Ambush Valley: I Corps, Vietnam 1967: The Story of a Marine Infantry Battalion's Battle for Survival

When the 3rd Battalion of the 26th Marines moved into position near the DMZ in September '67 they didn't know that an entire North Vietnamese regiment lay close by. Hammel ( Khe Sanh ) here relates what happened in an integrated series of statements by the surviving Americans. In two battles the Marine battalion lost 40% of its combat strength and barely escaped annihilaton. For the Americans the September 7 and 10 contacts exemplified Murphy's Law in action: 3/26 was bombarded by its own artillery, became the target of its own planes, received a minimum of resupply while running low on ammunition, and was subjected to relentless assaults by the 812th NVA Regiment. The desperate defensive tactics as well as the raw emotions of the men are vividly conveyed in this memorable mosaic of concentrated warfare. Superb oral history. (July)