Last Men Out: The True Story of Americas Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam

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In a gripping, moment-by-moment narrative based on a wealth of recently declassified documents and in-depth interviews, Bob Drury and Tom Clavin tell the remarkable drama that unfolded over the final, heroic hours of the Vietnam War. This closing chapter of the war would become the largest-scale evacuation ever carried out, as improvised by a small unit of Marines, a vast fleet of helicopter pilots flying nonstop missions beyond regulation, and a Marine general who vowed to arrest any officer who ordered his choppers grounded while his men were still on the ground.

Drury and Clavin focus on the story of the eleven young Marines who were the last men to leave, rescued from the U.


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Embassy roof just moments before capture, having voted to make an Alamo-like last stand. As politicians in Washington struggled to put the best face on disaster and the American ambassador refused to acknowledge that the end had come, these courageous men held their ground and helped save thousands of lives. Drury and Clavin deliver a taut and stirring account of a turning point in American history that unfolds with the heartstopping urgency of the best thrillers—a riveting true story finally told, in full, by those who lived it.

Your Cart items Cart total. Free eBook available to NEW subscribers only. Must redeem within 90 days. See full terms and conditions and this month's choices. More Books from this Author. By Bob Drury and Tom Clavin. The Heart of Everything That Is. By Lou Eppolito and Bob Drury. By Tom Clavin and Danny Peary. Tom Clavin Tom Clavin is the author or coauthor of sixteen books. Still a good book though. Dec 21, Kash rated it did not like it. I don't mean to dishonor the good work done by the US Marines during the evacuation of Saigon in and I don't mean to be disrespectful to the authors who have had good intentions, clearly, to write this book.

However I think there are several major problems with this book and I am going to list them: I think it is mainly because two authors have written it instead of one, 3- The text is poorly edited I don't mean to dishonor the good work done by the US Marines during the evacuation of Saigon in and I don't mean to be disrespectful to the authors who have had good intentions, clearly, to write this book. I think it is mainly because two authors have written it instead of one, 3- The text is poorly edited and is in dire need of a professional editing.

For example, the author s constantly go back and forth between using abbreviations for South Vietnamese military and their full names and even then they have got them wrong. Seriously, you'd think the authors would have known this simple fact.. Page ; the authors refer to a Vietnamese pilot getting his "F" ready for take-off which they must have meant an F Vietnamese air force didn't have Fs and neither did the US at the time. Editing for its paper back edition would be good. I'd also recommend cutting the length of the stories and slashing the number of pages to less than We don't need to know every single conversation between the "Top" and his subordinates or what went on with some marines in their previous postings.

Readers don't need to know what happened to the Japanese film crews in Saigon or British embassy flag pole. It distracts the reader and makes for one very boring book. All in all, you can basically read the first few chapters to get a decent background of the characters and then skip all the way to the last chapters to see what happened.

I did not do that though. I swear I tried to read the whole thing and it took me a long time since it is a very boring book for sets of actions that could have been and must have been very fast paced and thrilling. I'd say don't waste your money on this book if you're a military history buff. The iconic photo of the "last" helicopter out of Saigon on the US Embassy roof - was in fact not the final evacuation.

This riveting story covers the last 24 hours and the Marines' determination, their character, including their flaws. It shows how we abandoned our allies, including the Vietnamese Embassy Wardens, who were told that if they stayed and helped , they'd be evacuated and were then left behind. The CIA took care of themselves, leaving others behind - and causing miscommunications that delayed evac and possibly were responsible for many who were left behind. Chaos as panicked ARVN pilots evacuated in helicopters, causing danger and probable cause of two US chopper pilots dying.

Highly recommended Last Men Out: Oct 19, Andrew rated it liked it.

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What were dramatic and poignant moments and images in American history become rather dull stretched out over pages. The center of the story — the Marines at the U. While I have no doubt that the Marines were in peril and faced their duties with heroism, without actual events to show the reader, Drury must resort to telling the reader over and over about the peril.

To drive the narrative, Drury instead focuses on the action elsewhere around the country, including a particularly fascinating amphibious evacuation down the Mekong River. Recommended for those with a particular interest in the American conflict in Vietnam; for those with a more general interest in history, I suspect better options are available.

Apr 16, John rated it it was amazing. The harrowing experiences surrounding the exit of Americans from Vietnam in the last couple of days of April were indeed spectacularly heroic. Technically they were under command of the U. Ambassador and his main efforts seemed at odds to what was militarily feasible in terms of evacuating thousands of American citizens and Vietnamese refugees.

Altogether over 7, people were helicopter lifted out of Saigon before it was occupied by North Vietnam forces; about Vietnamese left behind. Jul 09, Dawn rated it it was amazing. And more importantly, I got a sense of the amazing discipline, dedication and sacrifice the Marines involved with the evacuation and the Navy pilots did their work with during the last hours of our evacuation.

The author touched very little on the politics in Washington, but what there was gives a good sense of why so many things went wrong in Vietnam. I put on some Janice Joplin while reading, and coincidentially had been with a Vietnam Vet earlier in the week who saw tanks outside the office building we were in instead of the air conditioning unit that was there. To quote from an old folk song, when will we ever learn?

May 03, Mike rated it really liked it Shelves: Great book about the last Americans in Vietnam, with a couple of minor errors. The story of the Marine Security Guards assigned to the U. Embassay in Saigon and other posts around the country. The reader will be befuddled by the incompetence of American politicans and commanders who, after abandoning hundreds of Vietnamese that had been promised transport out of the country, almost left U.

Marines behind as well. This book cries out for a movie version. As mentioned there were a couple of mi Great book about the last Americans in Vietnam, with a couple of minor errors. As mentioned there were a couple of minor errors, the authors consistently refer to the Royal Vietnamese Air Force, which had not been called Royal in over twenty years and they refered to Vietnamese F fighters when they probably meant F-5, but these errors take nothing away from the book.

Jun 11, Ellen rated it really liked it Recommends it for: History buffs, Politically Minded. Interesting book delving into the inside of the end of the Vietnam War and how the last marines who were still there, almost were left behind. Detailed the last few months before the final departure and revealed the horrors seen, allies being killed. Also, immense guilt and despair at having to leave behind some of the nationals who had been promised a ride out at the end if they had helped the Americans. The troops on site deeply felt t Interesting book delving into the inside of the end of the Vietnam War and how the last marines who were still there, almost were left behind.

The troops on site deeply felt this guilt, and, wondered of the men in Washington had any such remorse at what was being done. Those nationals who were left behind was soon be arrested and imprisoned by the insurging north Vietnamese Army. For those interested in the last few days of the Vietnam experience. You feel the fear of facing overwhelming odds, the frustration of a self serving bureaucracy turning an orderly evacuation plan into a shambles.

Another name for this book could have been, Americans last stand in Vietnam.

Last Men Out: The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam by Bob Drury

This book could ser For those interested in the last few days of the Vietnam experience. This book could serve as a sort of synopsis of the entire Vietnam experience. Self serving inept politicians and so called Statesmen that put careers and misplaced ideology ahead of common sense. May 15, Kenneth rated it really liked it. The authors brief vignettes on each marine bring them all to life as they work together to get through these harrowing hours. This is a very good read and the authors in my opinion hit their target. If you are a serious military historian, then yes, you should read this book.

Aug 31, Matt rated it really liked it Shelves: I liked this read. Had the right combination of detail and personal stories during an interesting set of events.

The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam

Clearly an example of a debacle in a war of debacles. So many stories out there on the Fall of Saigon and the evacuation of the American Marines and Embassy personel. Some sad stories for the people left behind and the crazy process they went through. I would give this about 3. If you have an interest in the actual events, this is a good summation and well w I liked this read. If you have an interest in the actual events, this is a good summation and well written.


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    • I continue to be fascinated by the Vietnam War, Southeast Asia, etc. It follows those Marines and all they did in those last days as well as giving their backgrounds and what was happening in the Embassy, the role of the Ambassador, the Secretary of St I continue to be fascinated by the Vietnam War, Southeast Asia, etc. It follows those Marines and all they did in those last days as well as giving their backgrounds and what was happening in the Embassy, the role of the Ambassador, the Secretary of State, etc. I learned a lot. Mar 20, Sheryl rated it really liked it. Half-way through this book I was ready to put it down.

    But my fellow book club members encouraged me to keep reading. This is the perfect example of a book that starts slow and really finishes with a bang excuse the pun. This book is an engaging story of the very exciting, stressful and defining moment in American history, the end of the United States involvement in the Vietnam War.

    Bob Drury is a great story teller. Mar 28, David Dubczak rated it it was amazing. Historical story told in narrative form that created a realistic picture of the tense debacle that was America's final hours in Vietnam. The picture is painted clearly, and I found my heartbeat quickening as the last few helicopters left the embassy compound during Operation Frequent Wind. Mar 31, Will rated it really liked it. As I read the book I remember my feelings on May As a Vietnam veteran I felt a great sense of loss on how the war ended.

    How much greater the were the feelings of those who had lost family members and those who lost limbs, health and emotional stability. The book was fragmented but so was the war and the book really gave you an idea of how those men tried to do their best to help everyone they could under the circumstances. The heart ache and terror and heroism in those final days What a monumentally futile task those last men and the refugees needing escape faced.

    Last Men Out

    Yet they did such a magnificent job doing what they could when things looked so entirely hopeless. Jan 31, Becca Bridget rated it really liked it. There's a slow start to the story as the author describes the background and training of the numerous service members who were serving in Vietnam at the end of the war. The tension- and the story- picks up as the NVA advances on Saigon and Americans are ordered to lead. Drury paints a truly desperate picture as the Americans are forced to rely on evacuation by helicopter.

    Nov 16, Jdblair rated it really liked it Recommended to Jdblair by: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this sad story of our departure from South Vietnam in The book introduces many of the MSGs and gives a very personal look at the individuals and what they went through. After reading this book, you wonder why we stayed in Vietnam as long as we did. There was so much waste of men and resources over the years we were there.

    Last Men Out: The True Story of America's Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam

    One of the best books I have read on the Vietnam War. Chronicles the final days in April when the city of Saigon was surrounded by Communist forces and about to fall. The sense of impending doom is palpable, sometimes I could swear I could smell the city burning. Nov 14, William rated it it was amazing. A very easy read about little known events during a controversial period of US history.

    I enjoyed this book immensely and it's a great read for anyone who has interest in the Vietnam War. Apr 29, Hollis rated it it was amazing. This is an excellent book on an often overlooked group of soldiers, diplomats and events during America's involvement in Vietnam. Apr 17, Grahambo rated it really liked it. Simply told, but earnest and compelling. Not a historical account, however clearly describes the claustrophobic collapse of the perimeter and the shame as the Vietnam war came to an end. Oct 14, Bob rated it really liked it.

    Paints a picture of the last days in Vietnam. Jun 14, Andrew Downing rated it really liked it.