Swift Sword: The True Story of the Marines of MIKE 3/5 in Vietnam, 4 September 1967

Fighting in a war and physically surviving, if not emotionally surviving, is a life phase only veterans can fully understand. Having served as a Battalion Surgeon with the USMC during the Vietnam War, reading Doyle Glass’s book is a physical experience: an opportunity for respecting the valor and commitment veterans have offered and deserve recognition and honor.With compassion and accuracy, Glass recreates a particularly devastating battle - Operation Swift September 4 1967 and lasting eleven days in the Quế Sơn Valley in Quảng Nam province, Vietnam - in a unique fashion: the book reads like a novel, detailing all aspects that lead up to the USMC Mike Company 3/5 confrontation with the North Vietnamese Army and all the details of that outnumbered, outgunned, and outmaneuvered by a camouflaged enemy battle, made more cogent by inserting quotes from his interviews with Lt. JDF Murray, Commander of the Mike 3/5, and 51 survivors. Moment by moment the narrative reveals the atrocities, the loses, the weaponry flaws, and the gut-wrenching moments that tragic encounter created, often in the words of the survivors, reminding the reader of the horrors of war and eliciting deep compassion for those who fought. The after battle, post war recollections of the interviewees are heart wrenching, underscoring ‘the randomness of death in battle, why some men die and others survive.’Not only is this a cinematic expression of a real event, but it also is a true and precise depiction of one battle in the period of US involvement 1965 – 1973. Another aspect of Glass’s informed, historically accurate book that underscores its importance is the superb Glossary of terms used in the Vietnam War - Agent Orange, ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam), I Corps, etc, definitions, events, and facts at book’s end, in addition to the many photographs of the soldiers and the battle itself. But the impact of Glass’s revised version of his original 2014 book now intensifies the respect for the veterans who fought and endured, some physically surviving and others now only extant in memory for the loss of their lives. Attorney/historian/sculptor/author Doyle Glass provides an exemplary account of why veterans deserve honor and respect. Memento mori

The author obviously has a great deal of respect for the Marines involved in this battle and tells their stories with great attention to their place in the action. He does them justice in using their own words where possible. My only caveat is that the malfunctioning M16 rifles played a key role in what happened, and while he does cover the reasons, it is kind of an afterthought. It is easy to come away with very wrong impressions of what happened and why. I recommend the book "The Great Rifle Controversy" by Ezell to understand what happened and why, it is an important story in it's own right.

A poignant account of the savage battle fought by U. S. Marines during Operation Swift Sword in September, 1967, in Vietnam. This is by far the most complete and detailed chronicle I have read of a battle front in the Vietnam War. The extensive research and documentation has given us a bitter view of the sacrifices the two forces suffered in a fierce battle. Almost too detailed. As a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War I am well aware of the dangers and violence the ground troops faced. But after reading this book, I found that I had sorely underestimated my assessment of the war. The reader is on the stage with the Marines to witness the courageous acts of valor that few people will ever have experienced. The thoughts and fears of the soldiers are revealed as the drama unfolds in a terrifying battle against the North Vietnamese. Of course, with such a complicated scenario as this battle, it is sometimes difficult for the reader to maintain a sense of location and timeline due to the many soldiers involved and multiple locations. But a solid feel for the events stay with the reader throughout the book. Details of the battle illustrate the heroism of the Marines and the shortcomings of the field commanders who orchestrated the conduct of the battle. The poor assumptions, the poor training, malfunctioning weapons, and poor leadership cost an untold number of lives.The first rule of war is considered to be, “Know your enemy,” attributed to Sun Tau in “The Art of War.” The Unites States military command ignored this and barreled into Vietnam knowing little or nothing about the Vietnamese. It cost thousands of lives“Swift Sword” is a truly remarkable book.