With the outbreak of the Korean conflict, Ranger units were again formed and trained, including the only all-black combat unit in the war.\u00a0 The Ranger units were used for night raids, remote patrols, and parachute assaults behind enemy lines.\u00a0 After the end of the Korean conflict, the Rangers were disbanded and did not appear again until Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Other than the concept of the stiletto–a small, surgical, strike force\u2014my experience was vastly different from the Rangers of today, much less the secretive Seal 6.\u00a0 Our training, equipment, and level of expertise were Neanderthal by comparison.\u00a0 While many in my unit had received training at Ranger school at Fort Benning before arriving in Vietnam, nearly all were combat newbies.\u00a0 I had no specialized training at all, but I was accepted into the Rangers based upon six weeks of combat experience with an infantry company.<\/p>\n An early review of my series of short stories suggests bold, dark, and intense<\/em>, and I think that is an apt characterization, not only of my writing, but of the Vietnam experience.\u00a0 This week, the fourth\u00a0 installment was published, and you may find the eBook entitled Chasing After Wind <\/em>with the publisher<\/a> or with Amazon.com<\/a>, and it treats dark themes of death and fate on the framework of a barracks poker game, the uncontrollable wind, and a malevolent joker in the deck.<\/p>\n Ecclesiastes provides the epigraph and the title:<\/p>\n No one has power over the wind to restrain the wind, or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle … all is vanity and a chasing after wind. <\/em><\/p>\n Ecclesiastes 8:8 & 1:14<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In the hubbub of news about the capture\/kill of Bin Laden, the professional soldiers\/sailors that carried out the mission have justifiably received a heap of attention.\u00a0 The \u201ctip of the tip\u201d of the spear is one characterization I have heard.\u00a0 … Continue reading ![\"Helicopter](\"http:\/\/www.theliberalspirit.com\/lrrp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/05\/Helicopter-over-Viet-Nam.jpg\" "\\"Helicopter")
<\/a>Ranger units of Vietnam, including my outfit, K Company of the 75th Infantry Regiment, were Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol units (LRRP for short).\u00a0 Recon in remote and hostile territory was the primary mission of our four-man LRRP teams rather than ambush or assault, but we fought when we were discovered, and I was awarded a pair of bronze stars for valor in combat.<\/p>\n