Professional Knowledge Gained from Operational Experience in Vietnam, 1965-1966

Accounts of warfare often deal with the big picture – the strategy, battle plans, and operations that constitute the standard military narrative. Less well documented is the gritty daily grind of the foot soldier, replete with dirt, mud, and sometimes blood. Veterans never forget these details, which all too often are missing from the history books. 'Professional Knowledge Gained from Operational Experience in Vietnam 1965–1966', compiled by the U.S. Marine Corps, vividly conjures up the intense daily interaction of U.S. troops and those of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF) or, as they are referred to throughout this book, the Viet Cong (VC). This fascinating guide book is drawn not only from the experience of the Marine Corps but also that of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force and South Vietnamese armed forces. It provides detailed information on combating the guerrilla warfare tactics of the NLF, including extensive discussion and diagrams on tunnel warfare, the use of CS (tear) gas to clear them, interdiction of villages suspected of harboring guerrillas, and rear area patrolling. A particularly interesting section describes and illustrates the wide variety of NLF grenades and mines, many of them constructed from scrap or empty U.S. shell casings, which jeopardized American troops on land and water. It also provides detailed information on American military logistics, communications, and medicine at the unit level. 'Professional Knowledge Gained from Operational Experience in Vietnam 1965–1966' provides a unique perspective on a crucial stage of America’s war in Vietnam. Historians, military officers, and anyone interested in the sinews and soul of infantry warfare will find it compelling reading.