Impeccably researched, unbiased, and revealing.'– Kirkus • One of the finest chronicles of the mysterious LRRP units of the Vietnam war• Explains how they were staffed and trained• Discusses their missions and tactics Vietnam was a different kind of war, calling for a different kind of soldier. When the first major combat units were deployed there in 1965 the Army found itself in a predicament. This was a war unlike any that it had trained and equipped itself for; the jungle terrain was nothing like Eastern Europe, and the enemy’s preferred guerrilla tactics, as opposed to stand up and fight set-piece battles, meant that an effective means of locating him was required. The LRRPs – Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols – were that new breed of fighting man. They operated in six-man teams deep within enemy territory, and were the eyes and ears of the units they served. This is their story of perseverence under extreme hardship and uncommon bravery, and how they carried out the war's most hazardous missions.Michael Lee Lanning retired from the army as a lieutenant colonel after more than twenty years' service. During his assignment to Vietnam, he served as both an infantry platoon leader and a company commander in the 199th Infantry Brigade (Light). He is the author of fourteen books including Mercenaries, Inside Force Recon, and Inside the Crosshairs.