Navy Medicine in Vietnam - by Jan K Herman (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The book chronicles the Navy Medical Department's participation in Vietnam, beginning with the Navy's rescue of the French survivors of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 and ending with the Navy's rescue of Vietnamese refugees fleeing the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.

When American involvement reached its peak in 1968, the 750-bed Naval Support Activity Hospital Danang (NSAH) was in full operation, and two hospital ships--the USS Repose and the USS Sanctuary--cruised offshore. Whether the situation called for saving the lives of injured sailors aboard a burning aircraft carrier or treating a critically wounded Marine for shock in the rubble-strewn streets of Hue, Navy medical personnel were in Vietnam from the beginning of American involvement to the very end, saving thousands of lives.

This book tells the story of the Navy Medical Department's involvement through stark and gripping first-person accounts by patients and the Navy physicians, dentists, nurses, and hospital corpsmen who treated them. More than 50 historic photos document their work.

Review Quotes

"a valuable read"-The Journal of Military History; "beautifully written and artfully compiled...an important addition...highly recommend[ed]"-Navy Nurse Corps Association Newsletter; "highly readable"-Journal of Navy Medicine; "Jan Herman, historian of the Navy Medical Department, has done most impressive work with this moving collection of first-hand accounts chronicles Navy Medical Corps service in Vietnam"-Proceedings; "collection of profoundly moving narratives...photos are heartrending"-SciTech Book News.

About the Author

Jan K. Herman is the former chief medical historian of the U.S. Navy. He has written and produced documentaries for the Navy, highlighting its medical service during World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. He has authored more than 50 articles and five books. Now retired, he resides in Takoma Park, Maryland.