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Frontline Brothers
The author describes his numerous encounters with the enemy during his 15 months in Vietnam with Fox Company Second Battalion Fifth Marines. The reader will see how often a Marine combat soldier comes close to death during his time fighting. He will tell of the brotherhood and camaraderie of combat during the war. His fight for survival during one of the worst battles of the war. A battle in which a platoon of Marines will lose more soldiers in eight hours than any other time during the Vietnam War.
At 0400 hours on Friday, June 2, 1967, 8 days into Operation Union II, the Marines of Fox Company traversed the thick jungles of the Que Son Valley in South Vietnam. They were the lead Company in a sweep towards the village of Vinh Huy, with one objective...take out the enemy or die trying. Their mission, code named "Objective Foxtrot" began like any other mission, armed with their M16s, ammunition, and grenades, heads on a swivel.
Unbeknownst to them at the time, only two Marines would make it out of the tree line alive. 2000 well- trained North Vietnamese soldiers from the 3rd Regiment were waiting in the depths of the jungle, ready to block their sweep. Both sides willing to fight to the last man.
After surviving 7 hours of a brutal ambush, heavily wounded from RPG's, grenades, mortar fire, and multiple gunshots, Captain James Graham and Corporal Rick Barnes along with three Marines and one Navy Corpsman, had to make a decision. As 200 Vietnamese Soldiers advanced, on the brink of overrunning their currant position, the call was made to order an airstrike on their position. "Broken Arrow". With not even a sliver of hope for survival, the 6 Marines began to accept their fate. Only a miracle from God could save them now.
At 0400 hours on Friday, June 2, 1967, 8 days into Operation Union II, the Marines of Fox Company traversed the thick jungles of the Que Son Valley in South Vietnam. They were the lead Company in a sweep towards the village of Vinh Huy, with one objective...take out the enemy or die trying. Their mission, code named "Objective Foxtrot" began like any other mission, armed with their M16s, ammunition, and grenades, heads on a swivel.
Unbeknownst to them at the time, only two Marines would make it out of the tree line alive. 2000 well- trained North Vietnamese soldiers from the 3rd Regiment were waiting in the depths of the jungle, ready to block their sweep. Both sides willing to fight to the last man.
After surviving 7 hours of a brutal ambush, heavily wounded from RPG's, grenades, mortar fire, and multiple gunshots, Captain James Graham and Corporal Rick Barnes along with three Marines and one Navy Corpsman, had to make a decision. As 200 Vietnamese Soldiers advanced, on the brink of overrunning their currant position, the call was made to order an airstrike on their position. "Broken Arrow". With not even a sliver of hope for survival, the 6 Marines began to accept their fate. Only a miracle from God could save them now.
263 pages, Paperback
Published December 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 2, 2024
very well written, well stated and worth all the time to read.
Sgt. Barnes tells a brutal truth all through this book. It is well done, bringing 5he reader into the hooch, out to the battlefield and finally back home via a long stay in the hospital. Friends my age and I all received our draft notices in the ‘66-‘67 time frame. We al” served where our country sent us. Some didn’t come home, others came back physical but their souls and minds were not the same. We all were told a story, that we believed and we followed our leaders only to find that the reasons for their need for us was un true. Welcome home Rick Barnes, thank you for your service and I hope you have truly found peace.
Sgt. Barnes tells a brutal truth all through this book. It is well done, bringing 5he reader into the hooch, out to the battlefield and finally back home via a long stay in the hospital. Friends my age and I all received our draft notices in the ‘66-‘67 time frame. We al” served where our country sent us. Some didn’t come home, others came back physical but their souls and minds were not the same. We all were told a story, that we believed and we followed our leaders only to find that the reasons for their need for us was un true. Welcome home Rick Barnes, thank you for your service and I hope you have truly found peace.
July 8, 2023
Vietnam war story told by a survivor marine
My evaluation can not do justice for this painful compelling book. This book immortalized the survivors, those that died, and their families. As we continue to struggle to accept those events that occurred over 50 years ago, what never changes is the courage demonstrated by those young men knowing that they were going to be overrun. A hard read and one that should be read by every American. I highly recommend this book.
My evaluation can not do justice for this painful compelling book. This book immortalized the survivors, those that died, and their families. As we continue to struggle to accept those events that occurred over 50 years ago, what never changes is the courage demonstrated by those young men knowing that they were going to be overrun. A hard read and one that should be read by every American. I highly recommend this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews