Time in the Barrel: A Sailor's Account of the Battle of Con Thien, Part 2, by James P. Coan
A Marine's highly personal memoir chronicling the hellish days of a pivotal conflict in the Vietnam War Thien, located just two miles from the demilitarized zone separating North and South Vietnam, was a US Army Corps fire base. United States Marines which was the scene of fierce fighting for months. end in 1967. Fending off attacks and ambushes while suffering from ineffective leadership from Washington as well as media assaults, the courageous U.S. Marines protected this crucial piece of land at all costs. They held Con Thien, but many paid the ultimate price. By the end of the war, more than 1,400 Marines had died and more than 9,000 were wounded defending "Angel Hill." For eight months, James P. Coan's five-tank platoon was assigned to Con Thien while attached to various Marine infantry battalions. At the time a novice second lieutenant, the author kept a diary in which he recorded the thoughts, fears, and frustrations that accompanied his life on “The Hill.” Time in the A Marine's Account of the Battle for Con Thien offers an authentic account of the daily nightmare that was Con Thien. An engaging and fascinating read featuring authentic depictions of combat, it allows readers to fully grasp the enormity of the bitter struggle for Con Thien. Con Thien's defenders were bombarded by hundreds of rockets, mortars and artillery rounds that pounded the besieged outpost daily. Monsoon downpours transformed the red laterite clay soil into a swamp of oozing mud, flooded bunkers and trenches, and made Con Thien a living hell. The Marines stationed there infamously referred to their time at Con Thien as "time in the barrel" because they were as easy targets as fish in a barrel. More than a tale of military movements, Coan's gripping tales focus on the sheer sacrifice and misery of a Marine's experience in Vietnam. Through his eyes, we experience the horrendous conditions the Marines endured, from monsoon rains to the constant threat of imminent attack. Climatic moments in history are captured through the rare and personal perspective of a particular individual. astute participant and observer.
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