Dead Center

A Marine Sniper's Two-Year Odyssey in the Vietnam War

By: Ed Kugler

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

Length: 12 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Raw, straightforward, and powerful, Ed Kugler's account of his two years as a Marine scout-sniper in Vietnam vividly captures his experiences there - the good, the bad, and the ugly. After enlisting in the Marines at 17, then being wounded in Santo Domingo during the Dominican crisis, Kugler arrived in Vietnam in early 1966. As a new sniper with the 4th Marines, Kugler picked up bush skills while attached to 3d Force Recon Company, and then joined the grunts. To take advantage of that experience, he formed the Rogues, a five-sniper team that hunted in the Co Bi-Than Tan Valley. His descriptions of long, tense waits, sudden deadly action, and countersniper ambushes are fascinating. In Dead Center, Kugler demonstrates the importance to a sniper of patience, marksmanship, bush skills, and guts - while underscoring exactly what a country demands of its youth when it sends them to war.

©1999 Ed Kugler (P)2014 Tantor

outstanding

I read this book on deployments twice. I was excited to see it as an audiobook. the narrator wow is all I can say. He tells it like he was there. Many audiobook can be good but feel like someone reading a script. This one makes you feel like the narrator WAS THERE!

In my mind, I was in country.

The author was successful in creating a book that made u experience those emotions of war. I actually could feel the sweat running down the back of my neck when the writer described the oppressive heat. I could feel my body stiffening when the N.V.A were close. I have never heard a more truthfully written account of the horrors of war.

Great book

great book. could not put it down. kept me away the edge of my seat.

A heart pounding and brow sweating journey!!

What did you love best about Dead Center?

Dead Center is a true down to earth rendition of the way it really was at that period and location of the Vietnam War. I listened to this exciting book twice and with each time, I found myself walking with the Rogues thru the trails and jungle. It is that real and accurate.....perfectly written and narrated.

What did you like best about this story?

This story and the detail it brought to me produced a flood of emotions from laughter and joy to tears of pain as the story brought me back to my own days as a Marine in Vietnam in the same area and time!

Which character – as performed by Sean Pratt – was your favorite?

Sean Pratt is a master at adding additional character to an already superbly written masterpiece.I found myself more and more drawn to "Kug".

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There were many moving moments in this book. There were moments of comedy built into the intense drama of disarming booby traps and moments of admiration for the sheer tenacity and almost respect for some of the enemy the Rogues encountered during their 2 year odyssey deep in enemy territory.

Any additional comments?

I would recommend this book to any person who has any wonderment how things really were " in county" with a Marine Sniper and his brave, sometimes crazy, comrades in arms!
Semper Fi!

Great Book

Compared to the other SOG books I’ve read such as the John Stryker Myers books this one just might be better. The depth of detail in Ed Kugler’s stories will put chills down your spine. He captures the craziness and brutality of war as well as the human psyche and horrors of war. This book get an A+ for the narration as well.

Most excellent

Excellent writing, Good story, will take you to the nam. Well worth the money and time investment.

Great book and great narrator

If you want raw and uncensored this is your book. Mr. Kugler gives his honest and straightforward account of his time in Vietnam. Fantastic read and I learned a lot. His hope that our leadership would improve unfortunately hasn’t been realized.

Excellent first hand account!

As a Vietnam vet, US Army, I found this account of what being a marine sniper during some of the years of heaviest fighting fascinating. Thank you for your service Marine!

One of the better ones

One of the top 10 I have read and I've read a lot of them.

Among the best

First off, the narration was incredible. Made you feel like you were there. Up close and personal. The story: intense, emotional, engaging...sorry it came to an end.

Well done, fellow Veteran. An honor to listen to your story.