The last stand of Fox Company A true story of U.S. Marines in combat

The authors of Halsey's Typhoon (2007) are back with an equally fine book on an episode in the Chosin Reservoir campaign of the Korean War. Sent to hold a hill on the marines' line of retreat, Fox Company of the Seventh Regiment's Second Battalion wound up besieged by an entire Chinese division. Three-quarters of the company became casualties before a rescue column fought its way through to them, and three Congressional Medals of Honor were awarded for the action. Drury and Clavin have researched thoroughly, especially the memories of Fox Company survivors, and have written with their customary vividness. They remind us that the predicament of handfuls of Americans fending off foreign hordes isn't just a Hollywood spectacle. It has been a grisly reality, in this case with both sides enduring bone-chilling cold, untreated wounds, and starvation. A must for the Korean War shelves, invaluable beyond all historical period value for its coverage of infantry combat at its worst.--Green, Roland Copyright 2008 Booklist

The authors of the bestselling Halsey's Typhoon do a fine job recounting one brutal, small-unit action during the Korean War's darkest moment. In November 1950, as General MacArthur's troops were advancing deep into North Korea, China warned that it would intervene if armies approached its border. U.S. troops were scattered through mountainous terrain at the onset of a freezing winter. Using extensive interviews with survivors, the authors tell the story of one 234-man company ordered to secure a rocky promontory overlooking the legendary Chosin Reservoir. Abundant and detailed maps enable readers to track the vicious week-long battle almost minute by minute as the men fought off repeated assaults by overwhelming Chinese forces until another marine unit arrived to rescue the few survivors. The authors draw no great lessons from Fox Company's ordeal, but deliver a precise, technically accurate account of the fighting. Although aimed at military buffs, the closeup views of individual marines tested to their limits will engage any reader curious to learn how brave men fought a conventional 20th-century war. 100,000 announced first printing; 12-city author tour. (Jan.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War, Fox Company was on the sharp end of the marine thrust to the Yalu in 1950. They had fought hard and advanced steadily as far as the Chosin Reservoir. They'd been told there were no Chinese in North Korea and that they'd meet little resistance--assurances that turned out to be somewhat off the mark. The authors have pieced together a detailed battle narrative covering nearly every soldier for eight harrowing days of freezing cold, heroism, stamina, determination, training, loss, and death. Not for the faint of heart, this is a strong narrative of military valor against overwhelming odds. For any Korean War collection. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.