Capturing the chaotic nature of the U.S. Marine experience at war in Vietnam, this memoir recounts the experiences of a young officer in a series of unrelated short pieces. In a narrative as fragmented as the war itself, the only resolution is the same one reached by the Marines who fought—the conclusion of a tour of duty with no happy ending. Each chapter describes a specific event, a story of emotion, or a remarkable person (some are heroes, some are cowards). The reader lives the experience alongside the author, gaining a true sense of the pulse-pounding contact, surrealism, pathos, humor, and beauty that defined one of the low points of the American experience.

Franklin Cox is CEO of Pecan Productions Studios, Inc. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.

Franklin Cox
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 220
Bibliographic Info: 16 photos, glossary, index
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4719-0
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5593-5
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vii
Preface      1

PART I: FORWARD OBSERVER
1. We Never Promised You a Rose Garden      7
2. Landing at Red Beach      13
3. Forward Observer      19
4. Ambush      25
5. Hearts and Minds      32
6. Night Vertical Assault      36
7. Her Majesty      42
8. Surrounded      48
9. A Captain of Marines      59
10. Anger      65
11. The Lieutenants      70

PART II: HEROES AND GOATS
12. A Culture Like No Other      89
13. Okinawa      93
14. Second Battalion, Ninth Marines Headquarters      103
15. Cam Ne Burning      111
16. The Loser      118
17. Disaster      123
18. Gooks      127
19. Meltdown      133
20. The Disappearance of First Lieutenant James T. Egan, Jr.      140
21. Twenty Minutes of Terror: Night Sapper Attack      148
22. Random Chaos      156

PART III: HOPES AND DREAMS
23. Her      171
24. Short Timer      175
25. Irony      180
26. Residuals: Denial, Anger, and Risk-Taking      185
27. Mao, Ho, and United States Policy      197

Glossary      201
Index      203

“powerful…recommended…incredible…required reading”—Military Writers Society of America; “a fine job…evocative addition…a compelling read”—Vietnam Magazine; “gripping…striking…paints a clear picture”—Phoenix Military History Examiner; “Strong, spot-on, and impressive…a dramatic look back at what we experienced as young combat warriors. Cox hits the wave tops of the emotions, fear, challenges, hardships, and personal and professional achievements we now look back and reflect upon. Bravo Zulu, well done!”—H.C. “Barney” Barnum, Colonel of Marines (Ret.) and Medal of Honor Recipient–Vietnam; “capture[s] the young Marine warrior: his thoughts, his emotions, his experiences, and the pride that binds him to his brother Marine.”—Ron Christmas, Lieutenant General, USMC (Ret.), President & CEO, Marine Corps Heritage Foundation; “The ethos of Marines in battle has never been captured better. Franklin Cox is the new balladeer of the USMC.”—Robert Coram, author of Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War.