What are you people reading ?

[vance]

I am rereading Tim Roth's " Sand in the Wind" a novel of a squad from 2/5 in Vietnam . Never been to Anh Hoa but he has the grunt experience right .

Also John Parker's "The Gurkhas" . Well researched and written .

[wrbones]

I'm currently takin' a break from readin' Marine Corps stuff. I'm workin' on a science fiction novel right now. Gonna re-read Chesty when I get done, I think.

It is military science fiction if that means anything! LOL.

I might cruise the local library and see what I missed the last time I was there, re: USMC.

[mardet65]

My favorite reading material is the "Flashman" series by George McDonald Fraiser. He turns out a new yarn about every two years or so. I've been reading him since the middle 70's. Basically, its about a fictional british military officer that Fraiser places in many of the great world events of the 19th Century. Great military and historical reading with a lot of humor and womanizing thrown in. Anyone else familer with Flashman?

[USMC-FO]

Just about finished with "Chesty" Will pick up "Keeping Faith" and read that pretty quickly. Just bought "Cat from Hue" in paperback. That book is a bear so it will be a long read.

[Barndog]

I kinda pick up and put down Chesty, I keep 'A Fellowship of Valor' as my desk reference. Chesty is going to be a long, slow read. Because I want it to be that way.

Mostly, I read what my brothers write. And what other people write. I read 85% of the time my computer is online. It's quite the learning tool. (am I repeating myself again here????)

Scholars write books. People write honesty. Besides that, if a Marine writes something here, that is questionable, we can question it. And, without paying much for it. Unless ya go to the library. Then ya gotta drive there usually too....

[Earle Comstock]

I read alot of Stephen King , the Stand is probably one of my favorites , considering what we are about to go up against , in the Gulf . I believe it is going to be chemical , just like the Stand .
Also enjoy reading books on old Chevy trucks , American made motorcycles , both civilian and military , small block Chevy's , horsepower (cars and bikes) , and Drag Racing (John Force) .
well you asked !
P.S. I also read the book on Marine PFC Garwood , in Viet Nam .
Don't quite know what to say about this fellow . Does anyone know of whom I speak ? This is definately something I am curious about .

[USMC-FO]

Earle, I know of Garwood but did not know any books were out on him. I think too he is back US and I seem to recall he did not serve any time, but I would not bet the farm on that. Didn't he just...

[docsavage]

Sure wish you guys would give "Doc Randall's Revenge" a try.If you received a "Dear John" letter and wonder what you might have done 30 years later,this provides a possibility - nonetheless a dark one

[Earle Comstock]

Ok let me answer the best I know how , or can remember . Yes he did get a dishonorable discharge . I'm not positive , but I believe he was found guilty of treason . He was a POW for 14 years , left...

[vance]

Doc, I will read your book . I read a review of it here(Leatherneck.com) and I want to read it.
Garwood ,I don't know , I don't know enough about him. I do remember when he was court martialed and I do not remember that he served any time. I don't remember that it was ever proved that he collaborated .

[wrbones]

Went to the library. Yeah they're open on Sunday. 1-5 PM. Only thing I don't like is that I'm worse than a kid in a candy store. Takes me forever to make up my mind! LOL. Lots of good readin'. Lots of stuff to learn.

I finaly broke down and got two. Haven't read or heard of either one. 'Amphibious Warfare' by Speller and Tuck, and 'Victory and Deciet' by Dunnigan and Nofi Tell ya about them when I get done.

[MillRatUSMC]

Just finished reading;
"A STORM IN FLANDERS,
The Ypres Salient, 1914-1918,
Tragedy and Triumph on the Western Front"
by Winston Grooms.

Before that;
"The General's War,
The Inside Story of the Conflict in the Gulf"
By Michael R. Gordon and General Bernard E. Trainor

Warfare in the Ypres Salient from 1914 to 1918 was hell on earth.
A corpse factory, where hundred of thousands of men including Americans died for gains that were measured in mere yards.
I read a great deal of Marine Corps part in WWI but this book really brought to life the suffering on the Western Front.
Were many of those Officers incompetent ?
Some Officers refer to it as a "Waste".
Refering to all the men killed.
There were days that losses were over a 1000 a day.

The "General's War" is very timely at this point in time.
It paints some Generals in a favorable light and others it colors them in a different light of what the public believes them to be.
It also illuminates the mistakes made at the end of Desert Storm.
Not being able to close the loop on the "Republican Guard" in Basra, so they were able to salvage some of their tanks.
Leaving Saddam in power and allowing the Iraqi's to fly their helicopters to control much of Iraq, and to use to helicopters against the Kurds in Northern and Southern Iraq.
This book also states that the Marine Corps threw the Army's time off because the Corps was driving those Iraqi's up the coast up to Iraq before the Army got out of the starting blocks.
Great read and timely.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[Earle Comstock]

Right now I'm eating a bag of cheeto's and readin Playboy . Can't for the life of me figure out why my dick is orange . Yea I'm lyin , I'm not reading Playboy , I can't read . But I can look at all the pretty pictures . And recently alot of people have been asking me if I've been workin out , but they do add , most people work out with both arms .:p

[Sparrowhawk]

Didn't know they printed books and other things, been reading Mad Magazine since I was a teen....... LOL








:banana:
http://www2.warnerbros.com/madmagazine/files/maintout/mt_madxl18.jpg :banana:

[virwar]

I've been a student pilot for a couple months now. I finally got into ground school so all I've been reading for the last two weeks is the AIM/FAR, Gleim's student handbook and Gleim's FAA test prep handbook. I just got a computer study guide also. It's nice to take a break and see what my brothers and sisters are doing every once in a while. Semper Fi Dave.

[jbavol]

I'm reading Custer and Crazyhorse by Stephen Ambrose, great read as he paralells the two's lives. It's really amazing the cultural differences between the two.

[Osotogary]

jbavol,
Stephen Ambrose, bless his soul, was very good at his trade. He was very well researched and easy to read. If you are into Custer and Crazy Horse may I suggest reading "Crow Killer" (I'll get back to you with the authors name). It is about Mountain man Jeremiah Johnson (Johnston being his real last name). I found this book in the Ft.Lauderdale, Florida Public Library System.
Known as "Liver eater " he lived into his sixties and passed away one month after he entered a Veterans Home in Southern California. His main areas of trapping were around Colorado, Montana, Utah. (Yellowstone National Park). I would recommend this book for the marvelous tapestry of Mountainmen, Indian and settler lifestyles it presents. A movie was made named Jeremiah Johnson with Robert Redford. (liver eating wasn't covered). Jeremiah Johnston, liver eater, White chief of the Shoshoni, Husband of a Flat head Indian, Enemy and finally friend of the Crows, Civil War veteran from Colorado, Indian fighter and guide and Constable. This book has it all. You will get all the culture you want AND it is a small book!
Happy reading.
Gary

[vance]

I have started Howard Simpson's "Dien Bien Phu" . It is good but he does not have the maps that Fall did in "Hell in a very Small Place" .

[SHOOTER1]

Was talking about Gunny Hathcock today, and someone brought up the fact that an Army Sniper by the name of Chuck Mawhinney. (spelling) had 114 confermed kills, I thought I had heard of something about him, but have never found any real information about him, it was said he would never talk about it or give interviews,any body got any info . Thanks

[zOmega]

www.stratfor.com

Why read history when we're living it?

[lurchenstein]

Shooter, thanks for refreshing my memory on Gunny Hathcock. Yesterday we were talking about the myths about the Geneva Convention and the merits of using a .50 cal as an anti-personnel weapon.

CPL Commie, no spankin' the monkey on duty. (Carry on with the cheetos though.) I have to give them up to avoid "fat-body platoon".

Semper Fi to all you crazy bastards.

[vance]

There is a book coming out on Chuck Mawhinnie and Eric England " Phantom of Phu Bai" , they both look good . Read this at Marine Corps Scout Sniper website.

[Osotogary]

1)vance,
Authors of "Crow Killer": Raymond W. Thorpe
and Robert Bunker.
It is a Signet Book.

2)SHOOTER1,
vance was good enough to pass on the same information that I was about to give you. I will still bop bye the book store manana and see if "Phantom of Phu Bai" is on the selling shelf.

Gary

[leroy8541]

the phantom of phu bai is about robert england good read.

[marinemom]

Just finished Eugene Sledge's posthumously published follow-up book to "With The Old Breed", called "China Marine". It takes up after the surrender of Japan and covers his post-war duties before...

[vance]

I will look for "China Marine" , looks good.

" Phantom from Phu Bai " may be hard to get . Marine Corps Association book store or Scout/Sniper Assocation might be able to find.

[Ryan_Callan]

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six, I never get tired of it how many times I read it. Quite easy to get and pretty good reading.

Ryan

[SHOOTER1]

Thanks for the info Marines,I knew I could git the scoop on Mahinney of this board, Ill now git the book, again Thanks

[wrbones]

Amphibious Warfare is a basic primer on amphibious operations with examples from ancient history to the Gulf War.

It reveals in some small way how difficult and technical such operations are. Training and experience are necessary for nearly each individual operation. A few details of different operations are included that you might not easily find elsewhere.

Interesting to those who are interested in that sort of thing....

:D

[shortround68]

Let me suggest a good read for all of you.
It is called "Never Without Heroes" by Lawrence Vetter.
The book is about my unit in Vietnam/3rd Recon Bn
We have 4 MOH's, 72 Silver Stars and countles Bronze Stars from within the unit. Recognized as the most decorated unit in the Vietnam war. By the way, I am mentioned in the book many times.
Hope you enjoy.

Shortround

[shortround68]

Gents
I am webmaster for 3rd Recon Bn and we now have a new PX site which I finished about a month ago. We are trying to generate some revenue for our next Bn reunion in 2004.
We have a great selection of books on Recon and the Marine Corps in general.
Our URL is: http://www.3rdrecon.org/index.htm
You will find the link for the PX as you scroll down the main page.

Shortround
3rd Recon Bn
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