...a Vietnam tragedy
HOSTILE FIRE
The Life and Death of Lt. Sharon Lane
by Philip Bigler
ISBN
978-0-918339-37-9 | Hardcover
| 6 x
9 |208
pages | Acid
Free Paper | Illustrated
Index |
$21.95
American women have served with bravery and dedication on the
battlefield since the Nation's beginning. Lt. Sharon Lane was part of that noble
tradition, and her sacrifice helped pave the way for the more than 30,000 women
who followed her example in the Gulf War and the almost 200,000 women now
serving on active duty today.
Colonel Harry Summers, Jr. Editor, VIETNAM Magazine
Bigler (In Honored Glory)
pays tribute to Lane in this careful,
vigorously researched examination of her life and of the events leading to her
untimely death.
Publisher's Weekly
During the early morning hours of June 8, 1969, a Soviet-built 122-mm rocket
slammed into ward 4 of the 312th Evacuation Hospital in Chu Lai, Vietnam. Lt.
Sharon A. Lane, a young, attractive 24-year old nurse from Canton, Ohio, died
instantly. Though seven other American military nurses lost their lives serving
in Vietnam, Lt. Lane was the only American servicewoman killed as a direct
result of enemy fire throughout the war. Her life and untimely death, have come
to epitomize the duty, honor, and sacrifice of the almost 11,000 American
military and naval nurses who served their country during the Vietnam era.
Under Fire is based on extensive interviews with veterans, family and
friends. a review of official records; and Lt. Lane's own letters home which
were carefully preserved by her family. Author Philip Bigler carefully
chronicles Lt. Lane's life from early childhood to her untimely death in
Vietnam. He paints a picture of a vibrant and dedicated young woman, tragically
killed just as her adult life was beginning. The story, skillfully placed within
the historical and political context of the period, provides readers with a
powerful and personal look at Vietnam and those who served.
