Diary of an Airborne Ranger, Frank Johnson
Diary of an Airborne Ranger, Frank Johnson
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Diary of an Airborne Ranger
A LRRP's Year in the Combat Zone

Author: Frank Johnson

Narrator: Don Leslie

Abridged: 1 hr 47 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/03/2001


Synopsis

Perhaps the most accurate story of LRRPs at war
ever to appear in print!

When Frank Johnson arrived in Vietnam in 1969, he was nineteen, a young soldier untested in combat like thousands of others--but with two important differences: Johnson volunteered for the elite L Company Rangers of the 101st Airborne Division, a long range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) unit, and he kept a secret diary, a practice forbidden by the military to protect the security of LRRP operations.

Now, more than three decades later, those hastily written pages offer a rare look at the daily operations of one of the most courageous units that waged war in Vietnam. Johnson served in I Corps, in northern Vietnam, where combat was furious and the events he recounts emerge, stark and compelling: walking point in the A Shau Valley, braving enemy fire to rescue a downed comrade, surviving days and nights of relentless tension that suddenly exploded in the blinding fury of an NVA attack.

Undimmed and unmuddied by the passing of years, Johnson's account is unique in the annals of Vietnam literature. Moreover, it is a timeless testimony to the sacrifice and heroism of the LRRPs who dared to risk it all.

About The Author

Frank Johnson enlisted in the U.S. Army in July 1968. He served in Vietnam as a member of Company L (Ranger), 101st Airborne Division, where he was awarded the Silver Star Medal, the Bronze Star Medal with "V" device, the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious service, the Air Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. Upon his return from Vietnam in 1970, he served 10 months with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. Since leaving active duty, he has served with 12th Special Forces Group (Abn.) U.S. Army Reserves; 4th Force Recon, USMC Reserves; 122nd Armor Brigade, Nevada National Guard, and is currently serving with the Nevada Air Guard. He has been a police officer with the Reno, Nevada Police Department for the past 20 years.


Reviews

Goodreads review by William on June 24, 2022

Written in a language that I understand but have not heard in many years, this diary clearly shows the thoughts of a warrior. Especially valuable is the afterward which is a critique of how LRPP's were misused during Vietnam.......more

Goodreads review by Mike on January 05, 2019

Only 18, 19 and 20 year old kids can do this stuff. Thirty year olds would say screw it. Fast read, but captivating.......more

Goodreads review by Tony on June 16, 2024

I thought I knew a lot about the Vietnam War. This book, which is a first hand account, diary from a 19- year old Ranger had me in a bit of shock. 1). The military used these LRRP teams in the later years as disposable cannon fodder. 2). These Ranger teams were amazing. If the strategists knew how to......more

Goodreads review by Kevin on June 03, 2023

A day by day journal of one young soldier's time in Vietnam. It was interesting to read in part because of all the stories and descriptions I have had to privilege to hear from other veterans over the years. Each vet's story is unique, but some of the terms used and Johnson's complaints about severa......more

Goodreads review by Edward W. O'Connell on May 19, 2021

Great first hand account of the day to day experience of a skilled war fighter. A first hand account of actions as a LRRP including a very realistic review of the frustrations that frontline troops go through with detached commanders who are just there to check a box and move on in their career.......more