Editor’s Choice: “In Country | My Memories Of Vietnam And After”

by
posted on February 26, 2024
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
In Country | My Memories Of Vietnam And After book

I met author Forrest R. Lindsey at a gun show where he graciously provided a signed copy of this remarkable account of his experiences as a young man enlisting in the Marine Corps a year after high school in 1965. After witnessing the vagaries of war and eventually being wounded during combat operations in Vietnam, Lindsey struggled through a lengthy recovery process to regain the ability to walk. Eventually, his latent interest in the engineering and deployment of military arms led to his return to the Corps as an artillery officer in 1973.

During his 27-year career, Lindsey served in a variety of positions, eventually commanding the 5th Battalion, 11th Marines in 1993-’94 at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Afterward, he went to work at the U.S.M.C. Warfighting Laboratory in Quantico, Va., as a senior engineer and program manager, where he developed the XM-326 120 mm Automated Mortar System known as Dragon Fire.

Conveyed in a casual prose style and also through numerous in-country color and black-and-white photographs provided by the author and fellow Marines, Lindsey’s story weaves together personal experiences and broader observations about the Vietnam War that make it both captivating and informative for the layman and arms enthusiast alike. An appendix of Marine Corps weapons, vehicles and equipment provides first-hand insights into how such materiel was actually employed, along with commentary as to its effectiveness.

In all, this rather short (183-page) work serves as an insightful glimpse into a chapter in American history that involved one of the most misunderstood events of the past century. It is my hope that it causes every reader to reflect on the debt we owe such men as Lindsey and the many service personnel from all branches of the U.S. military who didn’t return from southeast Asia those many years ago.

MSRP is $39. For more information, visit dorrancepublishing.com.

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.