Capturing Skunk Alpha: A Barrio Sailor's Journey in Vietnam

by Raúl Herrera, John E. O'Neill (Foreword)

On the evening of July 11, 1967, a Navy surveillance aircraft spotted a suspicious trawler in international waters heading toward the Quang Ngai coast of South Vietnam. While the ship tried to appear innocuous on its deck, Saigon quickly identified it as an enemy gunrunner, codenamed Skunk Alpha. A four-seaborne intercept task force was established and formed a barrier inside South Vietnam’s twelve-mile territorial boundary. As the enemy ship ignored all orders to surrender and neared the Sa Ky River at the tip of the Batangan Peninsula, Swift Boat PCF-79 was ordered to take the trawler under fire. What followed was ship-to-ship combat action not seen since World War II. Capturing Skunk Alpha relates that breathtaking military encounter to readers for the first time. But Capturing Skunk Alpha is also the tale of one sailor’s journey to the deck of PCF-79. Two years earlier, Raúl Herrera was growing up on the west side of San Antonio, Texas, when he answered the call to duty and joined the US Navy. Raúl was assigned to PCF Crew Training and joined a ragtag six-man Swift Boat crew with a mission to prevent the infiltration of resupply ships from North Vietnam. The brave sailors who steered into harm’s way in war-torn Vietnam would keep more than ninety tons of ammunition and supplies from the Viet Cong and NVA forces. The Viet Cong would post a bounty on PCF-79; Premier Nguyễn Cao Kỳ and Chief of State Nguyễn Văn Thiệu would congratulate and decorate them for their heroism. Capturing Skunk Alpha provides an eyewitness account of a pivotal moment in Navy operations while also chronicling one sailor’s unlikely journey from barrio adolescence to perilous combat action on the high seas. 

312 pages, Paperback

Published June 27, 2023

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capturing Skunk Alpha by Raúl Herrera weaves a compelling narrative that delves into the complex emotions, personal growth, and intense experiences of the author. The book unfolds through vivid descriptions of his past and his journey through life, such as the intimate moments shared with Norma, the challenges faced with her overprotective brother, and his defiance of societal norms.

The book's narrative takes an intense turn as it shifts focus to a Viet Cong attack on Coastal Group 16 (CG 16), a pivotal South Vietnamese naval base with US Navy advisors. The chaos, fear, and determination in the face of the attack created a palpable sense of urgency. Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald's leadership and the strength of the American and Vietnamese personnel paint a vivid picture of the harrowing experience. The accuracy of the enemy's information and the unfolding chaos hint at hidden motives, adding suspense and humor to the book's storyline.

This book was, without a doubt, a fantastic read for me. Herrera's detailed storytelling paints a rich canvas of the Vietnam War era. The pictures and maps attached to this book made its information more authentic and interesting. This book covered themes of camaraderie, victory, ethical dilemmas, and the impact of combat on individuals. The author's descriptive writing style allows readers to visualize the scenes and immerse themselves in the book's narrative. I really commend the author for this. I found no notable errors in this book, which shows that it was professionally edited.

Although this book was a great read for me, I observed some flaws in it. Firstly, the book includes technical and military jargon and a lot of acronyms but does not always explain their meanings. I found some of it challenging to understand. Balancing technical terms with plain language can make the book's writing more understandable. Also, some sentences were quite lengthy and complex, making it challenging for me to understand the intended meaning. Breaking down long sentences into smaller ones would help improve clarity. Other than this, the book was an excellent read for me. The intricate weaving of personal experiences and more significant historical events left no dull moments for me while I read this book.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I deducted a star from its rating due to my issue with it. I recommend this book to people who love thrillers and action-packed books about military invasions. This book won't be suitable for children due to the amount of profanity contained in it.

[Bianca Vandenbos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Capturing Skunk Alpha: A Barrio Sailors Journey In Vietnam
Last night I finished reading the memoir Capturing Skunk Alpha: A Barrio Sailor’s Journey In Vietnam by Raul Herrera. I received this book in June but was getting bombarded with so many early books finally on Thursday I got to it and finished it last night. On the evening of July 11th 1967 A Navy surveillance spotted a suspicious trawler which going in the direction of the Quang Ngai coast of South Vietnam. Finding out this suspicious trawler was carrying weapons to North Vietnam, Raul his Navy comrades had to do what they could to stop the trawler and capture it dubbing it Skunk Alpha hence the title of this book.

Writing & Storytelling
Raul Hererra’s writing flows very well and I like it when non-fiction does that instead of being dry, thought he military jargon if you’re like me and don’t know what the words mean can be a bit confusing. I also enjoyed the fact that we read a little bit about his life before joining the Navy. As a Catholic I also enjoyed the fact that he kept his faith in God and in Saint Christopher to get him back home. I hope Raul writes another book going more in depth about how life was after returning home from Vietnam. I liked that Raul had pictures and the maps in the book added authenticity to it.

Overall
Overall this was a great book. If you enjoy non-fiction, autobiographies, biographies, books about war you will enjoy this book. Thank you Raul Herrera for writing about your journey and thank you for your service to our country! I look forward to our Q&A together!

[Military Writers Society of America (MWSA)]

MWSA Review

Capturing Skunk Alpha is chock full of information about the Navy, Swift Boats, Vietnam, and life in the barrio. Raul Herrera offers a first-hand account of each, focusing most of the story on the courageous actions of Swift Boat crews before, during, and after combat.

If you're looking for a comprehensive story about these topics, then I highly recommend this book as the author goes to great lengths providing maps, tables and supporting details along with his own personal eye-witness account of a sailor's life at the height of the Vietnam War.

Review by Rob Lofthouse (May 2024)