The Hill Fights: The First Battle of Khe Sanh

I bought this book for my father-in-law, who is a Purple Heart winner from the Vietnam War. He loved it so much, he bought five more to give to other Vietnam vets he knows.

A good book, but maps that showed the locations of individual units and the topography would have enhanced the understanding of the battles. When the author talks about ridges, crests and valleys, I found it difficult to visualize who was where. The few maps in the front of the book offer little useful information. And, the type is so small, reading the maps in the paperback edition proved to be a challenge.

This is one of the best compilation of personal accounts that I've read on Vietnam. I like how the author chose to present the information and how the author presented the political issues (both inter-branch and Congress) that occured in regards to bases and the M16. I'm surprised by some of the things presented in this book. One of the main surprises was the attitude that several of the NCOs supposedly held towards the junior enlisted men. It always struck me that Marine NCOs were some of the best and didn't hold the superior attitudes that were described in parts of this book. There were a few things that could have been improved in the book, but they did not detract from the telling of these Marines' stories. The things that I think could have been improved were: 1. A couple of abbreviations were never explained (BLT and the naming of Marine units (i.e. 2/3, is that 2nd battalion, 3rd Marines or something else)). 2. It was nice that the author listed in the Appendix what happened to some of the Marines involved in the Hill Fights after the events in the book. However, I think that he should have included everyone he named within the book. It would have meant a longer list, but it would have been helpful. Overall, this is a very well written and well informed account of what happened around Khe Sanh.

A profoundly detailed account of what we lived through and the often bitter circumstances that we faced in combat. Murphy lets you taste the bitterness of circumstances gone wrong and smell the sweet victory when it works well. I could never understand why we were given the M-16 rifle with serial no's that began with EM16-E1XXXXXXXX (experimental model) until the truth of the politics behind it was revealed in this work. They were next to worthless as originaly issued. The research on the book was exhaustive and done with a heart to reveal the truth without being mean spirited in conveying the truth. When Ed interviewed me and I had a foggy recollection, he challenged me with facts that made the memory come clear or proved to me that I was not recalling it correctly. Brilliant insight into why we fought some of the battles we fought and who thought we had to fight over what turf and why. The names in print alongside mine are all correct, a testament to the authors thoroughness. He did a good job weaving our comments together into an integrated story that is exciting to read. I've enjoyed reading it and still go back to it. Have given it as a gift on several ocasions.

Edward F Murphy delivers his finest book yet about a battle that has long been over shadowed by the siege of Khe Sanh. I've waited for this book to come out a long time and I wasn't disappointed. His writing style is sharper and more intimate than his already great previous works. He is now on the level of Keith William Nolan. Edward F Murphy has now written some of the finest books on the Vietnam war.The Hill Fights starts off with a bang and masterfully chronicles some of the heaviest fighting in the Vietnam war.Khe Sanh was a special forces base until NVA activity in the area heated up. Westmoreland doesn't want the base to fall like the Ashau valley base did in 1966 so Marines get the call to go and prop up the base. Marines arrived at Khe Sanh Combat base and slowly take over. The infiltrating NVA intially lay low and the Marines had little luck in pinpointing them. The spring of 1967 turns deadly as the NVA decides to take a stand. On Hill 861 the entrenched NVA ambush a platoon of Marines. Low on ammo and in harsh terrain the Marines fight hard. Sadly the Marines are commited piecemeal and suffer heavy casulties before taking Hill 861. The Marines suffered 24 KIA, 46 WIA, and 8 MIA taking this hill that over looked the Khe Sanh combat base. Battalions of Marines arrived as reinforcements and they set out clearing the NVA out of the area. Hills 881 South and 881 North were assaulted next. Brutal combat takes place as the NVA holds it's own against the elite Marines. Finally the Marines superior firepower, training, and will to win allows the brave Marines to defeat the NVA. After 12 days of battle 168 Marines and Navy corpsman were KIA, 443 were wounded. 2 Marines were also MIA. The NVA lost 824 dead & 551 probably killed. Finally the hills fights were over and those that were there would never forget. One of the problems that hindered the Marines was the M16 which jammed much too frequently. Much blood was shed by dead and wounded Marines before the weapon would be fixed. The Khe Sanh area would grow relatively quiet until the well documented 77 day siege the following year.The Hill Fights was one of the biggest battles in the Vietnam war and now can no longer be overlooked by history. This is a fine book and a must have for those into the Vietnam war or for those curious as to what it was like.