Dragoons: C Troop 1/1 Armored Cavalry, Vietnam 1967-1972

by Grant Coble

The life of an armored crewman was exciting and traumatic. Wet and cold during monsoons, hot, dirty, and sweaty during the dry season. The stories told by each person are as they remember the event. Some stories cover the same time period and cover an event from different advantage points. These men partied hard, lived hard, and in some cases died hard. These men were a collection from every walk of life; Career soldiers, enlisted, drafted. The 1/1 is the most highly decorated combat unit in the United States Army and with good reason. A group of men tossed together who became Brothers for life. They were "The Mean Green Fighting Machine."

216 pages, Paperback

First published January 21, 2005

Reviews

[Chris Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the title indicates these are the stories of the troopers of the Armored Cavalry in Vietnam in one specific outfit 1st of the 1st - Americal - Charlie Troop, 1st Squadron, 1st Regiment from 1967 to 1972 based in Chu Lia & Tam Ky on the north coast of Viet Nam patrolling west through the mountains and rice paddies toward the Cambodian border. Hawk Hill, the Rock Pile, Pineapple forest. Supporting infantry and avoiding mines, rockets, mortars staying alive was the name of the game. These were the guys sitting on top of the tracked ACAV armored vehicles and the Sheridan light tanks. I read this because i have family who was with a sister unit A Troop 1/1. These stories are pretty much identical to what i was told. Both heart wrenching and humorous, typical Army.