors Association.
To request additional review copies or an interview with RaúlHerrera, please contact Mickey Mikkelson at Creative Edge Publicity: mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com/ 403.464.6925. We look forward to thecoverage!
