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The Bridge at Dong Ha
In his desperate attempt to blow up the bridge at Dong Ha and keep some 30,000 men and 200 tanks at bay, Ripley endured three hours of direct fire to rig some 500 pounds of explosives. Such a story of raw courage and personal resolve is rarely encountered.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1989
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February 21, 2023
This book is a brief but interesting account of the defense of Dong Ha bridge in April 1972, three days after North Vietnam launched the Easter Offensive.
The scope of the Communists' attack caught their enemies off-guard. Although South Vietnam and MACV were aware of their military buildup and had been expecting an attack since February, they were shocked by how many men, tanks, and artillery North Vietnam was ready to commit to this campaign. This is why in the first month of the offensive the ARVN was struggling to hold ground.
On March 30, the opening day of the offensive, the 25,000 soldiers from two ARVN infantry divisions, two Marine brigades, and a handful of newly operating armored artillery units faced the initial onslaught from the North with the help of local territorial forces, who were too spread-out to pose an actual challenge for the Communists. Not only were the defenders surprised, but they were positioned in scattered outposts and fire support bases, which were built to counter guerrillas, not a conventional army.
The odds were completely against the ARVN everywhere, and in the first 48 hours of the offensive, North Vietnam's soldiers captured a high number of positions, breaking through the ring of ARVN defenders. In the west, they made Camp Caroll, an important anchor of the defense, surrender. To the east, the situation was no better: ARVN soldiers were trying, and failing, to delay the enemy's advance down Highway 1, a road that led to the provincial capital, Dong Ha, and passed through a bridgethat needed to be defended to stop the enemy. The task of defending it and avoiding – or at least delaying – disaster fell to a battalion of South Vietnamese Marines and forty-four brand-new Patton tanks.
The problem was that these tanks belonged to a newly formed and untested tank regiment that had been rushed into battle from nearby Quang Tri city. Although the tanks managed to kill a number of unsuspecting enemies quickly and destroy eleven enemy tanks, forcing the Communists' armored line to retreat, the element of surprise that they achieved gave the Marines only a short break. There was a limit to how much Patton tanks and a handful of soldiers, who had never shot at tanks before, could do against a whole enemy division supported by its own tanks. The skyraiders hastily sent by the South Vietnamese Air Force were of little help too, and even the American advisers on the ground, who were commanding American destroyers, could barely prevent the enemy from capturing the road. Had it not been for the bravery and resourcefulness of Captain John Ripley and Major John Smock, the two American advisers on the scene, Dong Ha bridge would have been seized by the enemy.
Ripley and Smock decided to go against the order to preserve the highway bridge for a future counterattack and destroy it. Records and recollections are vague about how the two men made the difficult decision. It is believed that either Smock or Ripley, most likely the former since he was the senior officer, radioed Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Turley, the senior Marine adviser in northern Quang Tri Province, and asked for permission. According to an after-action report, Turley told him, "I can't give you that kind of approval, but the bridge must be destroyed."
At first, Smock tried to knock the bridge down by firing the main guns of the M48 tanks at his disposal. Since this poorly planned attempt ended in failure, he started looking for volunteers to set charges under the bridge. The South Vietnamese soldiers, though, were reluctant to go along with his plan because they had not heard from their superiors. Only Captain Ripley agreed to do it. He found the South Vietnamese engineers under the bridge so scared that they were unable to do anything with the dynamite and explosives, so he had to set the charges and detonators himself. Smock handed him the boxes of explosives, and Ripley crawled along the underside of the bridge, putting them along the supporting I-beams, while the enemy soldiers were firing at them. Although the beams and pylons of the bridge provided effective cover, it took Ripley and Smock two hours to finish.
As if it could not get any worse, the explosives failed to detonate. In Ripley's words, "for some reason the doggone thing didn't work," and before Smock and he could address the problem, a new order to preserve the bridge came. Reinforcements in the form of an armored brigade had arrived, so the new plan was for South Vietnam's tanks to move across the bridge, toward the Communists. However, this idea was met with a problem: the tanks could not cross the bridge because of the explosives underneath.
The mess was solved in a convenient but unexpected way in the afternoon: the bridge suddenly exploded, catching everyone by surprise.
As it turned out, the jets that had been called in for air support – no one knew who called them – had begun bombing north of the river and had bombed the bridge, setting off the explosives. This denied North Vietnam's soldiers the opportunity to cross the river and saved South Vietnam from a military disaster. If the Communists had crossed the bridge, they would have been able to advance along Highway 1 to Quang Tri at such a rapid pace that they would have reached Hue before the ARVN could organize any significant resistance. The destruction of the bridge forced the enemy to divert from its course and go eight miles to the west to cross the Mieu Giang River, giving the ARVN much needed time to defend Quang Tri city.
For his courage and decisiveness, Ripley would be awarded the Navy Cross and would go down in the history of American Marines as the guy who single-handedly weakening North Vietnam's attack in the initial days of the Easter Offensive.
The author also brings attention to the American Navy, whose contribution to South Vietnam's success in the Easter Offensive has been overshadowed by that of American air forces. In the early days of the offensive, air support was challenged by poor weather and chaos on the ground, so it was up to the few Navy destroyers near the coast of Quang Tri province to provide the fire support that the ARVN badly needed. In the defense of Dong Ha bridge, the destroyers played an important part.
THE BRIDGE AT DONG HA is not a great work, but it is a good one. Miller tells the story in a way that is more suitable for a novel than a work of history. However, he still presents the facts well. The book will be of interest to readers who want to learn what happened that day at Dong Ha bridge.
The scope of the Communists' attack caught their enemies off-guard. Although South Vietnam and MACV were aware of their military buildup and had been expecting an attack since February, they were shocked by how many men, tanks, and artillery North Vietnam was ready to commit to this campaign. This is why in the first month of the offensive the ARVN was struggling to hold ground.
On March 30, the opening day of the offensive, the 25,000 soldiers from two ARVN infantry divisions, two Marine brigades, and a handful of newly operating armored artillery units faced the initial onslaught from the North with the help of local territorial forces, who were too spread-out to pose an actual challenge for the Communists. Not only were the defenders surprised, but they were positioned in scattered outposts and fire support bases, which were built to counter guerrillas, not a conventional army.
The odds were completely against the ARVN everywhere, and in the first 48 hours of the offensive, North Vietnam's soldiers captured a high number of positions, breaking through the ring of ARVN defenders. In the west, they made Camp Caroll, an important anchor of the defense, surrender. To the east, the situation was no better: ARVN soldiers were trying, and failing, to delay the enemy's advance down Highway 1, a road that led to the provincial capital, Dong Ha, and passed through a bridgethat needed to be defended to stop the enemy. The task of defending it and avoiding – or at least delaying – disaster fell to a battalion of South Vietnamese Marines and forty-four brand-new Patton tanks.
The problem was that these tanks belonged to a newly formed and untested tank regiment that had been rushed into battle from nearby Quang Tri city. Although the tanks managed to kill a number of unsuspecting enemies quickly and destroy eleven enemy tanks, forcing the Communists' armored line to retreat, the element of surprise that they achieved gave the Marines only a short break. There was a limit to how much Patton tanks and a handful of soldiers, who had never shot at tanks before, could do against a whole enemy division supported by its own tanks. The skyraiders hastily sent by the South Vietnamese Air Force were of little help too, and even the American advisers on the ground, who were commanding American destroyers, could barely prevent the enemy from capturing the road. Had it not been for the bravery and resourcefulness of Captain John Ripley and Major John Smock, the two American advisers on the scene, Dong Ha bridge would have been seized by the enemy.
Ripley and Smock decided to go against the order to preserve the highway bridge for a future counterattack and destroy it. Records and recollections are vague about how the two men made the difficult decision. It is believed that either Smock or Ripley, most likely the former since he was the senior officer, radioed Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Turley, the senior Marine adviser in northern Quang Tri Province, and asked for permission. According to an after-action report, Turley told him, "I can't give you that kind of approval, but the bridge must be destroyed."
At first, Smock tried to knock the bridge down by firing the main guns of the M48 tanks at his disposal. Since this poorly planned attempt ended in failure, he started looking for volunteers to set charges under the bridge. The South Vietnamese soldiers, though, were reluctant to go along with his plan because they had not heard from their superiors. Only Captain Ripley agreed to do it. He found the South Vietnamese engineers under the bridge so scared that they were unable to do anything with the dynamite and explosives, so he had to set the charges and detonators himself. Smock handed him the boxes of explosives, and Ripley crawled along the underside of the bridge, putting them along the supporting I-beams, while the enemy soldiers were firing at them. Although the beams and pylons of the bridge provided effective cover, it took Ripley and Smock two hours to finish.
As if it could not get any worse, the explosives failed to detonate. In Ripley's words, "for some reason the doggone thing didn't work," and before Smock and he could address the problem, a new order to preserve the bridge came. Reinforcements in the form of an armored brigade had arrived, so the new plan was for South Vietnam's tanks to move across the bridge, toward the Communists. However, this idea was met with a problem: the tanks could not cross the bridge because of the explosives underneath.
The mess was solved in a convenient but unexpected way in the afternoon: the bridge suddenly exploded, catching everyone by surprise.
As it turned out, the jets that had been called in for air support – no one knew who called them – had begun bombing north of the river and had bombed the bridge, setting off the explosives. This denied North Vietnam's soldiers the opportunity to cross the river and saved South Vietnam from a military disaster. If the Communists had crossed the bridge, they would have been able to advance along Highway 1 to Quang Tri at such a rapid pace that they would have reached Hue before the ARVN could organize any significant resistance. The destruction of the bridge forced the enemy to divert from its course and go eight miles to the west to cross the Mieu Giang River, giving the ARVN much needed time to defend Quang Tri city.
For his courage and decisiveness, Ripley would be awarded the Navy Cross and would go down in the history of American Marines as the guy who single-handedly weakening North Vietnam's attack in the initial days of the Easter Offensive.
The author also brings attention to the American Navy, whose contribution to South Vietnam's success in the Easter Offensive has been overshadowed by that of American air forces. In the early days of the offensive, air support was challenged by poor weather and chaos on the ground, so it was up to the few Navy destroyers near the coast of Quang Tri province to provide the fire support that the ARVN badly needed. In the defense of Dong Ha bridge, the destroyers played an important part.
THE BRIDGE AT DONG HA is not a great work, but it is a good one. Miller tells the story in a way that is more suitable for a novel than a work of history. However, he still presents the facts well. The book will be of interest to readers who want to learn what happened that day at Dong Ha bridge.
January 31, 2014
War is terrible, but if there is any redeeming quality to war it is its capacity for bringing out the truly exceptional. One of the last Americans left in Vietnam in 1972, USMC Captain John Ripley blocked one of the armored spearheads of the Easter Offensive almost singlehandedly. The bridge at Dong Ha was a massive US-constructed steel and iron span, and under heavy fire Ripley crawled out again and again to wire the bridge for demolition, buying precious days for the collapsing South Vietnamese army to reorganize.
It is almost impossible to state how brave Ripley was, and therin lies the flaw in this book (and why it gets three stars). While Miller paints excellent portraits of Ripley, his Vietnamese comrades, and the chaos of conflict, he doesn't quite manage a coherent picture of what Ripley did. I know that he crawled and swung underneath the bridge under intense fire, dragged heavy crates of TNT hundreds of feet, wired detonators with improvised tools that could've blown his head off, and then went back to rig an secondary electrical detonation, but for all that, I'm fuzzy on the physical details of how Ripley succeeded. A solid book, particularly for the single fragment of the war it presents, but one that doesn't achieve greatness.
One useful trick I did learn was that if you need to severe heavy steal beams with high explosives, place your charges slightly offset on either side like 'crooked earmuffs'. If the charges are directly across one another, the blast will cancel itself out. The more you know!
It is almost impossible to state how brave Ripley was, and therin lies the flaw in this book (and why it gets three stars). While Miller paints excellent portraits of Ripley, his Vietnamese comrades, and the chaos of conflict, he doesn't quite manage a coherent picture of what Ripley did. I know that he crawled and swung underneath the bridge under intense fire, dragged heavy crates of TNT hundreds of feet, wired detonators with improvised tools that could've blown his head off, and then went back to rig an secondary electrical detonation, but for all that, I'm fuzzy on the physical details of how Ripley succeeded. A solid book, particularly for the single fragment of the war it presents, but one that doesn't achieve greatness.
One useful trick I did learn was that if you need to severe heavy steal beams with high explosives, place your charges slightly offset on either side like 'crooked earmuffs'. If the charges are directly across one another, the blast will cancel itself out. The more you know!
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November 22, 2016Payton Estes
A-2 English
The Bridge at Dong Ha was written by John Grider Miller. This talks about a marine who took on a huge mission in nineteen-seventy two. The book informs you on the mission that the marine took on in his trip overseas. The written in nineteen-eighty nine but this event is still being talked about today.
John Grider Miller wrote this book to tell you about what this marine did and how heroic he was for doing such a thing. He wrote this book, because it shows that the people that protect our country will do anything to keep us safe and to keep the country free. The author explains what he did and how he did it in detail. What the author was trying to say in this book is that our military is willing to do anything to keep our country as safe as possible no matter the circumstances. “ Got carried away outrunning bullets” (93) this quote is showing what the marines had to deal with in their day to day life when they were overseas. This book talks about the danger and the problems the marines went through when they were overseas fighting for the country they love. “I feel like I’ve had three years of war packed into these last three hours” (144) this quote explains the difficulty that the soldiers went through when they were overseas.
In conclusion, this book was fantastic. This book explains all the things that happened to this marine when he was overseas in Vietnam. It shows how serious things were in the middle of war and in firefights. In my opinion this book could not be any better with the way it was written and the story that was told. This book took everything really slow and gradually got into the point of the book. Overall this book was fantastic.
A-2 English
The Bridge at Dong Ha was written by John Grider Miller. This talks about a marine who took on a huge mission in nineteen-seventy two. The book informs you on the mission that the marine took on in his trip overseas. The written in nineteen-eighty nine but this event is still being talked about today.
John Grider Miller wrote this book to tell you about what this marine did and how heroic he was for doing such a thing. He wrote this book, because it shows that the people that protect our country will do anything to keep us safe and to keep the country free. The author explains what he did and how he did it in detail. What the author was trying to say in this book is that our military is willing to do anything to keep our country as safe as possible no matter the circumstances. “ Got carried away outrunning bullets” (93) this quote is showing what the marines had to deal with in their day to day life when they were overseas. This book talks about the danger and the problems the marines went through when they were overseas fighting for the country they love. “I feel like I’ve had three years of war packed into these last three hours” (144) this quote explains the difficulty that the soldiers went through when they were overseas.
In conclusion, this book was fantastic. This book explains all the things that happened to this marine when he was overseas in Vietnam. It shows how serious things were in the middle of war and in firefights. In my opinion this book could not be any better with the way it was written and the story that was told. This book took everything really slow and gradually got into the point of the book. Overall this book was fantastic.
November 12, 2017
This book tells the story of the Marine legend John W. Ripley. I have heard the name “Ripley” before as a Marine, and some vague summary of him blowing up a bridge to stop invading North Vietnamese communist forces during the last years of the Vietnam War. Recently I saw something on facebook about Ripley that sparked my interests to read more about Ripley and this book was what I picked up to learn more about Ripley and the famous incident with the bridge at Dong Ha. It was a treat for me to read this book. I was blown away (pun intended) with what Ripley accomplished against overwhelming odds. His story is one of courage, commitment and mission above self.
If you are looking for more of a biography of Ripley you won’t find it here. Instead this book focuses on the events leading up to the mission to blow up the bridge to deny the North Vietnamese forces the ability invade South Vietnam with tanks and other weapons platform. The book is military operational history but with narration that includes Ripley’s thoughts during that time.
Early in the book the author situated the mission in the context of where the war was at during that time in 1972. This was a time when most American combat units were departing Vietnam and John Ripley was one of the few American advisors to South Vietnamese forces. Ripley was specifically attached to the South Vietnamese Marines and I thought the book did a good job of letting readers know just how dedicated and good the specific outfit was. Contrary to the myth not all South Vietnamese military units was bad. Led by Major Binh this particular Marine Battalion has been battle tested and displayed incredible valor and combat effectiveness. Just two company of Marine infantry and a few tanks stood in the way of the massive North Vietnamese forces which consisted of 30,000 men and over 200 tanks. To make the situation worst many regular South Vietnamese army units was deserting en massed. Ripley then made the decision to rig over 500 pounds of explosives to a massive bridge in a mission that took over three hours. Ripley had to climb below the bridge all the while being exposed to the enemy attacks. It is an incredible story of guts and resolve.
While it is a story of intense courage nevertheless the book also portray a human side to the conflict in Vietnam. The descriptions of the Vietnamese refugees fleeing the fighting shows the keen eye Ripley has for the suffering civilians. There’s also the story of Ripley delayed calling in Naval bombardment upon the enemy only when he knew an injured women with her two children were no longer in the vicinity. These moments in the book made me realized that Ripley is the example of what General Mattis describe Marines as: No better a friend, no worst an enemy.
The book also has a few sketches throughout the book that definitely helps readers to get a better imagination of what was happening. The map in the beginning of the book was also helpful as it situates where the story was taking place and also what was going on in the surrounding areas. Overall an incredible read.
If you are looking for more of a biography of Ripley you won’t find it here. Instead this book focuses on the events leading up to the mission to blow up the bridge to deny the North Vietnamese forces the ability invade South Vietnam with tanks and other weapons platform. The book is military operational history but with narration that includes Ripley’s thoughts during that time.
Early in the book the author situated the mission in the context of where the war was at during that time in 1972. This was a time when most American combat units were departing Vietnam and John Ripley was one of the few American advisors to South Vietnamese forces. Ripley was specifically attached to the South Vietnamese Marines and I thought the book did a good job of letting readers know just how dedicated and good the specific outfit was. Contrary to the myth not all South Vietnamese military units was bad. Led by Major Binh this particular Marine Battalion has been battle tested and displayed incredible valor and combat effectiveness. Just two company of Marine infantry and a few tanks stood in the way of the massive North Vietnamese forces which consisted of 30,000 men and over 200 tanks. To make the situation worst many regular South Vietnamese army units was deserting en massed. Ripley then made the decision to rig over 500 pounds of explosives to a massive bridge in a mission that took over three hours. Ripley had to climb below the bridge all the while being exposed to the enemy attacks. It is an incredible story of guts and resolve.
While it is a story of intense courage nevertheless the book also portray a human side to the conflict in Vietnam. The descriptions of the Vietnamese refugees fleeing the fighting shows the keen eye Ripley has for the suffering civilians. There’s also the story of Ripley delayed calling in Naval bombardment upon the enemy only when he knew an injured women with her two children were no longer in the vicinity. These moments in the book made me realized that Ripley is the example of what General Mattis describe Marines as: No better a friend, no worst an enemy.
The book also has a few sketches throughout the book that definitely helps readers to get a better imagination of what was happening. The map in the beginning of the book was also helpful as it situates where the story was taking place and also what was going on in the surrounding areas. Overall an incredible read.
November 21, 2016
In The Bridge at Dong Ha , John Ripley is a co-van during the Vietnam War. Near the end of the fierce battles, Ripley has to destroy the enemy's access forward, Dong Ha Bridge. The enemy is advancing swiftly and Ripley must go out, exposed to gunfire, and blow up the Dong Ha Bridge along with barely anyone by his side. The author wanted readers to notice the noble and heroic deeds our soldiers do to keep our country safe. While hauling explosives across the bridge, Smock yelled,"Halfway there, Marine!" (112). This gives Ripley a great burst of strength. Smock's encouragement shows that being a Marine is more than a title. It's proof of bravery and power. Readers can tell that only the best of the best are able to fight in the Marines and those Marines definitely prove themselves on and off the field.
The theme of this novel is to keep on fighting. Since this nonfiction novel was set during the Vietnam War, fighting is not easy to overlook. Ripley is put in a tough situation, having enemies charging forward and just one chance to stop them. Through crossfire, John Ripley plants explosives across the bridge. Even being in the best shape possible, Ripley is exhausted after struggling through just a few yards. Feeling as if the Marine would pass out, Ripley fought the urge to collapse. Through grunts and bloodspill, the soldier fights on and conquers the bridge. If Ripley would have stopped and given up, who knows how the Vietnam War could have turned out.
The style of this book was a description. As John Ripley battles North Vietnamese troops, the reader feels like a part of the story. This book was writtten in first person. John explains the scene through many relatable terms, so it's easy to decipher what is happening. I believe the style was very effective. What better way to represent hard efforts and valor than being right beside the man doing all of this? The reader can almost feel some of the pain Ripley describes. I could not picture any other narritive being as effective to spread a message.
This book was good at showing readers the glory and scariness of war, but it was not easy to follow. I enjoyed how the author described the scenes. As a reader with little knowledge of Vietnam, I could have a clear image in my head. I also enjoyed how genuine it was. Nothing seemed far-fetched, it all felt real. What I didn't appreciate about this novel is how fast it was. Of course, you can't fill in too many pages with extra details. The book was very hard to follow with how fast paced it was. I would most likely change the book's speed. I would describe how Ripley was feeling through his valant efforts to stop the North Vietnamese. This book seems very different than other books I have read. Few novels depict the Vietnam War, and I'm glad this one did. Ripley is relatable but at the same time readers find him to be a superhuman, even a savior. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone with a mild love of history.
The theme of this novel is to keep on fighting. Since this nonfiction novel was set during the Vietnam War, fighting is not easy to overlook. Ripley is put in a tough situation, having enemies charging forward and just one chance to stop them. Through crossfire, John Ripley plants explosives across the bridge. Even being in the best shape possible, Ripley is exhausted after struggling through just a few yards. Feeling as if the Marine would pass out, Ripley fought the urge to collapse. Through grunts and bloodspill, the soldier fights on and conquers the bridge. If Ripley would have stopped and given up, who knows how the Vietnam War could have turned out.
The style of this book was a description. As John Ripley battles North Vietnamese troops, the reader feels like a part of the story. This book was writtten in first person. John explains the scene through many relatable terms, so it's easy to decipher what is happening. I believe the style was very effective. What better way to represent hard efforts and valor than being right beside the man doing all of this? The reader can almost feel some of the pain Ripley describes. I could not picture any other narritive being as effective to spread a message.
This book was good at showing readers the glory and scariness of war, but it was not easy to follow. I enjoyed how the author described the scenes. As a reader with little knowledge of Vietnam, I could have a clear image in my head. I also enjoyed how genuine it was. Nothing seemed far-fetched, it all felt real. What I didn't appreciate about this novel is how fast it was. Of course, you can't fill in too many pages with extra details. The book was very hard to follow with how fast paced it was. I would most likely change the book's speed. I would describe how Ripley was feeling through his valant efforts to stop the North Vietnamese. This book seems very different than other books I have read. Few novels depict the Vietnam War, and I'm glad this one did. Ripley is relatable but at the same time readers find him to be a superhuman, even a savior. I would definitely suggest this book to anyone with a mild love of history.
January 9, 2023
I am not the kind that read stories about war. But reading this book was an eye opening experience. The feat completed by the hero, John Ripley, was jaw dropping and will remain in my memory as one example of humans surpassing their limits under unusual circumstances. This heroic theme is complemented by the warm description of the friendship between Vietnam and American soldiers, as well as the destined sad end of the story where you know despite all the dedication and bravery of the people you've been following, they were the losers of the war. A quick and easy read if you are interested in the Vietnam War, and the reward is well worth it.
December 29, 2024
The storyline was enticing and well worth the read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, not often, but sometimes the descriptions and relationships weren’t detailed enough, making it sometimes difficult to follow. There is some engineering jargon that is especially confusing for the non-engineer, especially along the lines of demolition and bridge architecture. I searched up definitions when I was confused, and towards the demolition part of the book, I would need explanation a lot. Overall, the book was good, with interesting characters and some exciting moments.
July 17, 2025
This was an Amazing Story about a True American Hero, John Ripley. I still can't believe he basically blew up a bridge all by himself. A marine buddy of mine let me borrow this book and he meet John and had him write a message and sign the inside cover. Very Cool!! Read this book if you LOVE War Stories like I do!!!
December 29, 2023
Story of U.S. Marine Captain John Riley earned the Navy Cross at Dong Ha, Vietnam, April 1972. Captain Ripley’s courage as strength was able to blow up the bridge at Dong Ha and stop the NVA front crossing the river. Nice quick read.
February 14, 2024
Great read for all on North Vietnamese Army and US Marines. Young officers and SNCO’s should take away the hard work and sacrifices made. Similar courage is needed in our day in age.
October 19, 2017
I honestly cant find the words to describe this book because as ugly and hateful as war is and having come from military family, it shows the loyalty, trust that people of different cultures can have, even through the smoke and dust of a man made hell.
This book is an emotional roller coaster, one minute your crying, next your smiling out of happiness, you will find yourself cheering on men in this book almost as if you were there,
God bless the men and women that proudly wear our military and first responders uniforms.
Thank each and everyone of you, for your sacrifices, and service. GOD BLESS
This book is an emotional roller coaster, one minute your crying, next your smiling out of happiness, you will find yourself cheering on men in this book almost as if you were there,
God bless the men and women that proudly wear our military and first responders uniforms.
Thank each and everyone of you, for your sacrifices, and service. GOD BLESS
July 17, 2021
A taut, swift read about an amazing incident near the end of the Vietnam war. I won't dwell on the summary, which you can find elsewhere in droves, other than to say it is about US Marine John Ripley's actions in 1972.
The book itself reads very quickly because it's written like an action story and not a clinical dissertation. The use of this perspective is possible largely because of the fortune that the writer, John Grider Miller, has at his disposal: a living John Ripley. The prose and the storytelling are competent if not particularly superior, and that's fine in a story like this where a good, unobtrusive delivery is all that's called for. The author doesn't need to add much here, the story already has action, humor, drama, and thoughtfulness. It's easy for the reader to appreciate the tragedy of Ripley's dedication amid the late war situation of Vietnam in 1972, a stalwart professional doing more than his duty demanded even with the specter of inevitable loss just around the corner.
My hardcover (which appears to be the Naval Institute Press edition but might have been a Military Book Club edition) tallied a total of about 200 pages, with roughly 190 of that being the main story. I typically appreciate photos, maps, glossaries, bibliographies, and diagrams as aids in historical books, but The Bridge at Dong Ha is limited in this regard. It featured art plates, about one per chapter through the story and a single map of the area, which helped, but only a couple photos (an action shot on the back cover, and headshots of Ripley and the author on the rear dust jacket flap).
The book itself reads very quickly because it's written like an action story and not a clinical dissertation. The use of this perspective is possible largely because of the fortune that the writer, John Grider Miller, has at his disposal: a living John Ripley. The prose and the storytelling are competent if not particularly superior, and that's fine in a story like this where a good, unobtrusive delivery is all that's called for. The author doesn't need to add much here, the story already has action, humor, drama, and thoughtfulness. It's easy for the reader to appreciate the tragedy of Ripley's dedication amid the late war situation of Vietnam in 1972, a stalwart professional doing more than his duty demanded even with the specter of inevitable loss just around the corner.
My hardcover (which appears to be the Naval Institute Press edition but might have been a Military Book Club edition) tallied a total of about 200 pages, with roughly 190 of that being the main story. I typically appreciate photos, maps, glossaries, bibliographies, and diagrams as aids in historical books, but The Bridge at Dong Ha is limited in this regard. It featured art plates, about one per chapter through the story and a single map of the area, which helped, but only a couple photos (an action shot on the back cover, and headshots of Ripley and the author on the rear dust jacket flap).
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October 5, 2016The book i read was The Bridge At Dong Ha. i thought this book was really good. This book is a real story of a Marine corps hero, John Walter Ripley, who on easter sunday 1972, almost single handedly took on a massive concrete and steel bridge to derail the carefully prepared spearhead attack of the north vietnamese army at the Cua Viet river near Dong Ha. Riplely was an experienced warrior alone with the courage of his convictions. All the physical and mental and spiritual strength he had built up in a lifetime of service found application on the day.
The authors purpose is to so that wars is a bad thing. And that people get killed. And that patience is a good skill to have so you can keep calm in bad situations.
The theme of the book is patience is key to live a good life.
Some quotes from the book like this one “More guns than brains” said Ripley to smock. He said that when they were trying to cross the bridge.
The authors purpose is to so that wars is a bad thing. And that people get killed. And that patience is a good skill to have so you can keep calm in bad situations.
The theme of the book is patience is key to live a good life.
Some quotes from the book like this one “More guns than brains” said Ripley to smock. He said that when they were trying to cross the bridge.
August 10, 2011
Capt. John Ripley earned the Medal of Honor for what he did here. Was awarded the Navy Cross. But the Marines don't pass out MOH's easily like the Army.
Near the time of Col. Ripley's death the Commandant of the Marine Corps sent a chopper to the hospital--to the college football field nearby because the hospital didn't have large enough space to land--with a new liver for transplant. He also sent the official Marine Corps Flag--there are only two--the one from his office to Col. Ripley's room in the hospital.
My wife and I are in touch via telephone and regular letters with Col. Ripley's last living sibling. A sweet, charming elderly Southern lady who tell us behind the scenes stories of John Ripley's life, including his two brothers who were also Marine Officers, on of whose aircraft crashed off of Florida--and how that aircraft was found several years later with the remains.
Near the time of Col. Ripley's death the Commandant of the Marine Corps sent a chopper to the hospital--to the college football field nearby because the hospital didn't have large enough space to land--with a new liver for transplant. He also sent the official Marine Corps Flag--there are only two--the one from his office to Col. Ripley's room in the hospital.
My wife and I are in touch via telephone and regular letters with Col. Ripley's last living sibling. A sweet, charming elderly Southern lady who tell us behind the scenes stories of John Ripley's life, including his two brothers who were also Marine Officers, on of whose aircraft crashed off of Florida--and how that aircraft was found several years later with the remains.
October 15, 2011
Above average read of a way above average human feat. Then Captain Miller's exploits, and the back story in Vietnam at the time, serve as a cautionary tale of personal preparation, dedication and physical courage that few in history can match.
August 8, 2015
Captain (now Colonel) John Ripley and Major James Stock should both have been awarded the Medal Of Honor for their actions in destroying this bridge, and halting a major North Vietnamese offensive! Very well written, and a must read for all Americans!!
December 29, 2008
I'm half-finished, and will review it by the weekend //
June 22, 2010
This is a great book for those interested in military history and strategy. The story of a Marine who almost single-handedly destroyed a bridge and ensured a safe retreat for thousands of people.
September 11, 2012
long winded.........could have shorten the book by a third
April 15, 2013
Colonel John Ripley saved many lives during that battle, and almost lost his. If you want to know, read it.
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