Up until the counterinsurgency in Afghanistan, the Vietnam War was the longest armed conflict involving the USA. It remains a complex and misunderstood war, framed for many by a succession of arguably misleading (albeit entertaining) Hollywood movies. In his new book Sign Here for Sacrifice, author and historian Ian Gardner focuses on the story of one battalion, an outfit tasked with living up to the prestigious legacy of the 101st Airborne. Gardner describes how the 3rd Battalion, 506th Airborne (3/506) was formed from volunteers, and put through rigorous training before shipping out to take on the Viet Cong in the unrelenting jungles on the frontline. A former Para himself, Gardner recounts the 3/506’s first search and destroy missions, as the battlefield tactics and military theory of veterans such as the inimitable Lieutenant Colonel John Geraci were put to the test. Here Gardner discusses his new book and what drew him to the story of the 3/506.
What initially interested you in the story of the 3rd Battalion, 506th Airborne?
The enigma surrounding airborne soldiering has always been of deep interest for me. Growing up near Aldershot in Hampshire, we often saw recruits from Browning Barracks or Depot Para wearing their camouflage peak caps, being tested to the limit either in training or on Pre-Parachute Selection known as P Company. This fascination grew until eventually I stepped up and qualified as a reserve paratrooper in 1988.
この記事は History of War の Issue 117 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は History of War の Issue 117 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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