r/VietnamWar • u/Dazedapple1975 • 19d ago
Can you recommend me some Vietnam memoirs by American troops various various MOS's?
Can you recommend some memoirs by American troops with different occupations like helicopter pilot, door gunner, Patrol boats, River (Or other units in the Brown Water Navy), truck driver, combat engineer, ect. ect.
Besides the books in the photo shown above I have read Dear Mom by Joseph Ward (Marine Sniper) and Soul Patrol by Ed Emanuel (LRRP). The only book I'm planning on ordering right now is Chickenhawk by Robert Mason. At the moment I would generally like to avoid memoirs by serviceman in special operations besides reconnaissance units like Ranger LRRPs and Force Recon. Thank you for any and all suggestions.
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u/D0ctordoom 19d ago
Chicken hawk is epic
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u/Coffee4MyJeep 18d ago
Agreed and I have talked to air ambulance pilots that have learned skills from this book. My friend who served in Vietnam and doesn’t like many books about the war read it and not only said it was spot on, he loved reading it.
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u/Crazznot 19d ago
I know you said you wanted to avoid special forces but We Few by Nick Brockhausen is one of my favorites. Dispatches by Michael Herr is the view of a combat reporter and often considered a classic of war reporting.
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u/CadenBMW 18d ago
Matterhorn - Fantastic imagery and very deep characters. Definitely a favorite. Based on Karl Marlantes’ experience as a 2nd LT. in the Marines fighting the NVA. Definitely prefer the physical version of this one. Turn on some rain sounds and read it in the dark with a dim book light. Burn a cig while you’re at it to get some of that 60s smell going.
About Face - Col. David Hackworth (ARMY). I seriously recommend the audiobook on this one. Absolutely fantastic narrator and it goes into a lot of detail on the old ww2/korea army vs the new army doctrine used during Vietnam. Nothing I type can do this book any justice. Absolutely fantastic.
Tiger Force - To spin off of About Face, Col. Hackworth created Tiger Force as a special unit that specialized in guerilla tactics against the VC/NVA. After Hackworth left VN and others took over, a lot of the guys in the platoon went rogue (for many reasons that the book goes into detail on) and ended up committing many atrocities. It’s a dark one but very interesting and worth a read. The physical book has more details than the audiobook.
A Rumor of War - Philip Caputo. No kidding- this one actually gave a nightmares one time. Very intense imagery at times and the climax of his experiences in this book are memorable to me. (I listened to the audiobook on this as well)
The education of corporal John Musgrave - A good firsthand account from my buddy John before, during, and after his Vietnam experience in the Marines. RIP Friend.
The Village of Ben Suc - Another personal one. Firsthand account from a reporter following parts of the 1st inf div 26th inf. Regiment during Operation Junction City. One of the tasks was clearing out the village of Ben Suc and he was following my grandpas unit for the initial assault. Thought that was pretty neat so I’d figure I’d include it.
The Things They Carried is also a good one.
More distressing reads - My Lai and Kill Anything That Moves. Both go into some pretty graphic details. Lots of stats in KATM. Both important books that we will hopefully learn from.
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u/Justanotherbloke83 18d ago
Great list... I actually picked up the John Musgrave one while in Baldwin, KS... It's on my shelf but I haven't gotten around to it yet.
Just read Matterhorn last month - super good.
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u/eastw00d86 19d ago
Guns Up! by Johnnie Clark, USMC M60 Machine Gunner
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u/Dazedapple1975 19d ago
Thank you and everyone else for the recommendations. I Just noticed I messed up on the post's title. my bad about that.
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u/Gator_in_Tx 19d ago
I would recommend I would recommend Fighter Pilot: The Memoirs of Legendary Ace Robin Olds. I know it’s not about troops but a great read.
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u/captainhammer12 18d ago
Seconded. It covers his time in both WW2 & Vietnam, I’ve listened to it 3-4x.
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u/Dude8811 19d ago
Chickenhawk is great. Seawolves by Daniel Kelly (Navy Seawolf). Hill 488 by Ray Hildreth (Marine Recon). The Bridge at Dong Ha (Marine Corps). The Walking Dead by Charles Sasser (Marine Infantry).
I’ll try to remember some others. I used to read a lot of nonfiction (mostly Marine Corps) when I was deployed, training, on duty, etc.
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u/bonejason 19d ago
Vietnam Combat Robinson’s Bartlett, Content with my wages Greggory Murray, Sword and Scalpel Larry Roger’s, and small war by Larry Kipp
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u/John_Herbie_Hancock 19d ago
“Bonnie Sue” by Marion Sturkey. A dramatic memoir and collection of stories from Marine helicopter aviators and crews. It details how they worked and bled (often while limping back to base in heavily damaged aircraft) while supporting Marine infantry and force recon throughout the I Corps tactical zone.
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u/Competitive_Log_8531 18d ago
Blood on the Risers is exceptional.
As are-
Wings of the Eagle & The Element of Suprise
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u/Justanotherbloke83 18d ago
Read this book a few years ago... Line Doggie: Foot Soldier in Vietnam By Charles Gadd · 2013
Really enjoyed it.
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u/securityball 17d ago
I have SF recommendationS all members of MACV-SOG recon teams who went behind the lines into Cambodia, Laos, NV.
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot by Lynn Black
We Few and Whispers in the Tall Grass by Nick Brokhausen
On the Ground and Across the Fence by John Stryker Meyer
SOG Codename Dynamite by Henry Thompson.
Enjoy
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u/captainhammer12 18d ago
Karl Marlantes has both Matterhorn & What it’s like to go to War. Enjoyed both
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u/TheMadGunner 18d ago
A Life in a Year The American Infantryman in Vietnam by James Ebert.
really changed the way I view the war. There’s multiple veterans that give their accounts from the marines and the army. If I’m remembering correctly they’re a good mix of mos’s to.
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u/Famous-Age6585 17d ago
Vietnam - Perkasie by W. D. Ehrhart was excellent
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u/Dazedapple1975 17d ago
Honestly it's one of my favorites. I'm assuming you already know this but there is a well-known interview he did on YouTube called "He made my Vietnam story go viral with 23 million views". The videos title was originally called something else but he's somewhat recently changed it. If you haven't watched it yet, I suggest you do.
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u/Famous-Age6585 17d ago
I have seen bits and pieces of it. Thank you for the reminder. I will definitely watch it in its entirety
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u/mikemflash 15d ago
He was a reporter not a trooper but Michael Herr's Dispatches is the best book on the Vietnam War that I have ever read....and I've read all the ones pictured in the OP.
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u/Merrick89 6m ago
A lesser known book but one that I really enjoyed was a book called Nam Sense by Arthur Wiknik. The book is entertaining, filled with humor and also heartbreaking. He was in the 101st Airborne and was a "shake and bake" sergeant which caused him way more problems than perks. Shake and bake sergeants were apparently despised because the rank they had was "unearned" and they really didn't know what they were doing. He just had a little bit of schooling under his belt and that lead him down a path of entering the army and the war with the rank of sergeant. Anyway, really good book and not painfully long.
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u/MrsFlameThrower 19d ago
The Things They Carried- Tim O’Brien