Kontum

The Battle to Save South Vietnam

Thomas P. McKenna

Winner of the William E. Colby Award

Narrated by Gary Regal

Available from Audible

Book published by University Press of Kentucky

In the spring of 1972, North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam in what became known as the Easter Offensive. Almost all of the American forces had already withdrawn from Vietnam except for a small group of American advisers to the South Vietnamese armed forces. The 23rd ARVN Infantry Division and its American advisers were sent to defend the provincial capital of Kontum in the Central Highlands. They were surrounded and attacked by three enemy divisions with heavy artillery and tanks but, with the help of air power, managed to successfully defend Kontum and prevent South Vietnam from being cut in half and defeated.

Although much has been written about the Vietnam War, little of it addresses either the Easter Offensive or the Battle of Kontum. In Kontum: The Battle to Save South Vietnam, Thomas P. McKenna fills this gap, offering the only in-depth account available of this violent engagement. McKenna, a U.S. infantry lieutenant colonel assigned as a military adviser to the 23rd Division, participated in the battle of Kontum and combines his personal experiences with years of interviews and research from primary sources to describe the events leading up to the invasion and the battle itself.

Kontum sheds new light on the actions of U.S. advisers in combat during the Vietnam War. McKenna’s book is not only an essential historical resource for America’s most controversial war but a personal story of valor and survival.

Thomas P. McKenna , Lt. Col., USA (Ret.) served as a military adviser to the Army of South Vietnam and has published articles on military history in Vietnam, Military Officer, and Military Heritage magazines.

REVIEWS:

“A gripping combat narrative. McKenna does an excellent job of combining his personal experiences and observations with the extensive information he has drawn from official records, contemporary press reports, and published works.”

—David T. Zabecki, editor emeritus, Vietnam Magazine

“Tom McKenna is a ’soldier’s soldier.’ His reputation for integrity, courage and professional know how is known throughout the Army. His peacetime as well as wartime service marked him as one of the infantry’s most remarkable leaders, the kind admired by not only his subordinates but also his peers and superior officers. This book reflects his professional acumen and contributions to freedom.”

—Major General Guy S. Meloy, USA (Ret.), former commanding general, 82nd Airborne Division

“A superbly written and researched account of the 1972 NVA Easter Offensive and the heroism and professionalism of the unsung heroes of the Vietnam War, the advisor teams. If you are interested in understanding why the Vietnam War ended as it did, read this book.”

—Major General Neal Creighton, USA (Ret.), former Commanding General of 1st Infantry Division

“McKenna sweeps away the fog of war in his detailed history of the Battle of Kontum. He expertly blends his personal experience as a military adviser to the victorious 23rd South Vietnamese Division with years of painstaking research in this significant account of one of the final battles of the Vietnam War.”

—Edward Richards, Emeritus Professor of English and Military Literature, Norwich University, CDR, USNR (Ret.)

“Accurately describes the important contribution of the U.S. Air Force in winning the Battle of Kontum. B-52 bombers, fighter-bombers, and gunships supported the advisors and the troops in Kontum while C-130 airlifts delivered vital supplies to the beleaguered city. ”

—Major General James C. Pfautz, USAF (Ret.)

“Although the Easter Offensive was the biggest battle of the Vietnam War, it has been neglected by historians. McKenna helps fill the gap with his account of the battle for Kontum in the Central Highlands. His perspective as a participant in the fighting there makes this an interesting and valuable addition to the historiography. ”

—Dale Andradé, author of America‚Äôs Last Vietnam Battle: Halting Hanoi‚Äôs 1972 Easter Offensive

“Offers an illuminating picture of the colorful, contradictory ex-military man in action. McKenna... does an effective job of melding his own story with the bigger picture. ”

—Publishers Weekly

“McKenna, a U.S. infantry lieutenant colonel assigned as a military adviser to the 23rd Division, participated in the battle of Kontum and combines his personal experiences with years of interviews and research from primary sources to describe the events leading up to the invasion and the battle itself.”

—i>Siagon Arts, Culture, & Education Institute Newsletter

“Thomas McKenna’s fine work is an important addition to our knowledge of advisors and those they advised, during a critical period of the war ... In a balanced and detailed account McKenna tells it like it was. ”

—Journal of Military History

“Kontum sheds new light on the actions of U.S. advisers in combat during the Vietnam War. McKenna’s book is not only an essential historical resource for America’s most controversial war but a personal story of valor and survival. ”

—West Point Grad News

“McKenna was a lieutenant colonel serving in South Vietnam as an adviser to the 23rd Army of the Republic of Vietnam. In this detailed account, he makes use of interviews, primary documents, and personal experience of how the 23rd successfully defended against three North Vietnamese divisions of superior numberical strength with the help of U.S. advisers and air power. ”

—Library Journal

“Riveting account of desperate combat.”

—First Call

“Although much has been written about the Vietnam War, little of it addresses either the Easter Offensive or the Battle of Kontum. In Kontum, Thomas P. McKenna fills this gap, offering the only in-depth account available of this violent engagement. ”