Masters of the Art : A Fighting Marine's Memoir of Vietnam

Masters of the Art is a bare-knuckled tribute to the US Marines who fought in the Vietnam War, as seen through the eyes of a decorated helicopter crewman who flew three hundred missions as a door-gunner.

It is a frank and faithful look at operations in the Northern I Corps in 1968 at such famous battle sites as Khe Sanh, the A Shau Valley, and the DMZ. The war in Vietnam is recognised as being the first true helicopter war, and this book brings vividly to life the terror and exhilaration of life aboard a Marine gunship. This is a gripping first-hand account of a dedicated group of highly trained soldiers going about the business of fighting an equally well-trained and well-equipped Communist adversary.

Masters of the Art is a must-read for those interested in the the Vietnam War and the role played in the conflict by the helicopter and the US Marines, in particular. Ronald Winter grew up in the farming community of upstate New York.

He gave up a scholarship to SUNY Albany in 1966 to join the Marines and fight in Vietnam, where he earned numerous decorations, including fifteen Air Medals and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

After the war he returned to college, then enjoyed a highly successful career in journalism, during which he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.