No Shining Armor: The Marines at War in Vietnam: An Oral History (Modern War Studies)

Winner: General Wallace M. Greene Award "No more Vietnams!" A quarter century after the war in Vietnam, that battle cry brought a flag-waving nation to its feet and ignited the superpatriotism of the Gulf War era. But hard as we tried—with yellow ribbons and "We Support Our Troops" bumper stickers and Norman Schwarzkopf videos and Olympics-style homecoming celebrations—we couldn't seem to erase the disturbing memory of Vietnam. Perhaps forgetting is not the answer. Perhaps the healing process begins with remembering. Painful, clear-headed remembering. Even those who remember best, the men who fought in Vietnam, aren't anxious to recall their experiences—or recount them to an academician. But in Otto Lehrack they found a sympathetic audience. Lehrack is both a historian and a member of the Third Battalion, Third Marines. He fought alongside the men whose voices he recorded here. Into their accounts, Lehrack has woven a narrative that explains the events they describe and places them into both a historical and a political context. It's a grunt's-eye view of the Vietnam War that emerges in No Shining Armor —the war as seen by the PFC's, sergeants, and platoon leaders in the rivers and jungles and trenches. It's the story of teenagers leading squads of men into the jungle on night missions, the story of boredom, confusion, and equipment shortages, of friends suddenly blown away, of disappointing homecomings. It's also the story of young men placed under unbearable strain and asked to do the impossible, who somehow stretched to meet the demands placed upon them, and the story of the friendships they forged in combat—friendships deeper than any these men would be able to form later in civilian life.

No more Vietnams!

Just last year, a quarter century after the war in Vietnam, that battle cry brought a flag-waving nation to its feet and ignited the superpatriotism of the Gulf War era. But hard as we tried—with yellow ribbons and We Support Our Troops bumper stickers and Norman Schwarzkopf videos and Olympics-style homecoming celebrations—we couldn't seem to erase the disturbing memory of Vietnam.

Perhaps forgetting is not the answer. Perhaps the healing process begins with remembering. Painful, clear-headed remembering.

Even those who remember best, the men who fought in Vietnam, aren't anxious to recall their experiences—or recount them to an academician. But in Otto Lehrack they found a sympathetic audience. Lehrack is both a historian and a member of the Third Battalion, Third Marines. He fought alongside the men whose voices he recorded here. Into their accounts, Lehrack has woven a narrative that explains the events they describe and places them into both a historical and a political context.

It's a grunt's-eye view of the Vietnam War that emerges in No Shining Armor—the war as seen by the PFC's, sergeants, and platoon leaders in the rivers and jungles and trenches. It's the story of teenagers leading squads of men into the jungle on night missions, the story of boredom, confusion, and equipment shortages, of friends suddenly blown away, of disappointing homecomings. It's also the story of young men placed under unbearable strain and asked to do the impossible, who somehow stretched to meet the demands placed upon them, and the story of the friendships they forged in combat—friendships deeper than any these men would be able to form later in civilian life.

This book is part of the Modern War Studies series.

Publishers Weekly

This oral history covers the experiences of numerous members of one Marine battalion, in which the author served and which he considers representative of the infantry experience in Vietnam. Unlike more dramatic oral histories of Vietnam, such as Mark Baker's Nam , this takes a chronological, battle-by-battle path, offering many logistical details. Often several voices briefly describe one event, creating a bland chorus, but there are interesting reflections, such as one on the art of scavenging for supplies. Moments of eloquence and poignance emerge infrequently: ``I go to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial a lot to talk to my guys,'' says one soldier; another describes relocating villagers: ``I felt like I was at the bottom of a toilet for the world.'' Undergirding the book is a staunchly patriotic attitude: interviewees say the Marine Corps lacked racial and drug problems, and emphasize enemy torture but ignore U.S. atrocities. In this account, best suited for military buffs, the soldiers hardly reflect on the bigger picture. ``Once a Marine, always a Marine,'' say more than one. Lehrack sums it up: ``Their casualties were not in vain but were a monument to their heritage and their brotherhood.'' Photos. Military Book Club main selection. (May)

Prologue: Vietnam Homecoming -- Pt. 1. Countering The Viet Cong: War Against Gueirillas, 1965-1966. 1. The Beginning: Camp Pendleton, California. 2. To Okinawa. 3. Protecting The Airfield: Chu Lai, Republic Of Vietnam. 3. A Major Operation. 5. The First Big One: Operation Starlite. 6. Operation Golden Fleece. 7. The First Move North: Danang. 8. Pacification. 9. Relocation. 10. A Troubled Alliance. 11. A Chaplain Goes To War -- Pt. 2. Fighting The North Vietnamese: War Against Professionals, 1966-1968. 12. The Rockpile. 13. Winter Action. 14. Two New Lieutenants. 15. Ripley And His Raiders. 16. A Turbulent Easter. 17. The First Battle Of Khe Sanh. 18. Rough Riders On Route Nine. 19. Ca Lu. 20. Ambush On Route Nine. 21. Deja Vu: Ambush On Route Nine, September 1967. 22. War Along The Barrier. 23. Improving The Supply System. 24. Christmas At Cam Lo. 25. Working With The Arvn. 26. Alpha Three. 27. Mike Company At Gio Linh. 28. Kilo Company Ambush. 29. A Sweet Little Ambush. 30. Into The Dmz. 31. Mike Company Ambush. 32. Green Just Like The Rest Of Us. 33. Payback. 34. The Day Martin Luther King, Jr., Was Shot. 35. Bloody May. 36. Dai Do. 37. Brotherhood. 38. Beyond Alpha Three. 39. Another Marine's Chaplain. 40. Unfamiliar Territory -- Pt. 3. After The Bombing Halt: War With One Hand Tied, 1968-1969. 41. The Bombing Halt. 42. Operation Taylor Common. 43. An Erosion Of Discipline. 44. School Solution. 45. The Beginning Of The End: Troop Withdrawals. 46. Operation Virginia Ridge. 47. The Last Operation. 48. Parting Shots -- Appendix A. Passing In Review -- Appendix B. Medals Of Honor -- Appendix C. Organization Of Marine Infantry Units In Vietnam. Edited By Otto J. Lehrack ; Foreword By A.m. Gray. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. An account of the Vietnam War, as seen by the American PFCs, sergeants and platoon leaders in the rivers and jungles and trenches. Into their stories, Lehrack has woven a narrative that explains the events they describe and places them into both a historical and a political context.