| A Final Valiant ACT: The Story of Doug Dickey, Medal of Honor Contributor(s): Lang, John B. (Author) |
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ISBN: 1612007570 ISBN-13: 9781612007571 Publisher: Casemate
WE WILL NOT BE UNDERSOLD! Click here for our low price guarantee Binding Type: Hardcover - See All Available Formats & Editions Published: April 2020 |
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| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Military - Vietnam War - Biography & Autobiography | Military - History | Modern - 20th Century |
| Physical Information: 1.3" H x 6.3" W x 9.2" L (1.25 lbs) 296 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - Southeast Asian |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: The story of Doug Dickey, a young Marine in Vietnam who acted when a grenade landed nearby and saved the lives of his comrades. Doug Dickey was an unlikely Marine hero. He was a gentle soul who sang in the school's chorus and struggled to make it through boot camp. However, in the terrible seconds that passed after a grenade landed in the middle of his platoon's command element, Doug chose to sacrifice his life to save his comrades. For this Final Valiant Act, Doug received the Medal of Honor. Doug grew up on a farm in Ohio and enlisted in the Marine Corps with four of his friends from high school. Arriving in Vietnam, he was assigned to "Blackjack" Westerman's 1st Battalion, 4th Marines--one of the few Marine units to make amphibious assaults during the Vietnam War. As part of 2nd Platoon, Company C, Doug took part in Operation Deckhouse VI, to rout the Viet Cong from Quang Ngai; and Operation Beacon Hill, which culminated in the desperate battle on March 26, 1967. That afternoon, the platoon became engaged with a much larger NVA unit just south of the DMZ. In the midst of that fierce battle, with casualties mounting rapidly, an enemy grenade landed in the middle of the platoon's command group. Doug dove on the grenade--saving his friends and comrades. Second Platoon was ultimately victorious, but at a high cost: more than 40 men had gone into battle that day; only 12 walked out the next morning. Doug's comrades in 2nd Platoon never forgot him. Easter Sunday 1967 was seared into their memories. In 1997, they began holding yearly reunions. They decided to honor Doug by holding their first reunion in his hometown. Harold and Leona Dickey were finally able to meet the men their son had saved 30 years earlier. A Final Valiant Act is the result of over 14 years of research-- drawing on Doug's letters home, and more than 50 interviews. The personal stories are woven into a meticulously researched battle history, sourced from dozens of declassified combat reports--yielding the most detailed account of Operation Beacon Hill yet written. |
Contributor Bio(s): Lang, John: - ohn Lang is a native of Monterey, California, and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Lang spent most of his adult life in the Marine Corps, and is a veteran of three combat operations. He retired from the Marine Corps in 2004 with more than 22 years of commissioned service. He has more than 27 military awards and decorations, and was the Marine Corps intelligence officer of the year in 1996. |
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