Tail End Charlie: Memoir of a United States Marine in the Vietnam War

by Ronald John Jensen

Overview

This memoir is a record of what Jensen calls the luckiest and greatest adventure of his life. In the midst of the fighting and with the knowledge that each day could be his last, this young Marine managed to find some humor in his situation and he believes that is what kept him alive.

The story begins with Jensen as a young man in New York in the 1960s, who, following in his brother's footsteps, decides to join the Marines in hopes of finding himself. Early chapters discuss his experiences in boot camp and his combat training at Camp Lejeune. Subsequent chapters move directly to vivid descriptions of action on the battlefield, Jensen's time aboard the USS Valley Forge, days spent walking through rice paddies and the resulting foot infections he suffered. On the day he arrived home in New York, a cab driver at the airport charged Jensen double the fare to drive him home. He paid it and returned to a delighted family on March 6, 1970.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786480968
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	05/07/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
Sales rank:	648,656
File size:	5 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

The late Ronald John Jensen, a Vietnam veteran, lived in New York.
The late Ronald John Jensen, a Vietnam veteran, lived in New York.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Preface

I. My Decision
II. The 26th Marines
III. Hill 55
IV. The Fleet Marines
V. Route 1
VI. The Firebase
VII. Hill 190
VIII. The Village
IX. Nam O Bridge
X. Homeward

Military History of Ronald John Jensen
Glossary
Index

Editorial Reviews

informative and enjoyable read...gold mine of interesting facts”—Journal of America’s Military Past.

From the Publisher

informative and enjoyable read...gold mine of interesting facts

Journal of America's Military Past