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How a major Vietnam battle was hidden from the public for decades with Ed Sherwood
Check out this book here https://amzn.to/2QCLd2x
Interview Timeline
Ed Sherwood led an infantry platoon at Tam Ky in Delta Company, 1st Battalion, 501st Infantry, fighting with the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and was wounded in action on June 2, 1969. He served as an infantry officer until retiring from active duty as a Lieutenant Colonel. He wrote a book about the battle he was a part of and we spoke about the war, the book, and the battle. Courage Under Fire: The 101st Airborne’s Hidden Battle at Tam Ky (Casemate, 2021)
1:03 – Ed talks about why he joined the Army.
1:56 – Ed talks about whether he expected to go to Vietnam.
2:40 – Ed talks about his plans to write a book.
3:28 – Ed talks about what he focused on in the book.
4:55 – Ed describes where Tam Ky is.
5:51 – Ed talks about the weather in Vietnam.
8:26 – Ed talks about how spread out the companies and platoons were.
12:02 – Ed talks about his experience before the battle.
14:16 – Ed talks about why he called it the hidden battle.
19:02 – Ed talks about how they overcame being under strength.
23:31 – Ed talks about their tactics in the field.
26:37 – Ed talks about the bunker defenses.
27:00 – Ed talks about the terrain and tunnels of the battle site.
28:15 – Ed talks about the courage of his men.
33:42 – Ed talks about targeting the enemy.
36:38 – Ed talks about how to decide who takes the risks.
39:10 – Ed talks about choosing your pointman.
41:17 – Ed talks about the medics.
43:25 – Ed talks about his injury.
44:29 – Ed talks about what he thought when he was badly hit.
47:07 – Ed talks about the E-5 who took over after he was wounded.
48:00 – Ed talks about the difficulty of keeping in touch with his guys when he went to Japan.
50:09 – Ed talks about his Army career.
50:48 – Ed talks about how few people stayed in the Army after Vietnam.
52:10 – Ed talks about the volunteers in the 101st.
53:39 – Ed talks about whether the war was worth it.
57:43 – Ed talks about recognition and feelings about the war.
1:00:20 – Ed talks about air mobility and how they went to battle.
1:01:51 – Ed talks about his research into the battle records.
1:06:35 – Ed talks about inaccurate the records can be. He also talks about one of his guys who had been captured.
1:13:48 – Ed talks about wondering why they were suddenly pulled off the hill after the battle.
1:19:34 – Ed talks about the emotion of writing the book.
1:21:11 – Ed talks about the work he put into the book.
1:25:33 – Ed talks about instances where people or groups didn’t look good.
1:30:18 – Ed talks about enemy POWs and dead.
1:31:36 – Ed talks about his feelings about the enemy.
Links of interest
https://www.casematepublishers.com/courage-under-fire.html#.YId3x6EpCM8
Modern horror films with David Church https://wp.me/p7CDU9-59X
Contact Information
For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.
Guests: Ed Sherwood
Host: Cris Alvarez
Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, podcast, Casemate, American history, Modern War, United States, Vietnam, Vietnam War,
Check out this book here https://amzn.to/2QCLd2x
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