Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
ISBN 13 : 1984525999
Total Pages : 746 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (845 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam by : LtCol Ray Stewart USMC

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam written by LtCol Ray Stewart USMC and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2018-06-12 with total page 746 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the action of marine tankers and Ontos crewmen who fought the local Viet Cong, the Viet Cong Main Forces, and the North Vietnamese Regular Army from 1965 to 1970 in I Corps, South Vietnam. It opens with a brief backdrop of the history of Vietnam, the political atmosphere in South Vietnam, a short bio of the senior military leadership on both sides, and what led the US to the landing of marines on March 8, 1965. From that point, the chronology is based on previously classified documents, Marine Corps official documents, with interviews from and articles by marine veterans who detailed their fight. Maps, personal pictures, and charts supplement the narrative.

Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
ISBN 13 : 1796054054
Total Pages : 800 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (96 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam by : LtCol Ray Stewart USMC

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam written by LtCol Ray Stewart USMC and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2019-10-03 with total page 800 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Book Two, the second of a three-book series, continues from 1966 in Book One, to cover the action of Marine Corps Tankers and Ontos crewmen fighting the locally-grown Viet Cong, the better armed, trained, organized, and equipped Viet Cong Main Forces, and the North Vietnamese Army Regulars from 1967 thru 1968 in I Corps, South Vietnam. As in Book One, and to continue in Book Three, it features hundreds of personal stories, on-the-spot in real time, interviews of Marines just returning from their fight – all which is framed within the official unit command chronologies and after action reports, including documented “lessons learned”. The maps, personal pictures, organizational charts, and the citing of each Marine who gave his life are, also linked to the Vietnam Wall and to the Foundation’s web site, with volumes of additional information about the Marines who left their sweat and blood in Vietnam battling their communist enemy.

Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Xlibris Us
ISBN 13 : 9781984525987
Total Pages : 662 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (259 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam by : Usmc (Ret) Ltcol Ray Stewart

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam written by Usmc (Ret) Ltcol Ray Stewart and published by Xlibris Us. This book was released on 2018-06-12 with total page 662 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book intends to cover the action of Marine Tankers and Ontos crewmen who fought the local Viet Cong, the Viet Cong Main Forces, and the North Vietnamese Regular Army from 1965 to 1970 in I Corps, South Vietnam. It opens with a brief backdrop of the history of Vietnam, the political atmosphere in South Vietnam, a short bio of the senior military leadership on both sides, and what led the U.S. to the landing of Marines on 8 March 1965. From that point the chronology is based on previously-classified documents, Marine Corps official documents, with interviews from, and articles by, Marine Veterans who detail their fight. Maps, personal pictures, and charts supplement the narrative.

Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Xlibris Us
ISBN 13 : 9781796054033
Total Pages : 1068 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (54 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam by : Ltcol Ray Stewart Usmc

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam written by Ltcol Ray Stewart Usmc and published by Xlibris Us. This book was released on 2019-10-03 with total page 1068 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Book Two, the second of a three-book series, continues from 1966 in Book One, to cover the action of Marine Corps Tankers and Ontos crewmen fighting the locally-grown Viet Cong, the better armed, trained, organized, and equipped Viet Cong Main Forces, and the North Vietnamese Army Regulars from 1967 thru 1968 in I Corps, South Vietnam. As in Book One, and to continue in Book Three, it features hundreds of personal stories, on-the-spot in real time, interviews of Marines just returning from their fight - all which is framed within the official unit command chronologies and after action reports, including documented "lessons learned". The maps, personal pictures, organizational charts, and the citing of each Marine who gave his life are, also linked to the Vietnam Wall and to the Foundation's web site, with volumes of additional information about the Marines who left their sweat and blood in Vietnam battling their communist enemy.

Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Xlibris Corporation
ISBN 13 : 1664151303
Total Pages : 386 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (641 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam by : LtCol Ray Stewart USMC

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam written by LtCol Ray Stewart USMC and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2021-02-05 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Book 3, the last of a three-book series, continues from 1968 in book 2 to cover the action of Marine Corps Tankers and Ontos crewmen fighting the locally grown Viet Cong; the better armed, trained, organized, and equipped Viet Cong main forces; and the North Vietnamese Army regulars from 1969 through 1970+ in I Corps, South Vietnam. As in books 1 and 2 and continuing in book 3, it features hundreds of personal stories and on-the-spot, real-time interviews of Marines just returning from their fight, all of which are framed within the official unit command chronologies and after-action reports, including documented “lessons learned.” The maps, personal pictures, organizational charts, and the citing of each Marine who gave his life are also linked to the Vietnam Wall and to the Foundation’s website, with volumes of additional information about the Marines and Ontos crewmen who left their sweat and blood in Vietnam, battling their Communist enemy.

Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam: Book Three - 1969 to 1970+

Download Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam: Book Three - 1969 to 1970+ PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781664151321
Total Pages : 580 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (513 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam: Book Three - 1969 to 1970+ by : Ltcol Ray Stewart Usmc

Download or read book Marine Corps Tanks and Ontos in Vietnam: Book Three - 1969 to 1970+ written by Ltcol Ray Stewart Usmc and published by . This book was released on 2021-02-05 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Book 3, the last of a three-book series, continues from 1968 in book 2 to cover the action of Marine Corps Tankers and Ontos crewmen fighting the locally grown Viet Cong; the better armed, trained, organized, and equipped Viet Cong main forces; and the North Vietnamese Army regulars from 1969 through 1970+ in I Corps, South Vietnam. As in books 1 and 2 and continuing in book 3, it features hundreds of personal stories and on-the-spot, real-time interviews of Marines just returning from their fight, all of which are framed within the official unit command chronologies and after-action reports, including documented "lessons learned." The maps, personal pictures, organizational charts, and the citing of each Marine who gave his life are also linked to the Vietnam Wall and to the Foundation's website, with volumes of additional information about the Marines and Ontos crewmen who left their sweat and blood in Vietnam, battling their Communist enemy.

Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam

Download Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Open Road Media
ISBN 13 : 148040649X
Total Pages : 332 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (84 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam by : Oscar E. Gilbert

Download or read book Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam written by Oscar E. Gilbert and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2013-02-26 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author of Tanks in Hell tracks ten years of tank warfare in Vietnam, combining firsthand accounts from veterans with analysis of tactics and strategy. In 1965 the large, loud, and highly visible tanks of 3rd Platoon, B Company, 3rd Tank Battalion landed across a beach near Da Nang, drawing unwelcome attention to America’s first, almost covert, commitment of ground troops in South Vietnam. As the Marine Corps presence grew inexorably, the 1st and 3rd Tank Battalions, as well as elements of the reactivated 5th Tank Battalion, were committed to the conflict. For the United States Marine Corps, the protracted and bloody struggle was marked by controversy, but for Marine Corps tankers it was marked by bitter frustration as they saw their own high levels of command turn their backs on some of the hardest-won lessons of tank-infantry cooperation learned in the Pacific War and in Korea. Nevertheless, like good Marines, the officers and enlisted men of the tank battalions sought out the enemy in the sand dunes, jungles, mountains, paddy fields, tiny villages, and ancient cities of Vietnam. Young Marine tankers fresh out of training, and cynical veterans of the Pacific War and Korea, battled two enemies. The battle-hardened Viet Cong were masters of the art of striking hard, then slipping away to fight another day. The highly motivated troops of the North Vietnamese Army, equipped with long-range artillery and able to flee across nearby borders into sanctuaries where the Marines were forbidden to follow, engaged the Marines in brutal conventional combat. Both foes were equipped with modern anti-tank weapons, and sought out the tanks as valuable symbolic targets. It was a brutal and schizophrenic war, with no front and no rear, absolutely no respite from constant danger, against a merciless foe hidden among a helpless civilian population. Some of the duties the tankers were called upon to perform were long familiar, as they provided firepower and mobility for the suffering infantry in a never-ending succession of search and destroy operations, conducted amphibious landings, and added their heavy guns to the artillery in fire support missions. Under constant threat of ambushes and huge command-detonated mines that could obliterate both tank and crew in an instant, the tankers escorted vital supply convoys, and guarded the engineers who built and maintained the roads. In their “spare time” the tankers guarded lonely bridges and isolated outposts for weeks on end, patrolled on foot to seek out the Viet Cong, operated roadblocks and ambushes, shot up boats to interdict the enemy’s supply lines, and worked in the villages and hamlets to better the lives of the brutalized civilians. To the bitter end—despite the harsh conditions of climate and terrain, confusion, endless savage and debilitating combat, and ultimate frustration as their own nation turned against the war—the Marine tankers routinely demonstrated the versatility, dedication to duty, and matchless courage that Americans have come to expect of their Marines.

The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War

Download The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 147280080X
Total Pages : 97 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War by : Ed Gilbert

Download or read book The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War written by Ed Gilbert and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 97 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: III Marine Amphibious Force was conceived as a division command for a small Marine Corps commitment to Vietnam. Within four years it had grown to a reinforced corps of two divisions, an air wing, and the division-sized Force Logistics Command. This organization was unique in Marine Corps history in that it merged combat and major logistical functions under a single field command. This book examines the origins and constantly changing organizational structure of III MAF, and demonstrates how it conducted its savage struggle against Viet Cong guerrillas and North Vietnamese Army regular forces in the northern provinces of Vietnam.

The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War

Download The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472800400
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War by : Ed Gilbert

Download or read book The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War written by Ed Gilbert and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-20 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: III Marine Amphibious Force was conceived as a division command for a small Marine Corps commitment to Vietnam. Within four years it had grown to a reinforced corps of two divisions, an air wing, and the division-sized Force Logistics Command. This organization was unique in Marine Corps history in that it merged combat and major logistical functions under a single field command. This book examines the origins and constantly changing organizational structure of III MAF, and demonstrates how it conducted its savage struggle against Viet Cong guerrillas and North Vietnamese Army regular forces in the northern provinces of Vietnam.

M50 Ontos and M56 Scorpion 1956–70

Download M50 Ontos and M56 Scorpion 1956–70 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472814754
Total Pages : 52 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (728 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis M50 Ontos and M56 Scorpion 1956–70 by : Kenneth W Estes

Download or read book M50 Ontos and M56 Scorpion 1956–70 written by Kenneth W Estes and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2016-11-17 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Designed in the 1950s, the US Marines' M50 Ontos and the US Army's M56 Scorpion were both intended to be fast, light, air-droppable tank-killers for the Cold War battlefield – an answer to the cumbersome and ineffective World War II-vintage tanks that had taken to the battlefield during the Korean War. Although they shared the aim of bringing light, mobile and lethal antitank firepower to the infantry the two vehicles varied wildly in design to cater for their unique mission demands. They first saw service in the Lebanon intervention of 1958 but it was in the Vietnam War that they made their name, with the M50 Ontos seeing intense combat action in the Battle of Hue in 1968. Detailed illustrations and expert analysis provide the reader with a comprehensive history of these deadly antitank vehicles, from early development through to their combat history and the eventual disbandment of the Marine Corps' last antitank battalion with M50A1s in 1971.

The Marine Corps Tanks Collection

Download The Marine Corps Tanks Collection PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Open Road Media
ISBN 13 : 1504055950
Total Pages : 863 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (4 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Marine Corps Tanks Collection by : Oscar E. Gilbert

Download or read book The Marine Corps Tanks Collection written by Oscar E. Gilbert and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2018-09-18 with total page 863 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Together these books provide the definitive history of the USMC’s tank forces . . . Very highly recommended” (Military Modelcraft International). Marine Corps Tank Battles in Korea: A detailed and gripping account of the little-known Marine tank engagements during the Korean War, from the valiant defense at Pusan and the bitter battles of the Chosin Reservoir to the bloody stalemate along the Jamestown Line. Oscar E. Gilbert unfolds the unique role played by tanks in the destruction of the ill-fated Task Force Drysdale, how Marine armor was a key factor in the defense of Hagaru, and how a lone tank made it to Yudamni and then led the breakout across the high Toktong Pass. Marine Corps Tank Battles in Vietnam: In 1965 the large, loud, and highly visible tanks of 3rd Platoon, B Company, 3rd Tank Battalion landed across a beach near Da Nang, drawing unwelcome attention to America’s first, almost covert, commitment of ground troops in South Vietnam. Marine Corps tankers sought out the enemy in the sand dunes, jungles, mountains, paddy fields, tiny villages, and ancient cities of Vietnam, dealing with guerrilla ambushes from the Viet Cong and the long-range artillery capability of the North Vietnamese Army. Marine Corps Tank Battles in the Middle East: In America’s longest continual conflict, armored Marines became entangled in guerrilla war amid the broiling deserts, ancient cities, and rich farmlands of Iraq, and in the high, bleak wastes of Afghanistan. Fighting a fanatical foe who brutalized civilians, planted sophisticated roadside bombs, and seized control of entire cities, the Marine Corps tankers cleared roads, escorted convoys, conducted endless sweep operations to locate and destroy insurgent strongholds, protected voting sites for free elections, and recaptured and rebuilt urban centers, even adding a new trick to their repertoire: long-range surveillance. Tanks in Hell: On November 20, 1943, the 2nd Marine Division launched the first amphibious assault of the Pacific War, directly into the teeth of powerful Japanese defenses on Tarawa. In that blood-soaked invasion, a single company of Sherman tanks, of which only two survived, played a pivotal role in turning the tide from looming disaster to legendary victory.

U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968

Download U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1786256339
Total Pages : 1173 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (862 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968 by : Jack Shulimson

Download or read book U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Defining Year, 1968 written by Jack Shulimson and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2015-11-06 with total page 1173 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The year 1968 was the year of the Tet Offensive including Khe Sanh and Hue City. These were momentous events in the course of the war and they occurred in the first three months of the year. This book, however, documents that 1968 was more than just the Tet Offensive. The bloodiest month of the war for the U.S. forces was not January nor February 1968, but May 1968 when the Communists launched what was called their “Mini-Tet” offensive. This was followed by a second “Mini-Tet” offensive during the late summer which also was repulsed at heavy cost to both sides. By the end of the year, the U.S. forces in South Vietnam’s I Corps, under the III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF), had regained the offensive. By December, enemy-initiated attacks had fallen to their lowest level in two years. Still, there was no talk of victory. The Communist forces remained a formidable foe and a limit had been drawn on the level of American participation in the war. Although largely written from the perspective of III MAF and the ground war in I Corps, the volume also treats the activities of Marines with the Seventh Fleet Special Landing Force, activities of Marine advisors to South Vietnamese forces, and other Marine involvement in the war. Separate chapters cover Marine aviation and the single manager controversy, artillery, logistics, manpower, and pacification.—E. H. SIMMONS, Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps (Retired)

U.S. Marines in Vietnam

Download U.S. Marines in Vietnam PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 508 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines in Vietnam by : United States. Marine Corps. History and Museums Division

Download or read book U.S. Marines in Vietnam written by United States. Marine Corps. History and Museums Division and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

U.S. Marines In Vietnam: Fighting The North Vietnamese, 1967

Download U.S. Marines In Vietnam: Fighting The North Vietnamese, 1967 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1787200841
Total Pages : 464 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (872 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines In Vietnam: Fighting The North Vietnamese, 1967 by : Maj. Gary L. Telfer

Download or read book U.S. Marines In Vietnam: Fighting The North Vietnamese, 1967 written by Maj. Gary L. Telfer and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-09 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the fourth volume in an operational and chronological series covering the U.S. Marine Corps’ participation in the Vietnam War. This volume details the change in focus of the III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF), which fought in South Vietnam’s northernmost corps area, I Corps. This volume, like its predecessors, concentrates on the ground war in I Corps and III MAF’s perspective of the Vietnam War as an entity. It also covers the Marine Corps participation in the advisory effort, the operations of the two Special Landing Forces of the U.S. Navy’s Seventh Fleet, and the services of Marines with the staff of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. There are additional chapters on supporting arms and logistics, and a discussion of the Marine role in Vietnam in relation to the overall American effort.

U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Landing And The Buildup, 1965

Download U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Landing And The Buildup, 1965 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Pickle Partners Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1787200833
Total Pages : 363 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (872 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Landing And The Buildup, 1965 by : Dr. Jack Shulimson

Download or read book U.S. Marines In Vietnam: The Landing And The Buildup, 1965 written by Dr. Jack Shulimson and published by Pickle Partners Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-09 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the second volume in a series of chronological histories prepared by the Marine Corps History and Museums Division to cover the entire span of Marine Corps involvement in the Vietnam War. This volume details the Marine activities during 1965, the year the war escalated and major American combat units were committed to the conflict. The narrative traces the landing of the nearly 5,000-man 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and its transformation into the ΙII Marine Amphibious Force, which by the end of the year contained over 38,000 Marines. During this period, the Marines established three enclaves in South Vietnam’s northernmost corps area, I Corps, and their mission expanded from defense of the Da Nang Airbase to a balanced strategy involving base defense, offensive operations, and pacification. This volume continues to treat the activities of Marine advisors to the South Vietnamese armed forces but in less detail than its predecessor volume, U.S. Marines in Vietnam, 1954-1964; The Advisory and Combat Assistance Era.

The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War

Download The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Osprey Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781841769875
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (698 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War by : Ed Gilbert

Download or read book The US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War written by Ed Gilbert and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2006-06-27 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book covers the US Marine Corps in the Vietnam War, centring on the structure and function of the two Fleet Marine Force (FMF) divisions and the corps command level, III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF). This detailed examination of III MAF explores its infantry, armor, artillery, aviation, service and engineer elements. Author Ed Gilbert explains how they functioned and highlights tensions that arose in the command structure as the war progressed. He also illustrates how the two FMF divisions bore the brunt of the fighting in the more conventional war against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army units, and the very different role of the four Combined Action Battalions based in Viatnamese Villages.

US Marine Corps Tank Crewman 1965–70

Download US Marine Corps Tank Crewman 1965–70 PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1780966334
Total Pages : 148 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (89 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis US Marine Corps Tank Crewman 1965–70 by : Ed Gilbert

Download or read book US Marine Corps Tank Crewman 1965–70 written by Ed Gilbert and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-04-20 with total page 148 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By 1960, following Korea, tanks and their crews had proved themselves to be a fundamental part of the Marine Corps' combined arms team. When the Marines were ordered to Vietnam in 1965, they took their tanks with them. This book explores this decision, which created a political storm. The presence of the tanks became a lightning rod for accusations of an 'escalation' of the war. Nevertheless, the tanks not only proved their value in the anti-guerrilla campaigns, but also amid the bitter conventional fighting and extraordinary casualties at Hue City. The ability to undertake such radical change and to prevail demonstrated the versatility, courage and tenacity that are the hallmarks of the 'ordinary' Marine.