Rating: 
Summary: "Grunt" In The Arizona, Not Sniper!
Review: Although Mr. Culbertson was a trained Marine sniper, the book only covers the day to day grinds and missions of the Marines in Arizona Territory. It is excellent reading, the accounts are factual and gripping, but I was interested more in his sniping missions and encounters. I enjoyed the presented material and would recommend it to others. If your looking for "sniper" related material to read, this book is not for you! I salute Mr. Culbertson, and all American Forces, for their efforts in Vietnam!
Rating: 
Summary: Great Story--Bad Language
Review: As a Marine Corps, Vietnam Vet I was very interested in, "A Sniper In The Arizona." The author did a great job of telling the Vietnam story like it really was. I was surprised, however, to find no mentioned of one of the mostly highly praised Marine snipers in Vietnam, Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock, a legend of Marine lore.The author's use of four-letter words was totally unnecessary and grossly overdone. Nor did the four-letter words add anything to his story. Other authors have written about Marine Corps, Vietnam vets without using these garbage words and have received a five-star rating. Unless Culbertson cleans up his language, I will not read another one of his books.
Rating: 
Summary: And the point is?
Review: I am disappointed with this book on two accounts. Number one is that there is nothing about sniping in this book, so the title is mis-leading. Number two is that this account of Hotel 2/5 in 1967 seems to be in a different war than Robert Roth's "Sand in the Wind" - which I read years ago. Granted Roth's account was a novel, but I find it hard to square the Marine's depicted in his novel with the "Gung Ho" marines of Culbertson's book. Maybe Culberston's cohorts really thought "Gunny Jones was a cool dude with 5 rows of ribbons on his chest", and then maybe Roth's protagonist's of 2nd platoon Hotel 2/5 (presumably based on real people)- Chalice, Forsythe, and other's - disparaged all of the "gung ho lifer's" and screwed off as much as they said. The truth is probably somewhere in between.
Rating:
Summary: really bad, [let down]
Review: I attended the same Sniper school as John Culbertson, have read both his books, A Sniper in the Arizona and Operation Tuscaloosa, fought in the same operations during the same time period and found both books to be factually accurate and extremely well written. His no-holds-barred approach to the truth is refreshing and unusual. John doesn't try to glorify the war, nor is he reticent about pointing out the errors that always occur in combat, but so few authors are wont to write about. Young Officers and NCO's should include both of these titles on their required reading list. Mr. Culbertson has unearthed dozens of "lessons learned" for the junior leaders of our military and presented them in an entertaining and truthful setting - The hell of the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam during the most vicious fighting of the war.
Rating: 
Summary: Sniper Shniper!
Review: I don't understand the harsh criticism of this book based on its title. John J. Culbertson attended 1st Marine Division Sniper School in Da Nang, and his secondary MOS reflects that fact. Readers who expect stories about lone gunmen perched in tree hides had better look under fiction for such a book. "A Sniper in the Arizona" is the companion volume to Culbertson's superb "Operation Tuscaloosa," in which he chronicles the tenacity and heroism of a few good men pinned down on a sandbar by relentless enemy fire. In "A Sniper" the author continues his gritty and spare narrative of Hotel Company as they take on the VC/NVA in hostile villages on a piece of deadly real estate west of Da Nang. I almost feel I've bonded with Culbertson, Lafly, Gedzyk, Burns, et al, and I've gone back to re-read "Operation Tuscaloosa." This book keeps you reading. You hate to put it down. You can't wait to pick it up again. Gunny Mitchell's sniper course, Sgt. Wadley's wise leadership, Burns' obsession and breakdown, Lt. Pindel's love for his men all combine to offer a vivid picture of Marine Corps culture and esprit d'corps as it existed before Tet of 1968, when the media snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and began its campaign to demoralize the warriors in the field. There is plenty of suspense and tension here, so I don't know how one of the reviewers reported that he was bored. Check it out: "All we heard was [sic] clicking insects and the cries of monkeys high in the jungled canopy. The NVA soldiers would be coming. Moving like army ants up our mountain, higher and higher, until I would blink and one would be standing over me with his bayonet poised at my throat; a smiling North Vietnamese killer that felt no pain, no mercy, no conscience. They were coming, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do but wait." Pure warrior blood coursed through the veins of Culbertson and the other grunts of 2/5. These are the kind of men you want defending your homeland, your country, your children. Has the warrior spirit been able to survive the past thirty years of the feminization of American society under the self-loathing ideologues of the left? Clinton's attempt at getting homosexuals into the military is just one example of how this country's elite despise those who serve, fight, and sacrifice all for their countrymen. Read "Operation Tuscaloosa" first. Then sink your teeth into "A Sniper." You'll come face to face with the kind of men and the values that made this country great a long, long time ago.
Rating:
Summary: Time trip
Review: I followed John Culbertsons tour of duty in An Hoa and surrounding area by arriving in July of 67, and being assigned to H 2/5. His account although not known first hand by myself was pretty much substantiated by marines we both had known, and by my own tour as an 0311.Reading his account of daily survival,and running patrols,ambushs,LP's,etc,etc rings pretty true, and it brought me back to the frame of mind we all had then. STAYING ALIVE! His descriptions of your senses being razor sharp,and our battle hardened Marines putting up with conditions that most people can't even imagine while fighting in the Arizona territory, Antenna Valley,and various ville's throughout their TAOR are very accurate. If its wanting to know what combat with the Marines in 67 was like then this is your book.Although this may seem strange,but as I was reading it, it seemed like I had taken a time trip to the past.Thanks John for bringing me back to those days when the thrill, and terror of combat were two sides of the same coin.
Rating:
Summary: rayjoy@ipa.net
Review: I like many of the readers was a little dissapointed In the Title. I expected much more sniping stories,but I will not knock the book because of a misleading title. It was an outstanding book on the daily life of a grunt in Nam whether he be Army or Marine. Roadrunner6 Out
Rating:
Summary: Sniper Training: Vietnam, 1967.
Review: John Culbertson continues his story of life in the Arizona Territory that began in his first book, Operation Tuscaloosa. In the sequel, A Sniper in the Arizona, Culbertson traces events following Operation Tuscaloosa that led him to attending Sniper School in DaNang and putting to use his training in the area of operation around An Hoa. The story is interesting, but alas, not as compelling as the author's first book. I missed the Glossary that the first book contained. And, although tribute is paid in the Appendix to CPT J.A. Graham, who was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor, the man's contribution to the story was scant at best. All in all, however, A Sniper in the Arizona is worth reading as an informative sequel about events in I Corps in 1967. Of particular note are the author's comments about the introduction of the M-16. These reflect the "horror stories" we heard about the weapon, but were fortunate enough not to experience 2 years later when I was issued an M-16A1 model. Thanks John, for another fine read!
Rating:
Summary: The story of a Marine rifleman in Vietnam in 1967.
Review: John J. Culbertson was a U.S. Marine rifleman in Vietnam in 1967. He served with Company H, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines in the An Hoa Basin. This area about 20 miles southwest of DaNang was called 'The Arizona Territory," hense the title of the book. The narrative begins in the aftermath of Operation Tuscaloosa (which is detailed in Mr. Culbertson's companion volume by that name) and traces his experiences while defending Nong Son Mountain, attending Sniper School, and patrolling the 'bad bush' around An Hoa; he also pays tribute to Capt J.A. Graham who was awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor for Operation Union II. The book is filled with technical detail and tactical tips, including the sorry tale of the introduction of the M16 rifle which is told by a weapons expert whose life was threatened by that ill-fated decision. Unfortunately, the book's tone is like a clinical analysis rather than a compelling read. The major defects, however, were in the area of graphic arts. The lack of a large scale map of the An Hoa Basin is a significant drawback. Had I not served with the 5th Marines at An Hoa, I would have been bewildered trying to keep place names and relative locations straight. The photographs were poorly chosen and often did not relate to the text. Pictures or techinical drawings of the weapons decribed would have helped the lay reader, as would a glossary of terms and abbreviations. I recommend the book to any one interested in Vietnam, anyone who served in that area, those currently in the military, or anyone who is concerned about the current crisis in Kosovo. It is good view of what war is like close up, at the grunt's eye view. [Anyone interested in a large scale map of the An Hoa Basin can contact me via E-mail.]
Rating:
Summary: Great Story--Bad Language
Review: Sergeant John Culbertson has written a very detailed and factual account of the fierce combat in the An Hoa area of Vietnam. Much more enlighting was the descriptions of Platoon and Company snipers in the Marine Corps. The vast majority of snipers worked in direct support of Marine Infantry units and had additional roles. Sniping came as targets of opportunity, not CIA type "hunts" as depicted in so many other books.
The adverage Marine sniper often found himself on point, patrolling or setting in ambush. I fought in the same unit, 5th Marines, in the exact same areas as Sgt. Culbertson and can attest to his true life accounts of heroic combat against a determined enemy. Semper Fi John Culbertson.
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