Fire Base Illingworth An Epic An Epic True Story of Remarkable Courage Against Staggering Odds

Praise for "Fire Base Illingworth" "A harrowing tale that centers on an exhausted, ragtag group of U.S. Army troops as they fought for their lives against a 400-man North Vietnamese Army regiment in a vicious engagement in 1970. The heart of the book is a virtually minute-by-minute description of the fighting."--"Publishers Weekly" "Impressive verisimilitude and . . . moment-by-moment accuracy. A respectful account of a battle that was 'a perfect microcosm of what the Vietnam War was becoming in the early days of Vietnamization.'"--"Kirkus" "A fascinating and detailed study of strategic intentions, operational planning, and tactical execution from a critical time period of the Vietnam War. Phil Keith has added, in dramatic detail, the personal sacrifices of brave warriors in this hellacious fight at LZ Illingworth in the late years of the Vietnam War--experiences that have not been adequately documented to date. They remain as relevant for the war fighters of today as those who endured the drama of close combat over 40 years ago. In the spirit of "We Were Soldiers Once and Young," this book fittingly honors their actions for the ages--both collectively and individually."--Alexander S. Cochran, Professor of History, University of New Mexico; Vietnam veteran and former historical adviser to the Army Chief of Staff "In relating the events at Fire Base Illingworth, Phil Keith has captured the essence of combat from first hand accounts of those soldiers who experienced it. The reader can sense the fear, the confusion, the bravery which hung over these men on that awful day in 1970, and which continue to haunt many of them to this day. "Fire Base Illingworth" can rightly take its place alongside such Vietnam War classics as "Fields of Fire" and "We Were Soldiers Once and Young."" --Captain Thomas G. Kelley, USN (Ret.), Vietnam Veteran, Medal of Honor recipient "A wonderful tribute to Jack Illingworth--and for all men and women who died or spi