Combat at Close Quarters: Warfare on the Rivers and Canals of Vietnam

Abstract

The “Brown-Water Navy” in Vietnam gained fame by numerous books, such movies as Apocalypse Now, and the Presidential candidacy of Senator John Kerry, a “swift-boat” veteran. Commendably, this compact and lavishly illustrated history begins with an executive summary of riverine operations from the French Indochina War to the withdrawal of the United States Navy in the 1970’s. Subsequent chapters describe the major campaigns, milestone by milestone.