Ringed in Steel: Armored Cavalry, Vietnam 1967-68

by Michael D. Mahler

A former tank commander shares his impressions of the war in Vietnam, recounts his experiences in combat, and describes the problems and responsibilities of command

Genres: History, Military Fiction, War

224 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1986

Reviews

[Samuel Steffen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ringed in Steel is an excellent examination of an often-overlooked aspect of the Vietnam War: the vital role of American armored cavalry during 1967–1968.

When people think about Vietnam, they often picture infantrymen fighting through dense jungles. But armored cavalry units also played a critical role, operating in dangerous terrain and facing ambushes, mines, and determined enemy forces.

What makes this subject so fascinating is how armored cavalry adapted to a war that many people assumed was unsuitable for armored vehicles.

The courage of the tank crews, armored cavalrymen, and supporting soldiers deserves greater recognition.

[Zack Wiggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and concise. Lacks the pitfalls of many looks into the Vietnam War by being to apathetic towards either the Vietnamese people or the military operations there and keeps a cool head telling his story. An interesting look into armored warfare in the era between WW2 and modern deployments

[Carlo Panzani · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was in the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, deployed to southern Baghdad in 2005 when I read this. I was amazed and horrified to realize that we were having to re learn some these hard lessons.

[Gil Burket · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good personal memoir of day to day operations of an Armored Cavalry unit in Vietnam.