Project Reality Forums

Everybody has read the "Vietnam Movies" thread. How about good books?

Movies are known for being exaggerated and unrealistic even if they are good. However a good Vietnam book can teach you more than every movie combined.

I've got a couple good ones.

Platoon Leader by James R. McDonough

A great focused examination of the insanely difficult job that new officers faced in Vietnam. A guy who's only training is going to West Point and being thrown into the shit with his men on a Firebase and basically having to figure out for himself most of what he had to do.

This is a fantastic view into the day to day lives of a whole Platoon of soldiers. A great book on small unit leadership and a no BS one when it comes to the **** they had to deal with.

Steel my Soldiers' Hearts by David H. Hackworth

Another great view into the life of an officer but this time at the Battalion level. This guy had been fighting since WW2 and took over control of a unit that can only be described as the cliche of dysfunctional Vietnam soldiers: mess everywhere, lack of discipline EVERYWHERE, no tactical sense in anything that happened, hygiene and dress just about as close to Platoon as you can get .

He turns this unit into just about the best one in all of Vietnam in a bare 3 months. It covers everything from the development of a unit into something effective, to the discussion of tactics against the VC and which worked and how the high command failed to even understand what it had to do and how it was fighting Normany style against a guerrilla force. The BS of high command officers, the stupid missions, the insane conditions, and just about anything else.

Kind of like a Band of Brothers for Vietnam really. Some really vivid and intense battles in this one too.

Those are my favourite Vietnam books. I recommend them highly.

Dispatches by Michael Herr

Reporter's accounts of things in the Nam, interesting read. Retro style of writing, quite 'groovy' at times.

...mongol...

Chickenhawk - Robert MASON

CAV slick pilot quite a good real read.

Amazon.com: Chickenhawk (978014303571 : Robert Mason: Books

Fields of Fire, really good. Based on real experiences but fictional account of a few soldiers lives in Vietnam.

Easy to read, some great logic throughout. I particularly enjoyed the ending where there is a discussion about the difference between objecting to serve thus serving prison time and running away to Canada... The idea that running away is a slap in the face to your country, abandoning it in its time of need, whereas refusing to serve and instead going to jail is both getting your message across and at the same time meeting the consequences. Trust me though, it was talked about much more eloquently in the book

It's a really great book, long, but very quick read.

Blood Trails By Christopher Ronnau.


The view of the war from a privates perspective, going through numerous encounters with NVA and VC, easy and enjoyable reading.

SOG - John L. Plaster

Now this is a MUST for anyone interested in SF missions in Vietnam. Accounts the huge losses the SOG suffered but some of the simply astonishing missions they managed to pull off. Also very interesting to learn about the tactics and weapons that these teams employed.

i agree with tim270. SOG is THE best book i have ever read.

Valley of Decision by John Prados and Ray Stubbe. Its about the siege of Khe Sanh and the hill battles. hard going but it's worth it.

Once a warrior king- David Donovan

Memoirs of a MAT team Officer in the Nam

...mongol...

We Were Soldiers Once and Young

Fallen Angles by Walter Dean Myers

This is historical fiction, and does not detail the actual "political" side or the facts of the war, but more of the psycological expirences of a particular soldier. A very easy read as well. I remember reading it a few years ago for school. It had a decent storyline, with a little humor now and then. Don't expect to learn a whole lot though.

=Toasted= wrote:Fallen Angles by Walter Dean Myers

This is historical fiction, and does not detail the actual "political" side or the facts of the war, but more of the psycological expirences of a particular soldier. A very easy read as well. I remember reading it a few years ago for school. It had a decent storyline, with a little humor now and then. Don't expect to learn a whole lot though.

I really enjoyed this book, lent it to a friend and never got it back Couldn't get another copy as i did not know the authors name. Cheers mate

PLODDITHANLEY wrote:Chickenhawk - Robert MASON

CAV slick pilot quite a good real read.

Amazon.com: Chickenhawk (978014303571 : Robert Mason: Books

Definetely agree,

Probably one of my favourite books ever haha.

To The Limit: An Air Cav Huey Pilot in Vietnam - Tom Johnson

Great book about helo operations in Vietnam, written by a huey pilot, and including his time working with special forces in cambodia. Very interesting, and written in a very humble way by a guy who won a silver star and put his life in danger hundreds of times.


Hackworth's book (listed above) is a must read for anyone interested in infantry combat in Vietnam, it really contextualizes their operations within the entire war.

I heard that "the 13th valley" by John M. Del Vecchio is quite good. I do have it but didn't yet read it. Quite thick though, 550 pages.

=Toasted= wrote:Fallen Angles by Walter Dean Myers

This is historical ficti....

Yeah i have read that book to, i thought it was great.

Tim O'brien has 3 books on Vietnam that were all pretty good.

If I Die in a Combat Zone - This is more of a personal memoir about the author's experience in Vietnam.

The Things They Carried - And interesting blend of fiction/personal accounts that looks that the experience of the soldiers in Vietnam individually and as a whole.

Going After Cacciato - A novel where a U.S. soldier goes AWOL and his squad chases after him. Eventually they cross the Vietnam border and figure out he plans to try and make his way to Europe and decide to go with him. Not quite a Vietnam book but still quite good.

going after cacciato tim obrien, the best from all the ones ive read. one of my favorate books if not THE favorate

http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/usm ... ietnam.txt

also:

Inside the Crosshairs: Snipers in Vietnam
Amazon.com: Inside the Crosshairs: Snipers in Vietnam (9780804116206): Col. Michael Lee Lanning: Books


edit: and how could I forget

The Pentagon papers
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/archi ... apers1.pdf

13 Cent Killers- By John J Cullbertson (Former Marine Scout/Sniper) and Author of Operation Tuscloosa

The book follows the 5th Marine Regiment Sniper Platoon serving in Nam 67'

It's an ok read 3/5, my grandfather served as a sniper in nam so I always had a thing for sharpshooters.

(The title is named 13 Cent Killers because the fact that one bullet cost 13 cents back in 1967)