Swift Sword
The True Story of the Marines of Mike 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967
Filled with acts of desperation and heroism, the exciting history book Swift Sword covers a military group’s struggle for survival during the Vietnam War.
This second edition of Doyle Glass’s striking history book Swift Sword covers a US marine group’s engagement in a desperate battle of the Vietnam War.
On September 4, 1967, the marine company Mike 3/5, led by First Lieutenant J. D. Murray, was ordered to join in the rescue of some fellow marines who were pinned down in the notoriously dangerous Quế Sơn Valley. But the mission went awry: these troops were dropped off at a different landing zone than they expected, and they had to travel even farther than they had anticipated to complete their mission. They moved though unfamiliar territory and anticipated a tough fight on the horizon. Indeed, they were attacked from all sides by over six thousand North Vietnamese soldiers; their own numbers were around 165 men. They had no hope of reinforcement as they struggled to survive. They contended with inadequate training, inexperience, a lack of intel, and faulty weaponry too—obstacles overwhelming in number and volume.
Most of the book is concerned with a single day of military action—fierce engagement that it brings to life in a stunning fashion. It moves with involving speed through its hefty information. There are frequent perspective shifts as well, used to cover the near constant developments that transpired across the battlefield. The book maintains its energy throughout, hopping from one crisis to the next and conveying the frantic situations that the marines endured. Additionally, words from the soldiers who fought in the battle are included; they make up a substantial portion of the book. Their details are immersive and their tones are authentic, and they’re woven into the larger narrative in a seamless fashion.
The book’s supplementary material is also effective. This includes a set of maps that proffer greater understanding of the troops’ locations and movements during each phase of the operation. The glossary covers a wide variety of military terms and specific locations to further illuminate the material, while a gallery of photographs is shared midway through the book; the latter serves to vivify the members of Mike 3/5 who participated in that daunting Quế Sơn Valley battle.
Filled with acts of desperation and heroism, the exciting history book Swift Sword covers a military group’s struggle for survival during the Vietnam War.
Reviewed by
Ian Dailey
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
