"In his fifth book on the Vietnam War, Nolan presents the definitive account of one of the Marine Corps' most blood-soaked battles: a tale of snipers and ambushes in the blinding elephant grass."--Jacket.

pt. 1. The Z. Saddling up -- Indian country -- Caged lions -- Across the death strip -- Shadows -- pt. 2. The walking dead. Sunday morning -- Clay pigeons -- Run in circles, scream and shout -- Into the meat grinder -- What Sixty Mike Mikes do -- Alpha A go-go -- Banzai -- Better late than never -- Let's die right -- Survivors -- Incoming -- Finally, Medevacs -- Charlie Company's turn -- pt. 3. The Northern 'Eye' Corps Reserve -- Wall-to-wall trouble -- Bald eagling -- A world of hurt -- pt. 4. Land the landing force. No rest for the weary -- pt. 5. Semper Fidelis. Shafted -- LZ Hawk -- Killer Kilo -- If at first you don't succeed -- Try, try again -- pt. 6. Cam Lo showdown. Moose Beard's orphans -- Ghosts -- The four gates of hell -- pt. 7. Night moves. A piece of cake -- The best stuff NCO in the Marine Corps -- The assault barrage -- Let's kill the sons of bitches -- The assault -- Castaways -- Flying telephone poles -- Indomitable -- pt. 8. The hill of angels. Direct hits -- pt. 9. Sandcastles. Six has been hit -- Not exactly the sands of Iwo Jima -- Deja Vu.