Above All Else

The basic mission of the Army during the Vietnam War was to find 'em and fix 'em and kill 'em. By 1966, many units still had not formally established the recon unit that was necessary to fulfill the "find 'em" part of the mission. The Cavalry could not be included in this group as it did not possess the Div level recon asset that was thought by some to be necessary. Under difficult conditions, an LRRP team had to be organized and its personnel trained to possess the skills necessary to survive in the enemy's backyard and return alive. This is the story of the creation of the 1st Cav Division LRRP, the training of its members, and the successful mounting of the first missions, which were required for the survival of this ground-breaking unit. This book is also a testament to men such as Ron Christopher, who had the perseverance, determination and the skills required to organize the LRRP, train its team members, and run those first missions that established the practicality of the 1st Cavalry Division LRRP.