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Hill 488

By: Ray Hildreth, Charles W. Sasser
Narrated by: Jonathan Yen
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Publisher's summary

On June 13, 1966, men of the 1st Recon Battalion, 1st Marine Division, were stationed on Hill 488. Before the week was over, they would fight the battle that would make them the most highly decorated small unit in the entire history of the US military, winning a Congressional Medal of Honor, four Navy Crosses, 13 Silver Stars, and 18 Purple Hearts - some of them posthumously.

During the early evening of June 15, a battalion of hardened North Vietnamese regulars and Viet Cong - outnumbering the Americans 25 to one - threw everything they had at the 16 marines and two navy corpsmen for the rest of that terror-filled night. Every man who held the hill was either killed or wounded defending the ground with unbelievable courage and unflagging determination - even as reinforcements were on the way. All they had to do was make it until dawn....

©2003 Ray Hildreth and Charles W. Sasser (P)2015 Tantor
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What listeners say about Hill 488

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The heroes of Hill 488

I have read and listened to about 8 books on the Vietnam War. This ranks with the best of them. It's a must read!

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5 people found this helpful

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Really good book

I could not put it down. I listen in the car and had to think of places to drive to so I could list en more

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3 people found this helpful

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fantasitc

Brutal story of raw survival, sucks you in. Only complaint is the accents the author uses for some characters change throughout the book.

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Outstanding

This was a great book Marisa Nas, good and engaging in sex were interesting. I love the details not all military books or is enjoyable to listen to read as this one once some of the history of with the Marines, I’ve gone through goals, unknown and I’m thankful to have learned just a little bit more

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Powerful story!

Amazing story, vividly detailed delivery. The loud, over the top voices the narrator uses at times were a bit much and took away from the story.

Overall, story is fantastic!

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Worth the listen

Good story about the horror of what happen to those men on the hill. It would make a great movie.

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1 person found this helpful

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Engaging story by one who was there

It took awhile for me to become engaged with this book partly due to working from home. I normally listen to books driving to & from work and immerse myself in a story to blot out the frustration of traffic jams. The language understandably is rough and I chose not to listen when my wife was present. Once in a separate room I listened whole heartedly and was moved by this account of Marines on Hill 488 in Vietnam. .

If there are any shortcomings in the writings by soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines who where there, I overlook them. Instead I try to picture myself as an observer. However, having never been in combat, I can only picture myself there, never knowing the true horror of war.

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amazing

anyone wants to know the some of the baddest situations that happened in vietnam. get this book. this is true Americans fighting against communism. I would not recommend this book for liberals. they will need years of therapy and a safe space after listening. I don't see the youth of today able to do what these MEN did. not everyone gets a trophy. I am retired military and deployed 9 times to middle east twice to south america. I never say what these men had to go threw. hats off to my brothers in green

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Medal of Honor stuff

This is an honest portrayal of a patrol in a Marine Recon team. The author was there, and shares with the fortunate reader the full range of the experience. You were there, by the end of the book. A must read.

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epic, surreal, chilling the best we had to give!!!

This is one of the best accountings of the Vietnam War I have ever read. puts thise man at the top. just like the greatest generation

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