“Expendable Warriors’ is an autobiographical account of the battle of Khe Sanh by one of the genuine American heroes of the 1968 Tet Offensive. That alone makes the work both a primary historical source and interesting reading material…[B]eyond history and autobiography, Col. Clarke offers two significant criticisms of the way the Vietnam War was fought: the lack of unity of command, and the misguided attempt to measure victory by body count. Professional and amateur historians will appreciate this text, and so will teachers of political and military science, as well as teachers of international relations.”
“Most books studying the 1968 siege of Khe Sanh focus on the Marine Corps’ defense of the base and the hilltops to the north. Other books examine the fall of the nearby Lang Vei Special Forces Camp overrun by North Vietnamese tanks. To most Khe Sanh was a Marine battle. While heavily shelled and the hilltop outposts fought off attacks, the main base experienced only minor ground attacks. There was another battle though, unheralded in most books, the vicious fight for Khe Sanh Village south of the main base. This fight saw 25 Army and Marine advisors and 175 Vietnamese irregular troops fighting off a North Vietnamese regular regiment. Bruce Clarke aptly describes the valor and spirit of the defenders as they beat back repeated assaults with little support from the main base. This is a first person account of a virtually unheard of battle characterized by heroism and dedication to duty.”