The movie was typical Hollywood in its ending for sure.....nothing at all like the real events.

The LZ X-Ray fight was a distinct event from the subsequent ambush and destruction of the Battalion that was moving by ground towards LZ Albany.

That event could very well be its own movie.

In my view, the best Vietnam Movie is "Hamburger Hill"......followed perhaps by "More American Graffiti".

Books I recommend....

"We Were Soldiers Once....And Young" by Moore and Galloway

"The Army and Vietnam" by Andrew Krepinevich, Jr.

"On Strategy, A Critical Analysis of the Vietnam War" by Harry G. Summers

"Thunderbolt", by Lewis Sorley (about General Creighton Abrams)

"Westmoreland" by Lewis Sorley (about General Westmoreland)

"Dereliction of Duty" by H.R. McMaster

"Flawed Giant" by Robert Dallek (about LBJ)

"A Bright Shining Lie" by Neil Sheehan (about John Paul Vann)

Good list SASLess;
I'd add "We are Soldiers Still..." by Hal Moore- and then make every politician read it. The post-war bridges that he built with his wartime enemy are a lesson to all who'd practice politics with violence.

I'd also add Summers' 'Rise and fall of an American Army' and Hackworth's 'About Face'.

Absolutely....excellent books.

Some others I would add to my list....

"Steel My Soldiers Heart" by David Hackworth

"Low Level Hell" by Hugh Mills

"Five Years to Freedom" by Nick Rowe

"A Rumour of War" by Phillip Caputo

"The Killing Zone" by Frederick Downs

"Platoon Leader" by James McDonald

"Firebase Illingsworth" by Phillip Keith

"Hell In A Very Small Place" by Bernard Fall

"Street Without Joy" by Bernard Fall

"When Hell Was In Session" by Jeremiah Denton






Firebase Illingsworth was partially over run by 400 NVA Soldiers while being defended by 220 American's....who incurred 24 KIA, 54 WIA, with one Medal of Honor being given to a Soldier for his actions that night. The fight devolved to Hand to Hand combat during part of the attack.






http://www.landscaper.net/images/Illings1.jpg

Good News!

It would appear I was premature in reporting the pending demise of the General.....much like Mark Twain....the reports of his pending demise were exaggerated.


https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lt-Co...re/59545011275

SASless,

If you have a strong stomach, I recommend "Nam" by Mark Baker. It is the most in-your-face account of the war's brutality that I've yet read. And if you are looking for a grunts account of the war, this is also the book for you. Be warned...it is not an easy read.

I will look for it......but this is the one that got to me. I passed through Camp Zama after being wounded.....so I can connect to what I saw there. I was very lucky...extremely lucky....blessed even.....not so, way too many I saw there.

About thirty years later at Johns Hopkin's delivering a Burn Patient while flying EMS......I helped the Medical Crew push the Patient into the facility and we were directed straight to the "Tub Room".

As we turned into the Tub Room....my Crew noted my countenance was not as it should be and asked if I was okay. I was not.....and there was no one being treated when we entered the room. The mere sight of the Tubs was all it took to bring back memories I wish I do not have.

I know what Hell is like....I have seen it here on Earth. Even as only a witness to other's real torment....you carry those sights and sounds with you forever.

Yeah but you not going there

My Sainted Mother would argue with that forecast!:ouch:

Got to meet Joe Galloway and Lt Gen Moore back in the 90's.
On a book tour, but also on a tour to visit with officers in various places, and teach them a thing or two about how we in uniform relate to and with the press. They opened my eyes.

Both are fine men.

Joe is from Refugio, Texas (Nolan Ryan's home town, FWIW) and occasionally returns to southern Texas to speak at various colleges and universities.

He is a very outspoken and blunt critic of governments, and high command. He reserved a special cup of bile for Donald Rumsfeld due to a lot of what went down in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

I hope he makes another pass soon, I'd like to talk with him again.

Joe is also an Obama supporter.....of all things!

You'll not meet him in the afterlife so....................:)

Joe has earned the Right to think and say whatever he wishes.....there were no non-combatants on LZ X-Ray. Gathering at "Fiddlers Green" with a bunch of Troopers is going to be an interesting time when it happens......no time soon I hope!

"Joe has earned the Right to think and say whatever he wishes.....their were no non-combatants on LZ X-Ray."

SaSless

Agree with you on this :ok:

Rick Rescorla, a Brit, was killed helping people escape in the Twin Towers.

Thought about it later.............is he a Democrat or just Obama supporter?

In a sense that his politics will support whatever candidate is Democrat rather than just Obama.

No idea but have heard he got miffed with Rumsfeld and that bunch over events in Iraq and Afghanistan......but no matter his political beliefs are his alone.

I might disagree with him re Obama for sure....but that is what is great about this country....freedom to think how we want....even if in some cases the other folks are dead wrong.;)

Saying nothing