Under Fire with ARVN Infantry: Memoir of a Combat Advisor in Vietnam, 1966-1967

Description

From 1945 to 1973, more than 100,000 members of the U.S. military were advisors in Vietnam. Of these, 66,399 were combat advisors. Eleven were awarded the Medal of Honor, 378 were killed and 1393 were wounded. Combat advisors lived and fought with South Vietnamese combat units, advising on tactics and weapons and liaising with local U.S. military support. Bob Worthington's first tour (1966-1967) began with training at the Army Special Warfare School in unconventional warfare, Vietnamese culture and customs, advisor responsibilities and Vietnamese language. Once in-country, he acted as senior advisor to infantry defense forces and then an infantry mobile rapid reaction force. Worthington worked alongside ARVN forces, staging operations against Vietcong and North Vietnamese Army units, and coordinated actions with the U.S. Marines. He describes a night helicopter assault by a 320-man ARVN battalion against a 1,200-man NVA regiment. On another night, the Vietcong ceased fire while Worthington arranged a Marine helicopter to medevac a wounded baby. Cover Acknowledgments Table of Contents Preface 1. U.S. Marine Corps and Army, 1957–1964 2. Preparing for Duty in Vietnam 3. Going to War, Finally 4. Da Nang, My First Assignment 5. Duty in Da Nang Garrison 6. Unrest in Da Nang 7. The Battle for Da Nang 8. Good-Bye to Da Nang 9. Joining the Third Battalion, Fifty-First Regiment 10. The County Fair in Hieu Nhon 11. Combat Operations Around Hoi An 12. Lam Son Infantry Training Center 13. Operations in Thanh Quit 14. The Battle for Nong Son: Day 1 15. Nong Son, Losing the Battle: Days 2 and 3 16. Nong Son, Regaining Lost Ground: Days 4 and 5 17. Nong Son, Winning the Battle: Days 6 to 8 18. Operations Around An Hoa 19. R & R in Hawai’i 20. The Night the Viet Cong Stopped the War 21. Going Home Epilogue Bob Worthington Military History Index