{"product_id":"ghosts-and-shadows-a-marine-in-vietnam-1968-1969-0786472774","title":"Ghosts and Shadows: A Marine in Vietnam, 1968-1969","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0786472774\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ball, Phil\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e New\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe author arrived at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego ill-prepared for the training and abuse that awaited him in boot camp. At the time, he would have done anything to escape; only upon reflection years later did he realize that the self-confidence instilled in him by his drill instructors had probably saved his life in Vietnam. A few months after boot camp, Private Ball was shipped out to Vietnam, joining F Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, near Khe Sanh. As a grunt, in the vernacular of the Corps, Ball, like the other youths of F Company, did a difficult and deadly job in such places as the A Shau Valley, Leatherneck Square, the DMZ and other obscure but critical I Corps locales. His--their--fear of death mingled with homesickness. Little did they realize that the horrors of the Vietnam War--horrors that while in-country they often claimed did not even exist--would haunt them for the rest of their lives.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mia Karts","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":52200188903712,"sku":"NEW0786472774","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0980\/7426\/3840\/files\/71ln9JEJ9vL.jpg?v=1787004169","url":"https:\/\/miakarts.com\/products\/ghosts-and-shadows-a-marine-in-vietnam-1968-1969-0786472774","provider":"Miakarts Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}