Cammie Up!: Memoir of a Recon Marine in Vietnam, 1967-1968

by Steven A. Johnson

Overview

In this Marine combat memoir, Steve Johnson recounts his service in Vietnam from April 1967 to May 1968. Only 17 when he enlisted in 1964, Johnson deployed to Vietnam with the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, and his tour included such now famous locations as Phu Bai, Khe Sanh, Nha Trang and Quang Tri, among others. With a sometimes humorous tone, Johnson describes a war of often terrified high school and college-aged youngsters faced with exotic plant and animal life, monsoon rains, harrowing reconnaissance missions and death. Details are plentiful about tactics, equipment, geography and, always, fellow Marines.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786466009
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	11/24/2011
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Steven A. Johnson served more than 17 years in the Marine Corps on active duty and in the reserves (including a call-up for active duty in Desert Storm). He spent 20 years with the Jamestown, New York, Police Department, and six with the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office. He lives in Jamestown.

Table of Contents

Foreword Ray W. Stubbe 1

Preface 3

Introduction 5

Part 1 In Which I Make Preparations to See the Elephant

1 Transition 8

2 Reconnaissance School 15

3 California to Okinawa 24

Part 2 In Which I Enter the Elephant's Realm

4 In Country: Phu Bai 30

5 Learning My Trade 43

6 Khe Sanh 49

7 Patrol Preparation 56

8 Settling In and Environment 64

9 Lizards and Leeches and Bugs … Oh, My! 69

Part 3 In Which I Can Definitely Smell the Elephant

10 Could'a Been Worse! 82

11 Sergeant of Marines 90

12 A Day in the Life 95

13 Trenches and Bunkers 98

14 Harborsites and a Little Travel 104

15 On Patrol 114

16 A Real Mess 12?

17 Death and a Long Walk 138

18 Fizzies and Nha Trang 147

19 Puff and Hill 950 155

Part 4 In Which the Elephant Takes a Short Vacation

20 A New Company 164

21 Okinawa; Training 168

22 Back In Country; Quang Tri 176

Part 5 In Which I Finally See the Elephant

23 More Patrols and Agent Orange 182

24 Ambush 190

25 China Beach and Malaria 211

Part 6 In Which I Release the Elephant Back Into the Jungle

26 Going Home 222

27 Welcome Back? 228

Part 7 No More Elephants

28 More Malaria 234

29 Duty Done-A New Journey 240

Appendix A After Action Report 245

Appendix B Myth Busters 248

Appendix C How We Lost the War 254

Maps 259

Glossary 265

Chapter Notes 271

Index 275

Editorial Reviews

a must read...Johnson writes about his experiences...with a clarity and intensity that makes the reader feel as though he is with Johnson throughout his tour...a terrific read”—Caltrap.

From the Publisher

a must read...Johnson writes about his experiences...with a clarity and intensity that makes the reader feel as though he is with Johnson throughout his tour...a terrific read

Caltrap