Book Description
Nam-Sense is the brilliantly written story of a combat squad leader in the 101st Airborne Division. Arthur Wiknik was a 19-year-old kid from New England when he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1968. After completing various NCO training programs, he was promoted to sergeant "without ever setting foot in a combat zone" and sent to Vietnam in early 1969. Shortly after his arrival on the far side of the world, Wiknik was assigned to Camp Evans, a mixed-unit base camp near the northern village of Phong Dien, only thirty miles from Laos and North Vietnam. On his first jungle patrol, his squad killed a female Viet Cong who turned out to have been the local prostitute. It was the first dead person he had ever seen.
Wiknik's account of life and death in Vietnam includes everything from heavy combat to faking insanity to get some R and R. He was the first man in his unit to reach the top of Hamburger Hill during one of the last offensives launched by U.S. forces, and later discovered a weapons cache that prevented an attack on his advance fire support base. Between the sporadic episodes of combat he mingled with the locals, tricked unwitting U.S. suppliers into providing his platoon with a year of hard to get food, defied a superior and was punished with a dangerous mission, and struggled with himself and his fellow soldiers as the anti-war movement began to affect his ability to wage victorious war.
Nam-Sense offers a perfect blend of candor, sarcasm, and humor - and it spares nothing and no one in its attempt to accurately convey what really transpired for the combat soldier during this unpopular war. Nam-Sense is not about heroism or glory, mental breakdowns, haunting flashbacks, or wallowing in self-pity. The GIs Wiknik lived and fought with during his yearlong tour did not rape, murder, or burn villages, were not strung out on drugs, and did not enjoy killing. They were there to do their duty as they were trained, support their comrades - and get home alive. "The soldiers I knew," explains the author, "demonstrated courage, principle, kindness, and friendship, all the elements found in other wars Americans have proudly fought in."
Wiknik has produced a gripping and complete record of life and death in Vietnam, and he has done so with a style and flair few others will ever achieve.
Customer Reviews:
Arthur.......2007-05-14
Arthur tells it like it was, Just try to survive, one day at a timr.
pretty good.......2006-10-20
I enjoyed the book for the most part, although I did not agree with the author's attitude toward his service time, he seemed to be an officer that truly cared for his men and knew what was going on.
Once a warrior, always a warrior.......2006-09-07
Not every book engages me. Not every book makes me give up sleep in order to continue reading. Not all books begin at the beginning and end at the end, but this one does.
This author tells his story, giving life to his memories, making you feel as though the events he chronicles happened weeks not decades ago. He may have left things out for the sake of time, space or his own personal reason. But if there are holes in this history, I was unable to find them. The story is tight without being uptight. He doesn't pull any punches and is not shy in the least about speaking the truth as he sees it. This sometimes means a tough criticism of those who were his superior, our government and the American people. But who better to judge than someone who lived the story? He speaks from practical experience and some an incredible experience some of them were. They might even be hard to believe except for the fact that many that he relates are well documented by many other sources.
His entire book is very well laid out and gives you what I believe is a very clear picture of how a regular young man did some quite extraordinary things. Much of what he did, he feels was just what he should have been doing, trying to use his head to keep himself and others alive and whole, keeping his integrity and self respect intact, but if that was an easy task, then there can be no explanation why so many men were unable to do the same. The more logical explanation is that he may have been a down to earth young man, wanting not a lot more than to stay alive, but he was no regular guy. He was born to be a leader. Not the sort of leader than sits back and doesn't get involved. Not the sort that never knows what is going on but thinks he knows how to get the work done. Nope, he knew how to get the work done, because he was one of the workers. How better to lead than by example?
It can't be easy to decide to write about your life, especially a part that many who share similar memories would rather forget. But then to write down those remembrances, detail by detail, favorable or not, to finally throw caution to the wind, is impressive indeed. Much credit should be given to a man who could easily brush over the unglorified, untidy and unimaginable but doesn't.
If you are looking for a book completely free of chest pounding, he-man GI Joe and check me-out I am a hero talk, then you have found the right book. If you were hoping for a story that will just tell you how a man might end up in a place a gazillion miles from his home, fighting a war whose motives changed like the directions of the wind, this is the one. He will answer your questions and offer you more. In his own quiet, conversational, plain-speak way, without shouting it from the highest peak and without a single whisper of HE-man talk, Mr. Wiknik proves he was and is a warrior, an American hero and a living part of our history. If you ever had questions about the war, if you ever doubted the intentions of the powers that were, without a doubt when you close the covers of the book you will have no concerns about the motives, integrity or will of the man who went there.
A Truthful View of a Grunt's Life.......2006-09-02
Wiknik's NAM SENSE is one of the best memoirs by a grunt, and I've read most of them. I was in Wiknik's battalion but did not know him. His sense of the absurdities in the Army as well as the real strains on a grunt in the field are more candid that most memoirs. I can vouch for the authenticity of the story on page 63 about the soldier hanging from the chopper by a rappelling rope ... it was my unit that was being inserted, and I can never forget the horror of that event. I would rate Wiknik's book among the best VN memoirs along with those of Brennan, Burns, Foley and O'Brien.
A Real Infantryman's Combat Tour.......2005-11-25
NAM SENSE ranks as one of the best books I've read about Vietnam from an combat infantryman's prespective. It is well laid out and Wiknik has put his thoughts and emotions in every sentence. This is a riflemans combat tour in a book and he's not shy about sharing his feelings with his to often incompetent leaders. As a "Shake N' Bake" warrior, I too know what he had to deal with from all avenues and can testify he did an excellent job.
Book Description
"No way in hell you could survive 'out there' with six men. You couldn't live thirty minutes 'out there' with only six men." [pg. 13]
In 1965 nearly four hundred men were interviewed and only thirty-two selected for the infant LRRP Detachment of the lst Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. Old-timers called it the suicide unit. Whether conducting prisoner snatches, search and destroy missions, or hunting for the enemy's secret base camps, LRRPs depended on one another 110 percent. One false step, one small mistake by one man could mean sudden death for all.
Author Reynel Martinez, himself a 101st LRRP Detachment veteran, takes us into the lives and battles of the extraordinary men for whom the brotherhood of war was and is an ever-present reality: the courage, the sacrifice, the sense of loss when one of your own dies. In the hills, valleys, and triple-canopy jungles, the ambushes, firefights, and copter crashes, LRRPs were among the best and bravest to fight in Vietnam.
Customer Reviews:
-.......2007-08-17
Martinez writes about the early years of the LRRPs in Vietnam; about formation and transformation of the unit and their training and equipment. Furthermore the book is filled with dozens of accounts of LRRP missions. From observation missions to kidnap missions etc. These accounts come from a nummber of ex-LRRPs who Martinez interviewed and from the author who was a LRRP himself. Result is a book full of interesting facts and stories full of heroism, action, drama, humor or whatsoever.
EXCELLENT.......2006-03-11
THE THIRD OF THE THREE BOOKS TELLING THE STORY OF THE LRP'S ROLE IN THE VIETNAM WAR. TOLD BY ONE WHO WAS THERE FOR MORE THAN ONE TOUR. GO ON PATROL, FEEL THE TENSION AND EXPERIENCE THE FEAR AND EXCITEMENT OF COMBAT. A GREAT READ!!
Excellent book, very informative.......2005-08-07
This book is very informative, and includes the accounts of various LRRPs who served in the LRRPs of the 101st. This is excellent, as you get different views on the experiences. If you are interested in the LRRPs of Vietnam, then this is one you should definately add to your collection!
Brave Men.......2004-10-21
Six silent men Reynel Martinez
101st LRRP
The 101st Long Range Reconnainsce Patrols worked all over Vietnam, from I Corp in the North to the delta in the South. At times they worked with the Marines and the Special Forces. They went out in 6 man teams. The goal was to locate the enemy and target it for others to kill.
The 101st arrived in Vietnam in July 1965, at Cam Ranh bay. They were highly trained due to the efforts of Major David Hackworth, the brigade operations officer. In September, 1965, to gather intelligence, the Long Range Recon Patrol group was set up under the command of 1srt Lt. Joel Stevenson. The unit was formally established on 15 October. 337 men volunteered, and 32 were accepted.
The book relates the histories of several of the men that the author knew. This is the 1st of 3 books written about the LRRPs by the men who served with them. It covers this authors time there. Other time periods are covered by other authors. The author is the son of one of the Darby Rangers of World War II. He went around in the 1980's and got each person's story for the book. Maps would have helped in this book.
Part of the training was knowledge of the rules of 1759, of Rogers Rangers, still valid today, and in an appendix.
Doing this kind of work was new for Americans. The Special Forces had been doing it for years, and the LRRPs borrowed some of their tactics. However, the SF worked with local people on patrol It was widely expected that the LRRP all American team would not last a week in the jungle.
One problem was the headquarters would want to send the LRRPs out as bait for the North Vietnamese, and then attack the North Vietnamese when the LRRPs were attacked. This tactic was fought by the LRRPs, as they did not have the firepower to stop large groups of enemy.
The author goes into lots of detail about who was on each mission, combat loads, and training. In an appendix, is a list of a variety of weapons the LRRPs used as well as the enemy. LRRPs used the Special Forces tiger uniforms that they acquired via barter or stealing.
A bunch of times the teams were inserted into hot landing zones and had to be extracted immediately.
This included their very first mission, which was being monitored by brass all the way to Saigon. On the first mission they almost lost the classified codes used, and had to go back to retrieve them while being fired upon.
Sometimes while under fire chopper pilots refused to retrieve the teams. Braver substitute pilots had to be found. As time went on, a bonding occurred between the pilots and the LRRPs, as the pilots knew that the LRRPs would come and get them if they got shot down. The LRRPs greatly admired the pilot's bravery.
The LRRPs carried whatever weapon they wanted. Most used M-16's but some carried shotguns, grease guns from WWII, SKS's, Thompson's, whatever. They borrowed strobe lights from the chopper pilots for use in signaling.
Many of the fights were within a few feet of the enemy. Several accounts relate the enemy looking directly at the men on one side of a bush, the LRRPs on the other side, and the enemy not seeing them due to LRRP camouflage.
Choppers at the time had to descend to the ground for the men to get aboard, as ladders and harness's had not been devised yet.
There were several occasion were teams were inserted into the wrong spots and got into big trouble, as there were lots of unexpected enemy, or they were in the target zone of a B-52 arc light bomb strike.
A bunch of the LRRPs were former Special Forces people.
Special Forces camps such as Dong Tre and Tra Bang were used as jump off points for some of the teams.
Sometimes they got orders that they knew were making them bait, so they said OK to the orders, but ignored them.
Once in a while they got inserted via boat. One Vietnamese crew put them in 30 miles North of the target area, and they ran into many VC and were in the way of a B-52 strike.
Some teams had scout dogs, but the teams considered them worthless as the dogs ate and drank too much, and gave away their locations by growling and whining. One dog kept biting the team members and mysteriously got fragged. (Killed by a grenade).
Sometimes they had time to fish and used "Dupont lures" (M-26 grenades.)
One mission was up north near Duc Pho, near Nui Dang hill, where Marine Carlos Hathcock got his 2500 yard sniper kill using a 50 caliber machine gun. Hathcock was a legend with the 101st too.
There were lots of people killed in this book. A lot of medals were given, Medals of Honor, Silver Stars. One person had acquired 13 purple hearts.
On one mission, they were flying for an insertion and spotted troops on the ground. They radioed this and were told that there were no friendlies in the area. They called in an air strike and found out later that the target was a group of American troops who had been inserted in the wrong landing zone.
May 1966 was the second generation of LRRPs, as the originals were being sent home. The 3rd generation came a year later. In 1967. Some men kept extending, staying overseas 5 and 6 years. LRRP troops were recruited for SF duty, and visa versa.
One mission they were on was to snatch a prisoner. He was a high ranking VC and they were in a no shooting mode, so as not to kill the potential prisoner. Shooting started immediately, and they got the prisoner they wanted plus a bunch of others.
Several funny incidents in local bars are included. One Lt had a pet bird that he used to take to the bar and buy drinks for. He told the bird to attack, at which point th bird would run out on his arm and squawk at the crowd. The bird always passed out. At another bar, they ran into a bunch of Koreans. There was a face off, and finally a Korean grabbed a beer out of a LRRPs hand, drank half of it, and handed it back. The LRRP finished it and the party was on. Other times they took beer back to base with them, a no-no. They had arguments with MP's trying to take the beer away. A Marine major was giving a bunch of static right after they had returned from a mission. The LRRPs listened to this for awhile, and one in the back finally yelled out "let's shoot the MF!". The Marine major advanced in the other direction quickly.
In July 1967, the LRRPs were running missions from the Tra Bong Special Forces camp. The author liked the Montagnard rations better than his own. Theirs was fish heads and rice, and hot peppers. The author did not envy the SF as they always had VC spies among their troops.
The author also went to the Recondo school while there, and participated in 10 mile runs with a 40 lb pack, plus weapons.
Men like Top Smith were idolized for his leadership ability. He never raised his voice or gave orders, just suggestions. He defended his men from headquarters. So did Superspade.
There was a mission where they called in an air strike and the planes and choppers came and shot the target up. There was a VC 51 cal machine gun that was shooting at the aircraft. Strike after strike came in, and the VC with the 51 cal kept shooting and wounded a couple of the planes. The LRRPs were impressed with the VC gunners bravery and cheered him on. After several passes, the aircraft finally silenced the machine gun.
Weather and leeches were a constant problem. They were on a mission when a typhoon came over them.
The monsoon season kept them wet and cold all the time. Electrical storms got so bad that it would set off the claymore mines and trip flares.
One man in their group was a medic. He was one of 3 brothers. He got killed on Nov 1, 1967, exactly 17 years to the day as his older brother, who died in Korea. He was one of the authors best friends.
An incident is related where the unit is out in the boonies and comes to a hamlet with a restaurant. They order a meal, and while eating a VC group comes in and orders lunch too. Both sides eat and leave, in opposite directions.
At one time the LRRP. s were working out of Song Be, on the Cambodian border. At least once they got picked up for extraction on the Cambodian side.
On leave in the states, he meets one of his team members for some drinks and go to a bar. A good looking girl sits with them. The author knows the girl has something on her mind. He has something on his mind. Both keep drinking. The author felt something was wrong. She finished her mixed drink and finally asked, "Well, how many babies did you kill in Vietnam"? Thinking this over, the author finally replied, "Not near enough. That's why I'm going back!". End of relationship.
Within 48 hours of landing back in Vietnam, he was in the bush again, in action.
They caught a VC paymaster with a bunch of gold leaf, and turned him in to the Vietnamese. Superspade turned the guy over to the Vietnamese. A few days later, the author saw the VC out. He had bought himself ort of prison. After returning from leave, he noted to Superspade how unfair the situation was, letting the VC paymaster go. Superspade showed the author his new gold teeth and said that the VC paymaster paid for them. He had kept a bunch of the VC money. He also noted that he saw the VC paymaster in the jungle later. The paymaster was arrogant to Superspade, thinking he had bought Superspade's silence. Fatal mistake.
The book ends after Tet, and the elimination of the 1st Brigade LRRPs as an independent organization.
There is an epilogue explaining where surviving members went.
A good book that would be better with maps.
Informative but...Boring.......2003-03-21
I've read a lot of books on Special Ops and especially Lurps in Vietnam. I haven't read a book yet that I didn't like but this one was rather boring. I have to agree with another reviewer that there "wasn't anything making me want to turn the page." If you like sit on the edge of your chair, can't put the book down for hours read this isn't it. Still the book is informative and the series is pretty good.
Book Description
For one of Vietnam's bloodiest battles, America brought out its best.
Their officers and senior noncoms were drawn from the U.S. Army's elite. They were an all-volunteer paratrooper unit, General William Westmoreland's "fire brigade," dropped from the air wherever the fighting was heaviest. They were the "Sky Soldiers," men of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. And during the five months from June to November, 1967, they fought many of the bloodiest battles of the entire, decade-long Vietnam War at the small mountain hamlet in the Central Highlands called Dak To.
From their very first engagement with the North Vietnamese Army, when a whole company of paratroopers was nearly wiped out, to the savage, climactic battle for Hill 875, here is a riveting, hard-hitting account of how the Sky Soldiers plunged into some of Southeast Asia's most forbidding terrain, against a professional enemy who held no fear of the airborne. Denied food and water, cut off from support, facing annihilation, the beleaguered fighters finally faced down the North Vietnamese in a nightmarish Thanksgiving Day confrontation. As a result, three NVA regiments, crippled by the 173rd, were forced to sit out the crucial Tet Offensive of January, 1968. The most eloquent testimony to the courage of the Sky Soldiers came during the memorial service to their dead comrades, when pairs of jump boots were arranged in neat rows to represent each fallen paratrooper. It was a ceremony every survivor of the 173rd Airborne and the battle for Dak To remembers to this day.
Customer Reviews:
I was there !!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2007-01-30
I went to Vietnam Feb. 1967 , B Co. 2 Bn. 173 rd. I went to Dak To with the 173rd. and not much in this book is as I remember. When I first got to Vietnam we had a guy name Kasmere that was a dud coward. One time Readers Digest did a story on a hero soldier , in his words , you guessed it , Kasmere. This book reads the same. All but Lt. McDevitt and he was the best Lt. ever was, the real deal. My name is Jones and I humped a 60 in 3 rd. platoon. All The Way Sir !!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a great book!.......2005-03-21
Wow this was a really great book. This is the first novel I've read about the role of a paratrooper in war, and I'm glad i chose this book to be the first. Edward Murphy kept me hooked the whole way from start to finish. I couldn't ask for a better Vietnam war novel. Great book. I highly recommend this to anyone who likes to read war novels.
This was a fantastic book.......2004-06-17
This true account of the 173rd in the central highlands of Vietnam kept me turning the pages. It is a must read for all who appreciate the sacrifices of our brave American soldiers.
Battles of Dak To -- 173rd Airborne Brigade in Action.......2004-02-11
Very well written account of the major battles of the 173rd Airborne Brigade in the Dak To area near the Cambodian-Laotian-Vietnamese borders. Murphy interviewed a number of survivors of those battles and used after-action reports. His research and writing bring those battles to life. That's the "good news" and the "bad news". The battle scenes are quite graphically portrayed. The book is very reminiscent of WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE, AND YOUNG, except it covers several significant battles between June and December of 1967. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Heroes all.......2002-09-29
This book was fabulous, my brother was the FNG written about. It was the first I ever knew about his experiences in Vietnam and I knew he was wonderful, but I never imagined the experience he and the other soldiers had. For whatever reason, he never discussed his tour with us and after reading this book I know why. It is just so much to bear for so many, so young. They really were heroes. A must read for anyone interested in the Vietnam war.
Book Description
After the end of World War 2, the 101st remained in Germany on occupation duty before being shipped home, where the division was activated and deactivated three times as a training unit, before becoming heavily involved in action in Vietnam.
Taking part in most of the bloodiest campaigns of the conflict, the 101st Airborne was the longest serving unit of the war, serving almost seven years in combat.
Book Description
Perhaps the most accurate story of LRRPs at war
ever to appear in print!
When Frank Johnson arrived in Vietnam in 1969, he was nineteen, a young soldier untested in combat like thousands of others--but with two important differences: Johnson volunteered for the elite L Company Rangers of the 101st Airborne Division, a long range reconnaissance patrol (LRRP) unit, and he kept a secret diary, a practice forbidden by the military to protect the security of LRRP operations.
Now, more than three decades later, those hastily written pages offer a rare look at the daily operations of one of the most courageous units that waged war in Vietnam. Johnson served in I Corps, in northern Vietnam, where combat was furious and the events he recounts emerge, stark and compelling: walking point in the A Shau Valley, braving enemy fire to rescue a downed comrade, surviving days and nights of relentless tension that suddenly exploded in the blinding fury of an NVA attack.
Undimmed and unmuddied by the passing of years, Johnson's account is unique in the annals of Vietnam literature. Moreover, it is a timeless testimony to the sacrifice and heroism of the LRRPs who dared to risk it all.
Customer Reviews:
A great read.......2006-09-25
There's no fluff or hot air because Johnson basically wrote this while in-country, which makes trusting his word a no-brainer. He spares nothing, especially those whom he served with; he's not afraid to say what he thinks. All too often, time changes the perception of the author from how they thought and felt during war, into what they now think and feel.
I must also commend Johnson for coming forward with a review that set the record straight about Herman Brown and the events that unfolded on 11 January 1970 - that takes character.
Otherwise, it was a fast read, but if you're not familiar with how the LRRPs operated, you may want to start with a book that provides more explaination.
Diary of an Airborne Ranger: A LRRP's Year in the Combat Zone.......2006-08-22
I have to admit that I'm prejudice because I wrote the book. I bought the copy for a friend. But let me take this time to clear up a matter I wrote about in my book. I wrote a about Herman Brown's team getting into a fire fight where SSG Salters, the TL, and Sgt Jones, the ATL, were killed. I said in my diary that I didn't think Herman should have gotten the DSC for his actions in the fight. Even though Heman was a friend of mine, and I really liked him alot, I didn't think he deserved the DSC. What I didn't get a chance to say in my book because it was published before I knew it, was what really happened during Herman's fire fight. So let me take the time now. I talked with our 1st Sgt, Gilbert, years later and Top asked me why I said what I did about Herman. I said because it was the way the fight was explained to me. But Top said that about three days after the contact, the Loach pilot that pulled the team out came by the company area and asked if anyone had gotten medals for the contact. Top said no. The Loach pilot than began to tell Top what he had observed. It was very socked in, meaning it was raining and the clouds were ground level. But the pilot was able to fly up a draw and reach the team. When the pilot got there the team was in a shooting match with the bad guys and Herman was standing up and firing in all directions. The pilot got as close to the ground as he could but was unable to touch down. Herman, firing his weapon the whole time, grabbed Salters body and one handed Salters to the gunner. Herman then grabbed Jones' body and again one handed the body to the gunner, the whole time firing in all directions at the bad guys with his free hand. The pilot flew off and dropped the bodies off at a safe place and returned. The pilot again observed Herman going around the small perimeter and firing in all directions like a one man army. The pilot again got as close to the ground as he could and said he could only take two out. The other two members of the team got onto the Loach and Herman stayed back by himself, still firing in all directions. The pilot said he really didn't expect to find Herman alive upon his return, but when he returned, there was Herman still holding off the bad guys. It seemed like to the pilot that Herman had been the only one firing at the bad guys and each of the times the pilot flew in, there was Herman, going around the small perimeter and doing all the firing like a one man army! There was no hesitation of Herman being the last guy out, but the other two rushed on board the Loach. So...that is the real story about Herman Brown. As far as I'm concerned Herman should have gotten the Medal of Honor, and I'm not just saying that because he was my friend. I slammed him in my diary and he was my friend, and I'm now saying he should have earned the CMH because of what he actually did. Top did not want Herman to go out to the field anymore after that fight and that is why. Top said that anyone who goes through a fight and fought like Herman did, he doesn't have to go out. But Herman did go out one more time and that was with me when we had a fobar mission in the Ashau Valley to blow up some bridges. Anyway, I wanted to set the record straight. I know this a little long and alot of years have passed, and I don't know who will actually read this, but I pray for only the best for Herman and that he gets the credit he deserved.
Through the Eyes of a 19 Year Old.......2001-06-09
It was my privilege to have known Frank Johnson while serving with him in Vietnam. There were many times we set across from each other on our bunks and thanked God we were still alive. Frank indeed was a warrior and a man of great courage but there was also another side that was warm kind and gentle. A man that would take the time to listen to your problems, to help you when you were down and to support you when you needed a friend. This book is an accurate accountant of places and events that took place as seen through the eyes of Frank Johnson.With great pleasure I recommend you read this book. It is a supreme insight into what it was like for a 19 your old to have been exposed to the horrors of war. Burgess Wetta
Diary of an Airborne Ranger.......2001-06-02
This book really gives you the first hand account on what happen day by day to this soldier. What a great history lesson. It isn't soften down by someones memories of the Vietnam War but gives you the actual feelings that happen on that day. I find that when I am reading I get lost in the moment and feel like I am right in the jungle with this soldier. I was only 10 yrs old little girl when this was taking place. I looked up my birthday because I wanted to see what this guy was doing on that day when I was celebrating my birthday. Gave me a strange feeling. Thank you to ALL the war veterans who have fought for our freedom.
DIARY OF AN AIRBORNE RANGER.......2001-03-25
A LRRP'S YEAR IN A COMBAT ZONE...This was an excellent book. I just bought the book 2 days ago, and just finished it tonight. I had to read it every chance I got. The hell these guys went through, detailed explicitly in this book, is amazing. The honor and courage that these men showed, went above and beyond the call of duty. Definitely a must read, especially for those who have been in the military, and especially for those who have seen combat...it has certainly brought back memories for me.....
Average customer rating:
- Another thrilling read from Gary Linderer
- Brilliant piece of writing
- These men truly lived this war
- Fake Military Medals --- to sell more books!
- ýYou couldnýt live 30 minutes out there with only six men!ý
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Six Silent Men...Book Three (101st Lrp/Rangers)
Gary Linderer
Manufacturer: Ivy Books
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Six Silent Men, Book Two (101st Lrp/Rangers)
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Six Silent Men (101st Lrp/Rangers)
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Eyes Behind the Lines
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Phantom Warriors: Book I: LRRPs, LRPs, and Rangers in Vietnam (Phantom Warriors)
ASIN: 0804115672
Release Date: 1997-09-28 |
Book Description
"The Eyes and Ears of the Screaming Eagles . . ."
By 1969, the NVA had grown more experienced at countering the tactics of the long range patrols, and SIX SILENT MEN: Book Three describes some of the fiercest fighting Lurps saw during the war. Based on his own experience and extensive interviews with other combat vets of the 101st's Lurp companies, Gary Linderer writes this final, heroic chapter in the seven bloody years that Lurps served God and country in Vietnam. These tough young warriors--grossly outnumbered and deep in enemy territory--fought with the guts, tenacity, and courage that have made them legends in the 101st.
Customer Reviews:
Another thrilling read from Gary Linderer.......2006-04-20
I highly recommend any & all of Gary Linderer's books; all are packed with great recollections of our brave fighting men in Vietnam, and are fast reads. Once you start this book (Vol 3), you'll find it very hard to put down. Reading Vols 1 & 2 are not necessary, as each is a stand-alone account.
I have enjoyed all of Mr Linderer's publications, and can recommend this one as well without hesitation. You won't be disappointed!
Brilliant piece of writing.......2005-08-06
Excellent piece of writing from a guy who served with the team. As a UK reader, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the 101st LRRPs/Rangers in Vietnam.
These men truly lived this war.......2003-09-18
...This book is, as well as the others by Linderer an interesting recollection of his own experiences as well as experiences of others. Spend the bucks and you won't get disappointed. Try reading his other books to get a good sum of what he and his teammates experienced during Vietnam.
Don't let yourself be blamed by such [bologna]. I mean, the war is long gone, Linderers and Chambers books are a recollection of their feelings, thoughts and experiences. Truly and honestly written. The way I understood it, this book and the other books aren't a recollection of commo details or other things. These are facts of men fighting a war not REMFs ... spitting on a good job and being jealous about what they could do. So buy this book or the others by Linderer and you will understand a lot more.
Fake Military Medals --- to sell more books!.......2003-07-03
The men from Lima Company, Rangers from Vietnam deserved someone better and more qualified to write about the unit than this author, Gary Linderer. In the past, Linderer, has been busted for copyright infringement and caught in numerous lies about his military awards and decorations. No one ever receives 2 Silver Stars and 2 Purple Hearts for the same day's combat as Linderer claims he was awarded for the combat action of Nov. 20, 1968, in which nine Vietnamese (mostly unarmed females and males) "rice porters" were ambushed and killed according to the U.S. National Archives DA1594 records.
Inside all of Gary A. Linderer's books he has the following: "Gary A. Linderer is the publisher of `Behind the Lines,' a magazine that specializes in U.S. military special operations. In Vietnam, he earned two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star with V devise (for Valor), the Army Commendation Medal with V devise, and two Purple Hearts. His first two books were selected by the Military Book Club."
**************************
From the FOIA I have the following:
National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records
9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100
OFFICIAL LIST OF AWARDS The Official Military Records of GARY A. LINDERER (SSN removed) show that he is authorized the following awards and decorations for his service in the US Army:
SILVER STAR
BRONZE STAR MEDAL W/FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND "V" ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
W/FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER AIR MEDAL
GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL NATIONAL DEFENSE
SERVICE MEDAL
VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL W/4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS
COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN RIBBON W/DEVICE (1960)
REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS W/PALM UNIT CITATION BADGE SHARPSHOOTER
BADGE W/RIFLE & MACHINE GUN BARS EXPERT BADGE W/AUTO RIFLE BAR
////////NOTHING FOLLOWS/////////////
R. L. HINDMAN,
Director
Don C. Hall
Author of the award-winning book "I SERVED."
Military researcher, historian and Executive Producer of the award-winning documentary "SILENT VICTORY: The men of F Co., 51st LRP (Airborne) Infantry."
ýYou couldnýt live 30 minutes out there with only six men!ý.......2002-06-14
The LRRPS did. Time and time again the long-range-reconnaissance-patrols went out to "see" and not be "seen", and sadly, some individuals wouldn't return home.
This is fantastic series of books covering the history and evolution of the LRRPS/LRPS/RANGERS during the Vietnam War.
Rey Martinez, Kenn Miller, and Gary Linderer interviewed a great number of the surviving members of the LRRPS/Rangers to bring their history alive. While some members were able to tap into their memories, others wouldn't touch the pain from long ago. The authors did a terrific job bringing the histories together for a strong narrative.
If anything, I found myself wanting to know more! What were they thinking? What were you feeling? I'm sure much ended up on the "editing room floor".
The "SIX SILENT MEN" books are a very honest account if the units actions. They're packed with adventure and daring. While reading their books, I was filled with tension and dread, other times I had to laugh aloud, and a few times I became misty-eyed. You feel for the teams as they "will" themselves to become invisible while on patrol.
Don't be mis-lead by a negative review. The reviewer misquoted the book. This I know since I pulled my copy off the shelf and checked the text. The reviewer claims the authors are liars --- NOT SO. A great number of books on the Vietnam War are written very honestly, and the publishers do "Fact Checking" before publishing these books. Read the review by Harold Nealy, who was a LRRP! His testimonial supports this fine series. If these books were embellished tales, then Vietnam Vets who served in the LRRPS/Rangers wouldn't hesitate to post a review here and let the truths be known. As you see this isn't the case.
I have never met a veteran who has panned these books. Never.
If you enjoyed this series, I would also recommend Jim Morris' WAR STORY, John Plasters' SOG, James Rowe's FIVE YEARS TO FREEDOM, Larry Chambers RECONDO, and Leigh Wade's TAN PHU.
I had the honor of meeting Kenn Miller, Jim Morris, and John Plaster (and other Vietnam Vets) two years ago. They freely answered my questions. I was going to `buy a round' when one of them said, "Put your money away kid." I was 33, and that gathering was enjoyed by all.
Read the books. You won't be disappointed! God Bless and Attack life!
Book Description
You know it's going to be hot when your brigade is referred to as a Fireball unit. From May 1967 through May 1968, Ted Arthurs was in the thick of it, humping an eighty-pound rucksack through triple canopy jungle, chasing down the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. As sergeant major for a battalion of 800 men, it was his job to see them through this jungle hell and get them back home again.
Customer Reviews:
Review from little wolf.......2007-02-13
The wolf has known me since I was born at Ft Campbell Ky,I am honored to call him a friend. He and my father were in the Army together,his book is an eye opener for those of us who had fathers fighting in the war.I would highly reccomend this book to anyone who would like an accurate assesment of the Vietnam war.
Jeryemo - I have read many vietnam books.......2007-01-30
Probably one of the three best books that I have read on the Vietnam conflict. Honest from a man who cared about his soldiers and never once thought about how it was for other divisions. Trully great.
A good read!.......2007-01-20
I just missed Viet Nam as I was in the last year drafted. This is a heartfelt and sometimes humorous tribute to the men with whom CSM Arthurs fought. There are also some tales from other times in his storied military career. This book is really a series of vignettes rather than one long running story and the writing style is folksy, matter of fact making the book easy to read. There are some great visual pictures painted by CSM Arthurs...someone should make a movie based on this book.
A great read.......2006-11-10
This is a stirring memoir written my a true American hero. He puts you in the heat of battle and the heat of the Central Highlands.No matter what you think of our involvement in Viet Nam, the guys who served there fought with great valor without a great deal of support from our National Command Authority.
AMERICAN HERO.......2006-11-06
This is an emotionally charged and well written book. It details the minds and hearts of the Vietnam Vet during this important time in American History. It sets the record straight and brings the truth to the American people about the hero's of NAM. John Kerry is a disgrace to this country and this book is about REAL HERO's not hero wannabes. BUY IT NOW !!!
Book Description
A unique, unvarnished look from the only British citizen serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam
AN UNCONVENTIONAL SOLDIER
Born in England to a British father and a Canadian mother, James Walker was raised almost exclusively at the British Sailors Orphan Home following his parents' divorce. After joining the British army as a teen, his mother--now living in the States--bought his way out of the military and brought him to America. There he volunteered for the LRRP detachment of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. And history was made.
James Walker soon became "Limey," the only British citizen in the 101st LRRPs. He and the other LRRPs of the detachment were given every sort of assignment under the blistering sun: long-range recons, surprise raids on villages, trail watching, even herding stray cattle with helicopters. Back in camp, however, they did nothing to diminish their reputation as hell-raisers--especially Walker, whose outlandish behavior eventually cost him an extension of his tour in Nam.
Customer Reviews:
one of the better lrrp books.......2002-06-12
I have read quite a few of the abundant LRRP books out there, all of them very enjoyable. If i were forced to pick favorites it would have to be this one, also 'war story' by jim morris, and 'gone native' by allan cornett. (on a slightly different subject SOG by john plaster is incredible) One of the reasons is walker's great sense of humor as he had me cracking up regularly thoughout. These were indeed special men and it remains a tragedy that this war was lost through ticket-punching officers, bureacracy, politics etc....
Other Brits and non citizens........2001-02-15
The introduction on your web site states "A unique,unvarnished look from the only British Citizen serving in the US Army in Vietnam". This is not true. I am also a British citizen, and still am, and served in Vietnam in 1967. There were also many others not only from Great Britain but a lot of other countries too. You only needed a green card to be subject to the draft.
Step into a LRRP's jungle boot!.......2000-09-28
Having never been to Vietnam James Walker's writings brought me into deadly job that the 101st LRRP's faced on those "Long Walks" in the steamy jungle. Mr. Walkers descriptions of being a "newbie", training, insertions, missions, extraction's, after actions are worthy reading to both the novice and the veteran. Fourntue Favors the Bold held my attention well into the late night.
These men "lived" with the danger and wrote history with their blood and lives. A great tribute to the Airborne soldiers that were called LURP's!
Step into a LRRP's jungle boot!.......2000-09-28
Having never been to Vietnam James Walker's writings brought me into deadly job that the 101st LRRP's faced on those "Long Walks" in the steamy jungle. Mr. Walkers descriptions of being a "newbie", training, insertions, missions, extraction's, after actions are worthy reading to both the novice and the veteran. Fourntue Favors the Bold held my attention well into the late night.
These men "lived" with the danger and wrote history with their blood and lives. A great tribute to the Airborne soldiers that were called LURP's!
Fortune Favors the Bold.......2000-03-07
I have read this book and I found it exciting and funny in parts. It kept my interest and had an edge of the seat approach. You had to keep reading to find out what happens next. I think James E. Walker should write more books about his experiences. He is a fantastic author in my opinion.
Book Description
The Story of a Soldier is the moving account of Edward Mehosky, the author’s father and an extraordinary man who lived through the Great Depression and three historic wars. During his three decades in the military, he served with distinction in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment with the 101st Airborne Division. As a leader of men, he guided his platoon through all phases of military life: training; soldiering; representing their country. On D-Day, this focused and determined man led the way into a high-risk night drop onto Normandy. When that battle was fought and won, Mehosky continued to serve and lead, acting with honor as company commander at Bastogne and the Battle of the Bulge. Adding further to Mehosky’s heroic life was his role as a volunteer in the Korean War, where he commanded a rifle company and, through yet another act of unparalleled bravery, brought honor to himself, his country and his family. The Story of a Soldier is more than a narration of bravery. It is a reminder of our capacity to lead, protect and serve.
Customer Reviews:
I'm so glad I read this.......2006-08-27
The Story of a Soldier 1940-1971: The Airborne Spirit and Recollections of Colonel Edward S. Mehosky (Ret.) U.S. Army, Infantry is a true story that begins right in the middle of the action. It is 1944, World War II, and a parachute jump into German-held France has gone terribly wrong.
Edward is, by any definition, a hero. The son of Polish immigrants, he grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania during the Great Depression. When a broken leg ended his baseball career, he joined the Army. Two years later he joined the 506th Parachute Regiment and went overseas with the 101st Airborne Division.
A natural-born leader, his career spanned three decades and three wars. He was a platoon leader during the night drop on Normandy on D-Day. He was a company commander at the Battle of the Bulge during the defense against numerically superior enemy forces at Bastogne.
During the Korean War, he volunteered for the 40th Infantry Division and commanded a rifle company on a steep, frozen ridge facing Chinese positions. With the 502nd Airborne in Germany, his men caused quite a stir by capturing a Green Beret unit. He also served in Vietnam, and retired in 1971.
The prewar portion of the book is probably more interesting to a fellow veteran than to this reader, but by letting us know how Edward Mehosky was raised and trained, it sets the stage for what follows. The story definitely picks up when it moves to Europe. Once that happens, it never lets up.
My advice is, go visit the website and read the first three chapters free. If, like me, you get hooked, you'll buy the book.
Above and Beyond.......2002-03-30
The Story Of A Soldier, by Ivan Paul Mehosky is a wonderful first person account of a heroic officer who knew how to fight and get the better of the enemy, and knew how to prepare men for war so they could fight as a team with the proper attitude, inflict great damage on the enemy, and have a chance to survive the hell of combat. Mehosky's creed, "you fight like you train, and repetition of tasks equal confidence," saw this echoed in his words countless times to his men, "in war, there is no simulation!" Like their leader, Mehosky's men were tough, motvated, confident, and smart, paratroop soldiers who were some of our best ever to fight in battle against well-trained foes. Some of the descriptions of his experiences and survival are astonishing as well as stirring and vivid. Lt. Mehosky's account of his heroic rescue of two wounded soldiers under intense enemy mortar and small arms fire in front of Carentan, France was bravery above and beyond the call of duty that truely merits our nation's highest honors. There are accounts I have never seen in other books, acounts I want to read again and again and ponder. This well written book should be read by all ages-young and old. It will stir your heart and imagination! You won't be disappointed.
The Story of a Soldier.......2002-03-22
The Story of a Soldier is definately worth reading. Ivan Mehosky has written a fantasic book in the style of Stephen Ambrose. Once you start reading you won't want to put it down til the end. Covering the period from 1940 to 1971 with a major focus on World War 2 Paratroopers in action.
Mr. Mehosky has done an excellant job of telling the story of his father's military career as handed down to him from his father. As you read the book you can't help but think of Mr. Mehosky of the 506th P.I.R. as having alot in common with Major Dick Winters of "Band of Brothers" fame.
If you're looking for an excellant book on World War 2 Paratroopers....This is it!
Must Read!.......2002-01-09
If you enjoyed Ambrose's Band of Brothers and Webster's Parachute Infantry, you'll certainly enjoy this one! It gives a neat insight to Camp Toccoa b/f the enlisted men got there. It inspires anyone to stay the course, no matter what. Col. Mehosky shows that honor, duty and courage are time-honored.
What greater love.......2002-01-02
A son has brought to light a father's deserved place in US military history! This book is a must read for anyone interested in the role of the Airborne in World War II or an interestingly detailed look at a successful military career from beginning training as an enlisted man to the rank of Colonel. The combination story lines of honor, country, bravery and love of family do not interfere with each other but instead compliment and come together in a book difficult to put down until the last page.
Average customer rating:
- childhood friend
- Great Audio Book
- Excellent, excellent read
- Great book
- great book
|
Pathfinder: First In, Last Out
Richard R. Burns
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
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Similar Items:
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Diary of an Airborne Ranger: A LRRP's Year in the Combat Zone
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Force Recon Diary, 1969
ASIN: 0804116024
Release Date: 2002-02-26 |
Book Description
December 1967: Richard Burns had just arrived in Vietnam as part of the fourteen-man 101st Pathfinder Detachment. Within just one month, during a holiday called Tet, the Communists would launch the largest single attack of the war--and he would be right in the thick of it. . . .
In Vietnam, Richard Burns operated in live-or-die situations, risking his life so that other men could keep theirs. As a Pathfinder--all too often alone in the middle of a hot LZ--he guided in helicopters disembarking troops, directed medevacs to retrieve the wounded, and organized extractions. As well as parachuting into areas and supervising the clearing of landing zones, Pathfinders acted as air-traffic controllers, keeping call signs, frequencies, and aircraft locations in their heads as they orchestrated takeoffs and landings, often under heavy enemy fire.
From Bien Hoa to Song Be to the deadly A Shau Valley, Burns recounts the battles that won him the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and numerous other decorations. This is the first and only book by a Pathfinder in Vietnam . . . or anywhere else.
Customer Reviews:
childhood friend.......2006-08-09
richie was a friend first and later my brother-in-law. you need to read this book to understand what the brave pathfinders endured. i was very lucky to have personally know him before and after the war. writing this book was both theraputic and heart wrecthing for him but, he knew he had to write it. the big c took his life much too early. rest in peace brother.
Great Audio Book.......2005-08-15
This is one of my favorite audio books. The narrator does a fantastic job.
Excellent, excellent read.......2005-07-23
Great book. Absolutely loved it. Very sad he's gone and won't be able to follow up on the next tour he did.
Great book.......2005-03-24
I was in Vietnam with the 9th Inf Div Pathfinder Det (13 Pathfinders for the entire division) and the 1st Bde 101st. I knew about half of the people that were with Rich Burns at the time, but don't remember meeting him. I can vouch for his accuracy of a lot of what happened during that period of the war.
I recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about what we did. There is a US Army Pathfinder Association that is trying hard to gather more information from those of us that did this job. It's located at www.USPathfinders.org. For those interested, There is a history section that might be helpful.
great book.......2003-09-09
i cant say anymore but its a must read dam good book
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