Reviews
Snedeker's excellent book bears witness to the courage, determination, and accomplishments of a great combat outfit in a war that nobody fully understood. That lack of understanding does not subtract from the valor displayed over six years of fighting. The regiment's arrival in Vietnam doubled the number of armored vehicles in country with many of the 'old timers' in the military command questioning the ability of the new forces to operate in the jungle and rice paddies. Not only did the leaders and soldiers of the Blackhorse have to learn the tough lessons of real combat operations,they also had to educate fellow leaders and soldiers of infantry units of their quick reactions and lethal capabilities. But the heart of the story is the combat operations and the day-to-day valor displayed by the cavalry troopers. Snedeker tells this history through interviews and soldiers' letters as well as memoirs, histories and official records. His use of intelligence reports and enemy writings is particularly helpful in understanding what was going on 'on the other side of the hill' or, in this case, the other part of the jungle. The soldier's viewpoint brings the story alive, exciting and, at times, sorrowful. Thanks to Don Snedeker, the reader will understand the uniqueness of being a 'cavalry trooper.', The subject is meticulously researched and will be of interest to historians and to anyone who served with the Blackhorse., ...a well-researched work that draws on historical sources, unit after-action reports and first-person accounts., This is a well-written, extensively documented unit history of a regiment with an enviable combat record that will interest both military historians and Vietnam veterans, particularly those who served in the Blackhorse during the war and after., ...this is one of the better books on the Vietnam War to come out in many years. Its penetrating insights and revelations make it a must-have on any military history or national security bookshelf., ...a wellwritten account of the 11th ACR 's tour in Southeast Asia. It will appeal to an audience interested in enhancing their appreciation for the effect of battlefield firepower and maneuver, but also understanding the tactical accomplishments of a superbly led unit.
