US Seventh Fleet, Vietnam 196473: American naval power in Southeast Asia

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

A superbly illustrated examination of how the US Navy's most powerful fleet fought the Vietnam War, covering all of its elements from aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers to minesweepers and oilers. The US Navy's Seventh Fleet was at the forefront of America's campaign in Vietnam for a decade, from the Gulf of Tonkin Incident that began it all to the final evacuation of South Vietnam. Its mission was highly strategic, and while its primary role was to provide carrier-based air power over North Vietnam from Rolling Thunder through Linebacker the fleet's operations were complex, sensitive, and varied, and required all the capabilities of the fleet. This book is the first overall examination of how US Navy's most powerful fleet fought and operated in Vietnam. Distilled from thousands of declassified secret documents by renowned US Navy specialist Dr Edward J. Marolda, it offers a unique new portrait of how the Seventh Fleet fought the Vietnam War, from the offensive strike power of naval aviation to the vital role of fleet logistics. As well as the carrier operations, he examines the surface combatant fleet's gunfire support role, and its raids against the North Vietnamese coast. Dr Marolda also looks at amphibious warfare, fleet air defense, search-and-rescue, and mining and interdiction operations. Illustrated throughout with archive photos, 3D diagrams and spectacular new artwork, and informed by never-before-translated official documents, publications, and personal accounts from North Vietnamese, Soviet, and Chinese sources, this is the real story behind the US Navy's Vietnam War.

Author Bio

Edward J. Marolda served as the Director of Naval History (Acting) and Senior Historian of the US Navy. In 2017 the Naval Historical Foundation honored him with its Commodore Dudley W. Knox Naval History Lifetime Achievement Award. He has authored, co-authored, or edited 20 works on the US Navys experience in Vietnam and other aspects of US naval history. He holds degrees in history from Pennsylvania Military College (BA), Georgetown University (MA), and George Washington University (Ph.D). Dr. Marolda served as a US Army officer in the Republic of Vietnam during 1969 and 1970.