Most were admitting using the 1911a1 as tunnel duty. They came to be known simply as tunnel rats with the. With wilson bethel, uwe boll, dan clarke, maarten coetzee. Armed with only a flashlight, a single pistol, or maybe just a knife, a tunnel rat didnt have much in the way of defense. The vietnam tunnel rats association has reserved the australian war memorial last post ceremony for 18 february next year. When the m1911 pistol was designed, it is unlikely that it was ever envisioned to be used in a dark, damp tunnel, not much wider than a mans shoulders. Almost a decade into their existence, underground rap collective the tunnel rats hooked up with the seattlebased uprok records in 2001 for the tunnel vision album, which features appearances by lpg, new breed, sev statik, raphi, zane, and dert. Ive read all but 2 of stephen leathers novels and, there isnt a bad book amongst them. Their unofficial moto was non gratum anus rodentum in latin.
Viet minh forces initially developed a complex system of underground tunnels to combat the french colonial invasion of vietnam known as. Tunnel rats is a west coast underground hip hop collective founded in 1993 in whittier, california. I wanted to find problems with the movie but found more good points rather. Listen to your favorite songs from tunnel vision by tunnel rats now. Before i was old enough to understand graffiti, i didnt know people went into the tunnels. These were the terrifying dangers of being a tunnel rat. The nook book ebook of the tunnel rat in vietnam by gordon l. Tunnel rats were us, australian and newzelander soldiers who went inside viet congvc tunnels to kill any vc inside, gather any intel, recover arms and finally demolish the tunnels by planting explosives. So the most important device in a tunnel rat s tool kit is a handheld, alwayson gas. And its really gotten my itch going to learn more about the war. Special us soldiers called tunnel rats would crawl through the systems to find the enemy. It was long known that such complexes existed, but it was not realized just how extensive they were in some areas, how important they were to the viet cong, and how difficult it was to detect and neutralize. American officers in vietnam viewed the short, wiry combat engineers as swat teams to be summoned whenever a suspicious hole was found in the ground.
Search for and download any torrent from the pirate bay using search query tunnel rats. What an overwhelming step in the right direction this is. Specifically, anyone know of any good books on tunnel rats those gutsy guys that would go down the enemy holes armed. By kevin dockery during the vietnam war, the united states fought the viet cong and north vietnamese army forces with some of the most hightech weapons the us could produce. Jan 28, 2018 documentary on tunnel rats in vietnam. The tunnel rats christian rap collective based out of whittier, ca, founded in 1993. You might have to do the historian thing and find a book and flip to its bibliography first. A tunnel rat might therefore choose to enter the tunnels wearing a gas mask donning one within was frequently impossible in such a confined space. The name tunnel rats is taken from the nickname of american soldiers, who needed to check tunnels on bombs in the vietnam war. The tunnel rats gently prodded for potentially armed mines in order to disarm them and prayed that they survived with both their legs. The vietcong had been using tunnel systems for many years against the chinese, japanese and french invaders. To be blunt, i cant say enough good things about tunnel vision. Tunnel rats, as american soldiers who worked in the cu chi tunnels during the vietnam war were known, used the evocative term black echo to.
The most dangerous part would be psyching up to get into the tunnel, carl cory says, a former 25th infantry div tunnel rat. Tunnel rats went into reprint in only its first week on sale and has done well since. This collection of photographs documents the exploration of the new york city tunnels. The tunnel rats in the vietnam war the military history blog. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. But his search places him in grave danger with a killer determined to protect the secrets of the tunnels. Two gruesome murders have occurred, and both victims have an ace of spades impaled on their chests. Tunnel rat in vietnam warrior book 161 by gordon l. Rod lees of 12 platoon had stood on an m16 mine, also called a jumping jack because, when triggered, it. I thought that i was current in my reading of stephen leather thrillers until i ran across the tunnel rats originally published way back in 1997. Whilst the tunnel rats of the 25th and 1st infantry divisions, as well as the australian tunnel rats ferrets are better known the smaller composition of tunnel rats of the 1st cavalry division were just as well sought after by their divisions in exploring the tunnel systems around lai khe.
The tunnel rats used a host of specialized weapons that helped them to be effective at their job. The narration is all over the place,hard to follow the storyline as in its description. The tunnel rats and millions of other books are available for instant access. We will use this occasion to honour our 36 comrades who lost their lives while serving as tunnel rats with 1 troop, 2 troop and 3 troop of 1 field squadron 35 kia and with 3 field troop 1 kia. Its rare now, but i think well see more of this type of thing in the future. Listen to episode 1259 of the podcast and discover more about jack flowerss new book rat six. The tunnel rats book by stephen leather thriftbooks. And im more than happy to say that in a group of mcs as talented as the tunnel rats, the best mc in the crew is a woman. I recommend this book for anyone who is seeking a thriller and cant put the book down. Dedicated to the men of 3 fld troop and 1troop, 2troop and 3troop 1 fld sqn rae, the aussie tunnel rats. What specialized weapons were used by the, tunnel rats.
Great narration it is paced to the action and the narrators voice is enthusiastic and suits the quips and one liners of the book. However, the gospel is interwoven into each track, and a listen will make that evident. Almost finished a really good novel about a heli pilot in nam icw2i. Nov 16, 2017 they would gain the nickname tunnel rats. The book is a great thriller and i just couldnt put it down. The book was more like a table book that you might have in your home.
Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Buy a cheap copy of the tunnel rats book by stephen leather. During the vietnam war 19591975 a special us combat unit is sent out to hunt and kill the viet cong soldiers in a mantoman combat in the endless tunnels underneath the jungle of vietnam. Entrance of a large tunnel complex near phu hoa dong, january 1967. Its got everything you want in a thriller and vince zandri packs a lot of it into his books. I would not have purchased this book if i had seen it in a book store. Ayo the night time is sometimes so unkind thats why my people in the ghetto pray for sunshine and some rhyme simply for pastime but others see the back door exit with. He was working on a new book titled avenger and wanted the main character to be somewhat based on my experiences in vietnam. Excerpt from the introduction to the book, nyc tunnel rats.
The letters they got in response condemning the things were hilarious. Oct 25, 2001 get all the lyrics to songs on tunnel vision and join the genius community of music scholars to learn the meaning behind the lyrics. Feb 19, 2014 the tunnel rats faced trap doors which contained deadly spikes underneath, snakes were hung from the ceiling so they would hang down ready to attack anyone passing by and some also contained holes in the side of the tunnel wall, on the other side would be a viet cong soldier holding a spear ready to impale any intruders. It is detective nick wright who, hunting for a motive, must. If you are looking for descriptions of tunnel rat action, this is not the book for you. Ayo the night time is sometimes so unkind thats why my people in the ghetto pray for sunshine and some rhyme simply for. You can listen to an interview with sandy and me on radio national, with geraldine doogue, here, read an extract as a pdf here, or buy the book, either as a paperback or an ebook here. Made a big deal of them, specs from smith, antecdotal memory or three, etc.
If youre a fan of underground hiphop, battle rap, or boombap, then tunnel rats tunnel vision is a musthave. One of leathers strong points is his ability to draw. Mic skills are impeccable, with strong, charismatic delivery and intelligent, innovative flows. Tunnel vision is the second studio album by west coast underground hip hop collective tunnel rats, released on october 25, 2001, through uprok records. The tunnel rats dont make lyrical theology, this is true. Although crawling into a wall of gas was a possibility, many tunnel rats chose to take their chances. Michael bunker pennsylvania and nick cole the old man and the wastela. Tunnel vision tunnel vision album version music download. Tunnel rats tunnel vision lyrics and tracklist genius. In their 1985 book, the tunnels of cu chi, bbc reporters tom mangold and john penycate told the story of the american tunnel rats, a saga they learned about for the first time from the viet cong, who admired the tunnel rats as the best soldiers among the american forces. The larrikin aussie legends who discovered the vietcongs secret weapon. The tunnel rats by stephen leather goodreads share book.
Coming soon, summer 2019 more book announcements coming soon. Jan 28, 2016 the players of today are, in my personal and long earned opinion, the next evolution in human flight. I seem to remember a book my friend read in high school about 20 years ago that was about or had a section on the tunnel rats, i can picture the cover but i cant see the name in my minds eye. In 1965, soon after the first us combat troops had arrived in vietnam, it was realized that in some areas the viet cong had developed vast tunnel complexes in which to hide from the enemy. These border patrol tunnel rats work 18 feet under the. This was adapted for television in the 2006 film avenger starring sam elliott. American troops were active in vietnam from 1965, until their official withdrawal in 1973. Check out simple historys video below to learn more about the dangerous job these brave tunnel rats. Tunnel rats one specialized weapon they used was the snw quiet special purpose qsp 1 revolver, a modified.
Jake is a fun and loving character in the book tunnel vision, by susan adrian. Tunnel rats is the third studio album by west coast underground christian hip hop collective tunnel rats, released on march 3, 2004, through uprok records. Free shipping get free shipping free 58 day shipping within the u. The tunnel rats are a group of christian rappers who are trying to spread the good word through hip hop rhymes and beats. The tunnel rats had a nickname for the dark, tight confines of the tunnels. Avenger, frederick forsyth avenger is a political thriller novel by frederick forsyth published in september 2003. There are at least two artists known as tunnel rats. It really didnt interview the tunnel rats nor the enemy that used the tunnels. Check out tunnel vision by tunnel rats on amazon music. The battery, future shock, footsoldiers, foundation, the inklings, lpg, new. That was the part that was most frightening because you didnt what you were getting into. The tunnel rats were american, australian and new zealand soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the vietnam war. Named after the tunnel rats in the vietnam war, the mixedgender, multiracial collective consists of some seventeen individual members and incorporates four affiliated groups, lpg, future shock, foundation, and new breed, which have recorded both within tunnel rats and independently.
I was just like the kids you see on the subway today kneeling on the seats and peeking out of the window to see into the tunnels. There were numerous underground guerilla bases in south vietnam that had been built and supplied by forced labor from the surrounding villages. Named after the tunnel rats in the vietnam war, the mixed. Opinion my life as a tunnel rat the new york times. The lyrics are strictly hip hop rhymes, but they feel like generic power raps frequently on the album. Featuring a brash, aggressive sound, the album drew admiration from critics and proved highly influential for the christian hip hop movement. The beats are composed of creatively put together break beats and loops.
His hunt for a motive takes him to the tunnels in vietnam, where the american tunnel rats fought the dirtiest battle of the war against the viet cong. Geoff knew that one of our fellow tunnel rats, sapper robert earl, known as yogi, was the no. Featuring several new members among the groups ranks, the album was well received by critics, with christianity today and rapzilla considering it the best album so far by the group. Extremely rare, tunnel rat patch tunnel rat, ferret cheesecloth backed tunnel rat ferret one of the most sought after of vietnam war patches this patch was worn by both us tunnel rats. Catchy old school beats laced with aggressive clavinets, funky organs and whispering flutes. See more ideas about vietnam war, vietnam and vietnam war photos. Tunnel vision by tunnel rats on amazon music unlimited. Those were the guys who wriggled their way through the ridiculously narrow tunnels the viet cong used to transport personnel and weapons, set boobytraps, and all that. When entering a tunnel, many troops decided against wearing gas masks as they obstructed breathing and vision. Iirc, guns and ammo mag years ago did an article on the smith 29 tunnel rat guns. He was known as rat six when he led the 1st division tunnel rats and he chose that as the title of the exciting book he wrote about his experiences in the war. You can read the book from cover to cover in an hour or so. The tunnel rats, those who survived, did not tell their own story. Unlike the amazing feats of the wingsuit flyers out there, or amazing canopy pilots, these modernday tunnel rats arent using the best new canopy or the most advanced wingsuit.
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