Exellent account of the An Loc Battle.

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	• The Battle Of An Loc (Twentieth-Century Battles) James H. Willbanks Indiana University Press, 2005 - 226 pages average customer review:based on 8 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Exellent account of the An Loc Battle.

In September 1971, the Army closed down the Army-Lockheed YO-3A silent aircraft night recon program and shipped it home. To bad the YO-3A planes were not involved in the An Loc battle that occured 7 months later. Many lives could have been saved with this Stealth Forward Air Control Plane. The YO-3A operated at 1,000 feet at night, flew slow, was silent had advanced night vision equipment, infrared illuminator and laser target designator and impervious to heat seeking weapons. In 14 months of operation in Vietnam, non of the 9 YO-3As were ever shot down or took a round. But the YOs sure could see what was going on in the night when the VC the NVA were moving stuff. Check out the website www.yo-3a.com

I was a YO-3A crew chief and sure would like to make contact with the author of this book.

Also see Kit Lavell's book Black Ponies that has a section on how the YO-3A located the largest Russian Trawler in South Vietnam and was instrumental in directing fire and sinking the boat.

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Excellent Description of Warfare

Excellent book!!!

Anyone who has some basic military experience but never served abroad, and only seen movies about war or heard tidbits, would
appreciate what is in this book. The book reveals the strategy of battles, the 'mechanics' of battle (orders issued to battalions, and their officers' reactions to situations, etc) It's the real thing! And even better than the movie Platoon!

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A Very Good Read

"The Battle of An Loc" by James Wilbanks. A must have book for anyone with an interest in Viet-Nam. This is a very good read. The author, James Wilbanks, was present and wounded at An Loc. This is not only his account, but gives insights from the North Vietnamese and US Advisors after action reports plus other communist documents. The role of the unending US air support, the bravery of the US air crews, and the orchestration by the Forward Air Controllers to the battle's victory for the ARVN and US Advisors is covered in warranted great detail. The inability of the NVA to have armor and infantry work together in more conventional warfare is clearly brought to light and documented. Wilbanks gives insights into Richard Nixon's Vietnamization's perceived success by the politicians and its ultimate failures. This is a must have read and must have addition to the library for anyone with interest in the war in Viet-Nam.

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Battle of An Loc is a keeper

Excellent detail of one of the most important battles during the latter stages of the Vietnam War. Focus is obviously on the ground troups. I was somewhat disappointed with the lack of detail with regards to the "gun ships" of the Navy.

Thank you, James Willbanks

I participated as a C-130E co-pilot (374 Tactical Airlift Wing) during the Battle of An Loc. I greatly appreciate this book, helping me to understand what else was happening on the ground and in the air throughout the battle. As a participant, I vouch for the excellent accuracy and honesty of the book. The book starts out a bit slow, describing the organizational structure of the Army of the Republic Vietnam and its deployment. On page 37 it goes to high intensity with the Battle of Loc Ninh, a neighbor of An Loc. Willbanks gives you great empathy for those on the ground at Loc Ninh and An Loc, who were in a desperate struggle for their lives. It was hard to put the book down, once I got to the Battle of An Loc. The book slows down again in the last two chapters and epilogue.
I am sorry that seventeen C-130E crewmembers died in the battle. I am sorry that some of our airdrops missed the drop zone and fell into enemy hands. But the airdrops that were recovered by the ARVN were an essential part of the battle.

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