- Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Presidio Press; illustrated edition edition (Feb 4 2003)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0891417850
- ISBN-13: 978-0891417859
- Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 14.8 x 2.1 cm
- Shipping Weight: 386 g
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #2,191,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Few Americans had it rougher in the Vietnam War than the 6,000 or so arines who were caught at Khe Sanh during the infamous January-April 1968 siege by the North Vietnamese Army. Corbett was one of them. He had seriously considered fleeing from his hometown of Nyack, N.Y., to Canada to avoid serving in the Vietnam War. He abruptly changed his mind, though, and on a dare enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in the summer of 1967. By early January of 1968, Corbett found himself at Khe Sanh in a mortar platoon with the 26th Marine Regiment. Within days of his arrival at the remote outpost near the borders of Laos and North Vietnam, Corbett and his fellow Marines (along with a unit of South Vietnamese Army Rangers) were surrounded by elements of three divisions of North Vietnamese Army troops. The NVA soon launched three months of almost nonstop combat assaults and countless artillery, mortar and rocket bombardments, at one point succeeding in blowing up the Marines' huge ammunition supply depot. There also were intermittent sniper attacks. Corbett narrowly escaped death twice. Once, a sniper's bullet whistled through his hair; another time he was blown into a bunker by an artillery blast, but was miraculously untouched by the rain of shrapnel. In this short, readable account, Corbett describes his days at Khe Sanh in almost dispassionate prose and in great detail. His brief, staccato sentences effectively convey the siege from a Marine grunt's point of view. Corbett skips lightly over his last nine months in Vietnam, during which he saw plenty more combat action. His brief description of his less-than-overwhelming homecoming reception rings true. The book's odd title comes from a discarded American street sign Corbett found while digging his personal foxhole at Khe Sanh.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Khe Sanh, in which some 6,000 marines were outnumbered seven-to-one by North Vietnamese regulars, has slowly assumed its place as one of the most famous of American battles. It occurred over 77 days, beginning in December of 1967. General Giap himself masterminded the siege, thinking the time propitious for a wholesale American collapse on the order of Dien Bien Phu. Corbett's is an eyewitness account, but he has sifted through every history he could find so that readers will understand both the enemy's movements and the thinking of the marines. The march of days saves mortars-specialist Corbett from his wandering structure so that, while he is no Philip Caputo, he develops suspense about whether he will make it through the battle unwounded, and which of his buddies will die. They die on nearly every page. The water is poisonous, the food nothing but C-rations, and it is impossible to sleep. Of course, the marines do survive, and their bravery lives on. Semper fidelis: 36 years later, Corbett does them proud. John Mort
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
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First Sentence
I left school during my first year of college. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
I left school during my first year of college. Read the first page
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
War stories from Khe Sanh.,
By Kevin M Quigg (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: West Dickens Avenue: A Marine at Khe Sanh (Hardcover)
I have read many stories from the Vietnam War and this is one of the better ones. Jack does a good job of detailing his 77 days at Khe Sanh. No wonder the Vietnam War scarred so many people at so young an age. Jack is set down in Khe Sanh and the North Vietnamese Army targets the base day and night. Marines get little sleep as rockets, mortars, and artillery are flung at them at odd hours. Jack details his life during this 3-4 month ordeal. Loss of friends, million dollar wounds, and the West Dickens street sign are just some of the stories told in this book.This is a great read. I managed to read it in two days because of the easy flow and good stories. Great job writing your first book Jack.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!,
By "eeeman66" (Valley Cottage, NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: West Dickens Avenue: A Marine at Khe Sanh (Hardcover)
Back in college I took a course entitled "Vietnam: An American Perspective", this opened me up to a wealth of literature on the Vietnam experience and the impact it has had on our nation as well as our culture. Therefore, when a friend of mine told me about this book, I had to get it. There are many books about Vietnam, each with different perspectives. Some discuss the historical or political issues, others may discuss the theological, moral, or philosophical issues. This book doesn't do any of those things. It goes one better, it deals with the human condition and how the horror of war impacts it. "West Dickens Ave" tells the story of one young marines experience in Khe Sanh during the height of the Vietnam War. This first person account is an incredible story of what our soldiers went through. Corbett's narrative and style submerge the reader right into the action, you feel like you're there, but you thank God you're not. Once I started reading I was unable to put the book down, I was so captivated that I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I highly reccommend this book, and would like to thank the author for sharing his story with me.
5.0 out of 5 stars
America's Heros,
By tina franco (kunkletown, pa United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: West Dickens Avenue: A Marine at Khe Sanh (Hardcover)
As a country we seem to forget all of the men, woman, and children who's lives are drastically changed or taken by war. History repeats itself, and this book should be an inspiration to our youth to change the pattern. I am proud of my Uncle Jack for putting his thoughts and emotions out there for the whole world to judge. Honor all of our brothers and sisters who stand up for your rights by giving up their youth or holidays with their children. My Grandma passed away only 7 months prior to the books release, but those who knew her loved her. She and my Grandfather raised 8 childern, all who I am proud to know.They are surely smiling down on Jack now!
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