Cammie Up! : Memoir of a Recon Marine in Vietnam, 1967-1968

In this Marine combat memoir, Steve Johnson recounts his service in Vietnam from April 1967 to May 1968. Only 17 when he enlisted in 1964, Johnson deployed to Vietnam with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and his tour included such now famous locations as Phu Bai, Khe Sanh, Nha Trang and Quang Tri, among others. With a sometimes humorous tone, Johnson describes a war of often terrified high school and college-aged youngsters faced with exotic plant and animal life, monsoon rains, harrowing reconnaissance missions and death. Details are plentiful about tactics, equipment, geography and, always, fellow Marines. This Memoir Chronicles One Participant's Time As A Member Of The Marines 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion. Johnson Recounts His Training, 1967 Deployment To Vietnam, Reconnaissance Missions, And Interactions With Exotic Plant And Animal Life, Monsoon Rains, And The Enemy. With Details Involving Tactics, Geography, Equipment, And Fellow Marines, Johnson's Account Reveals An Important Facet Of The Total Vietnam Experience--provided By Publisher. Pt. 1. In Which I Make Preparations To See The Elephant. Transition -- Reconnaissance School -- California To Okinawa -- Pt. 2. In Which I Enter The Elephant's Realm. In Country : Phu Bai -- Learning My Trade -- Khe Sanh -- Patrol Preparation -- Settling In And Environment -- Lizards And Leeches And Bugs ... Oh, My! -- Pt. 3. In Which I Can Definitely Smell The Elephant. Could'a Been Worse! -- Sergeant Of Marines -- A Day In The Life -- Trenches And Bunkers -- Harborsites And A Little Travel -- On Patrol -- A Real Mess -- Death And A Long Walk -- Fizzies And Nha Trang -- Puff And Hill 950 -- Pt. 4. In Which The Elephant Takes A Short Vacation. A New Company -- Okinawa : Training -- Back In Country : Quang Tri -- Pt. 5. In Which I Finally See The Elephant. More Patrols And Agent Orange -- Ambush -- China Beach And Malaria -- Pt. 6. In Which I Release The Elephant Back Into The Jungle. Going Home -- Welcome Back? -- Pt. 7. No More Elephants. More Malaria -- Duty Done -- A New Journey. Steven A. Johnson ; Foreword By Ray W. Stubbe. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover 1 Table of Contents 8 Foreword by Ray W. Stubbe 10 Preface 12 Introduction 14 Part One: In Which I Make Preparations to See the Elephanit 16 1. Transition 17 2. Reconnaissance School 24 3. California to Okinawa 33 Part Two: In Which I Enter the Elephant's Realm 38 4. In Country 39 5. Learning My Trade 52 6. Khe Sanh 58 7. Patrol Preparation 65 8. Settling In and Environment 73 9. Lizards and Leeches and Bugs ... Oh, My! 78 Part Three: In Which I Can Definitely Smell the Elephant 90 10. Could’a Been Worse! 91 11. Sergeant of Marines 99 12. A Day in the Life 104 13. Trenches and Bunkers 107 14. Harborsites and a Little Travel 113 15. On Patrol 123 16. A Real Mess 136 17. Death and a Long Walk 147 18. Fizzies and Nha Trang 156 19. Puff, and Hill 950 164 Part Four: In Which the Elephant Takes a Short Vacation 172 20. A New Company 173 21. Okinawa; Training 177 22. Back In Country; Quang Tri 185 Part Five: In Which I Finally See the Elephant 190 23. More Patrols and Agent Orange 191 24. Ambush 199 25. China Beach and Malaria 220 Part Six: In Which I Release the Elephant Back Into the Jungle 230 26. Going Home 231 27. Welcome Back? 237 Part Seven: No More Elephants 242 28. More Malaria 243 29. Duty Done—A New Journey 249 Appendix A 254 Appendix B 257 Appendix C 263 Maps 268 Glossary 274 Chapter Notes 280 Index 284 9780786466009 McFarland Company Publishers