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Ranger: Behind Enemy Lines in Vietnam
The Vietnam War saw the revival of a great military tradition - the Ranger. After World War II there was a Ranger training program, but actual units were usually not deployed. The fluid battlefield in Vietnam created the need for small units to screen American divisions with long-range reconnaissance and ambush tactics. Known initially as "LRRPs" (Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrols) these elite units were eventually centralized and given the revived title of "Rangers." Ron Field’s detailed text traces the American Ranger tradition back to the days of the French and Indian Wars and Rogers’ Rangers. Over 100 illustrations, many in color, show the evolution of Ranger uniforms, weapons and tactics from colonial times through World War II and Vietnam to today’s 75th Airborne Rangers. Of particular interest is a full-page color painting showing the duties of each man during a classic Ranger operation.
144 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2000
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February 7, 2014
Rangers were some of the most effective units used in Vietnam. The light infantry tactics of the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols were able to turn the tables on the Viet Cong, catching them in ambushes and accurately aimed artillery where large-scale sweeps and random harassment and interdiction fire failed. The core of this book are brief oral histories from each of the Ranger Companies, short tales of bravery, fear, and enemy action.
The problem is that this book doesn't put the Rangers into any kind of context in the Vietnam War, choosing instead to link them with Colonial and Revolutionary-era forces. This might be the mythos the Rangers draw upon, but their doctrine and tactics is far more modern; British Commandos and special operations in WW2. It's not quite clear where the Rangers fit between mainline units and the Special Forces, who are distinct. The equipment chapter is likewise lackluster, mostly full of rather quibbling details about uniforms (did you know Rangers had to steal, beg, and barter for camouflage uniforms in theater?). While the original pictures are great, the reconstructions are not. Could you guys at least find a skinny guy to model the web gear?
Ah, the risks of impulse buying at outdoor used book sales.
The problem is that this book doesn't put the Rangers into any kind of context in the Vietnam War, choosing instead to link them with Colonial and Revolutionary-era forces. This might be the mythos the Rangers draw upon, but their doctrine and tactics is far more modern; British Commandos and special operations in WW2. It's not quite clear where the Rangers fit between mainline units and the Special Forces, who are distinct. The equipment chapter is likewise lackluster, mostly full of rather quibbling details about uniforms (did you know Rangers had to steal, beg, and barter for camouflage uniforms in theater?). While the original pictures are great, the reconstructions are not. Could you guys at least find a skinny guy to model the web gear?
Ah, the risks of impulse buying at outdoor used book sales.
Displaying 1 of 1 review