Stealth Patrol. The Making of a Vietnam Ranger

Bill Shanahan was troubled by his line company duty in Vietnam: whenever his unit went on patrol, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong could hear them coming. His unit didn't have a chance against an enemy that quietly emerged from the jungle like ghosts-and just as quickly disappeared. Shanahan wanted a better way to fight . . and to stay alive. And so, just four months after he arrived in Vietnam in 1968, he joined the LRPs (Long Range Patrol).The mission of the Lurps, as they were called, was dangerous: Five- or six-man teams were dropped into the dense forest behind enemy lines. They were to observe enemy troop movements and stage ambushes that sometimes ended in fierce firefights. When their mission was over, they called for quick helicopter rescue. Back on base, they debriefed and tried to sleep off the adrenaline. Two days later they were back in the brush. The missions changed, but one goal was always the same-stay alive.In hard-hitting prose, Bill Shanahan, with co-author John Brackin, tells his story of survival behind enemy lines.

Bill Shanahan earned two Bronze Stars while serving in Vietnam with the 74th Infantry Detachment (Long Range Patrol), 173rd Airborne Brigade, and later Co. N, 75th Infantry. He lives in Alabama.

John P. Brackin is a freelance writer who has contributed to many magazines. He lives in Birmingham, Alabama and is a freelance writer who has contributed to many magazines. He lives in Alabama.