Permission to enter! As an old Coast Guard brat, Marines have been a close part of my life since forever. A Marine was my 1st babysitter, one taught me how to tie my shoe laces, arrested me when I tried to escape the base and one taught me to play a mean game of 5 card stud - all by the time I was 5. I was even in a plane crash with wounded Marines from Korea. Marines were always to stay in my life as the CG didn't their own bases and Daddy was a pilot, so we were always "detached" to some NAS. My 1st date was "The Ball". Marines are dear to me.

The other night, I had the privlege of meeting a man who, finally after some prodding on my part, reluctantly told me he had been a Khe Sahn Marine. Then he quickly spit out, "And that's all I'm going to say about it."

Now I'm old enough to have been in my 20s during KS and have subquently read about it so I knew it had been a simply, unspeakably bloody siege involving Marines with horrendous losses. However, the details have escaped me. So I simply put my hand on his shoulder, looked him in the eye and said, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry anyone had to go through something like that. But no one who was there ever needs to feel ashamed of their feelings about it. It was what it was and you were but one human being."

Over the course of the evening, he repeated his "That's all I'll say about it." mantra but bit-by-bit, he did say some little things to me. And at the end of the evening, he "accused" me of witchcraft because he said he spoke more to me than he ever had to anyone else. Id like to believe that's because he sensed he could trust me; that my genuine concern for Marines was evident; and my own PTSD (the plane crash) and training as a nurse enabled me to reach out to a very nice man who needs a hand. (And no, this was not a pick-up, my husband was right there.)

Gentlemen, some info on Khe Sahn please. Is there a particular book or article you would reccommend to me? Any help you can offer me is welcome. Thank you for allowing me here.

Cathy

First of all, there are tens of thousands of wannabes who claim to be Khe Sahn vets. There are also a lot of Marines who served in the hills surrounding Khe Sahn who are in fact Khe Sahn vets. I do (did) neither. I was in-country during that period and I know quite a few Khe Sahn Marines.

I believe that Keith William Nolan (a very prolific writer about the Vietnam War) has a very comprehensive book about Khe Sahn.

One particularly good read that I enjoyed very much is "Alfa 1/1" by Kenneth Jordan

HERE IS THE AUTHOR'S BOOK ORDER INFORMATION:
My phone number is 440-946-0020. I think I told you the book retails for $34.95, but any one who wants a signed copy from me it is $23.50 + $3.00 S&H.

johnwear, Thank you. One of the things I have remembered is that if a bar is 2 rows deep with guys saying they were in Khe Sahn, all but 1 of them is lying - and he's the only one who hasn't said a word about being there. I've ordered some books that got 5* reviews on Amazon so hopefully I'll learn enough to be able to talk about it if my new friend chooses to do so. He is no wannabe; unfortunately Khe Sahn is still too real and too close to him as are the men he was unable to get out. He's still very raw.

I understand that there is quite a large and active Khe Sahn vet organization...and they have a website that you may want to visit.

This is the Khe Sanh Vets website:
http://geocities.com/Pentagon/4867/

We also have a roster of all know members. I have a copy if you want to check out anyone. Members also have rosters of those who served with the various units.

I believe that you will get the truest picture by reading Ray Stubbe's BATALLION OF KINGS. There are other books listed on the website as well as other information.

Larry Gugle can explain it to you..

Gunny B