This is an in-depth look at the days leading up to the evacuation of Vietnam, by my Father who was there on the USS Midway. Learn about the heroism and tragedy of this dark period of American history. My favorite story is about the Vietnamese Air Force pilot who flew his entire family out in a 2 man Piper Cub.

What makes this book fascinating is the different philosophies of the 2 authors. Toby was the son of a Navy admiral, who would serve his country for 20 years. Ed is an ex-Vietnam war protester with a doctorate in history. Toby has his doctorate in management science. What makes this book work is Ed's devotion to historical accuracy and Toby's extensive connections within the military community.

If the anti-war movement is remembered at all today, it's through the distorted image of the foul-mouthed, rock-throwing, hate-filled protestor spitting on returning soldiers, an image designed to tar the very idea of honorable protest. This book is a valuable reminder of the truth about the anti-war movement: that it was largely made up of ordinary people appalled and deeply saddened by this country's actions in Vietnam. Did you know there were organized groups such as Businessmen for Peace? Housewives for Peace? Did you know that a majority of military bases in the USA published underground anti-war newspapers? You'll learn all that and more in this thoroughly researched history of a movement too many people would like to forget. Read and learn! In a society that would rather feel good about itself than examine its national conscience, it's good to know that some refuse to settle for complacency. Needless to say, this important book is currently out of print, like many of its kind - may they be reprinted soon!

If you only read one book about the war in Vietnam, read this one! Dr. Hickey's participation in the defense of the Nam Dong Special Forces camp had me sitting on the edge of my chair. That was the true nature of combat in Vietnam, some of which I experienced personally, but not with that intensity. More important are Dr. Hickey's brilliant descriptions of the lifestyles and attitudes of the many cultures which comprise the intricate social and political structure of Vietnam. The many missed opportunities for a just peace without the sacrifice of so many American soldiers make this book a "must read" for all who value peace.

I was a grunt in Vietnam, and Sisk's book provided me with the perspective of a chopper jockey. Like Sisk, I became a writer after the war, and I know how hard it is to make combat real for those who haven't been run through the mill. Read Sisk's book if you want to come as close to combat as possible without getting shot.

This is the best factual reference book I've seen on the Vietnam War. Not only are the entries concise and PREcise, some of them are humorous as well. The author's personality shines though the entries even though they are treated with respect and...pride. Highly recommended for authors, researchers, and Vietnam veterans.

Very well balanced book in an almanac form. This covers places and chronological events. There are many charts, maps and significant pictures to support the information. There is a very descriptive table of contents.
You can see that Colonel Harry G. Summers, Jr. has a very good understanding of the region and events leading up to and after the Vietnam War.
I picked this book because it is one of the few that include an armored reconnaissance unit, the First Squadron, 10 Cavalry. Also the other units we travel with it in the Central Highlands in II Corps. Being an almanac, not enough information was given to tell the feel of the location.
This book is well worth the cost.

Capably written by Bruce R. Waldron (a US Army veteran who served from 1970 to 1973, including a tour of duty in South Vietnam), A Year in the Belly of the Tiger is a gripping novel of service during the deadly and unpredictable Vietnam war, written in a compelling day-by-day journal format. Though the characters and events are fictional, they are drawn from the author's personal life experiences in that confused and dangerous theater of war. The raw vividness and reality clearly come through in Waldron's narration of a powerful drafted and highly recommended story of men at war.

Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried is not just about the physical aspects of war. This book looks more closely at the Vietnam War. It takes a closer look at this time period in our recent history. O'Brien takes a look at the way the soldiers were affected emotionally as well as the physical aspects of war. O'Brien does not give a boring overview of Vietnam. Instead, he takes you there. O'Brien introduces you, the reader, to a platoon of men led by their fearless leader, Jimmy Cross. The reader learns about each man's quirks. O'Brien gives you insight as to what these men saw, what they felt. I, myself am not a huge fan of the war era books. They often are dry reading that loses my interest very quickly. This book is unlike any other war book that I have ever looked at. It kept my attention as I read, and it kept me anticipating what would unfold next. The Things They Carried is an fresh new look at The Vietnam War. It comes highly recommended.

The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien, is a magnificently composed work of fiction. O'Brien writes so vividly, that the reader will be experiencing a gut-check by the time they are finished with this book. He captures many of the soldiers' feelings and emotions, by writing about the items that they had with them during the Vietnam War. These few items represent the soldiers' lives as they fought their way through Vietnam's elephant grass, and rice paddies. Mental objects are also close at the soldiers' hand. Love, grief, pain, terror, memory, and guilt weigh heavily on these young men's minds, as well as their hearts. O'Brien 's characters are one of a kind, and many readers can relate to these people as one of their own. He describes his character's actions as real as one could be, and this is one of the most important reasons that help the reader relate to this novel in a way that they can understand. This novel is a success on every step known to man, because O'Brien takes this reading in many different directions. He describes in terror the killing of one of the soldiers, pulsates in writing of one's love, and captivates the reader to go with him on the wild and untamed journey of Vietnam.

A friend of mine recently mentioned that "The Things They Carried" was her all-time favorite book. So, the next time I was in the bookstore I went looking for it. I must admit that I was a bit surprised when I realized that it was a book of stories about the Vietnam War. I bought the book, read it in two days, and thanked my friend for telling me about this woderful book.

"The Things They Carried" is a collection of stories following the lives of a group of soliders in the Vietnam War. The same characters appear in many of the stories and you really get a sense of who these men are: Their strengths, their weaknesses, and they ways in which the War has changed them forever.

This book really painted a picture for me of what the Vietnam War was like. I felt as if I was marching down the trails with these men. Tim O'Brien lets you into their hearts and into their minds. You feel their fears and understand their pain.

The two most memorable stories/chapters for me were "Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong" in which a medic brings his girlfriend over to Vietnam only to have her become more engrossed in the war/Vietnam than he ever was, and "Speaking of Courage" where a man struggles to re-enter American society after returning from the War.

This book is an essential read for anybody interested in the Vietnam War, as well as a recommended book for anybody looking for a well-written, engrossing work of art.

I have just finished reading Stolen Valor, and I strongly recommend it, not only to anyone interested in studying the Vietnam War, but also to anyone interested in studying how ideologues can manipulate the media into shaping false public impressions. Burkett and Whitley effectively debunk many popular myths about the war, including claims about the excessive rate of minority casualties, the high suicide rate for Vietnam Vets and the prevalence of emotional and mental disorders among Vietnam Vets. Indeed, Burkett and Whitley's efforts raise serious questions about the validity of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, a diagnosis which was largely developed through work with Vietnam Vets.

A large portion of the book is used to expose many prominent "vets" (featured in books, movies and television specials) as poseurs, many of whom never even served in the military. These imposters fooled such paragons of journalistic rectitude as 60 Minutes and the New York Times. While everyone will have their own favorite exposé, mine is the authors' digging up the truth on near death guru Dannion Brinkley, author of Saved by the Light. In his book, Brinkley claimed that during his near death experiences "beings of light" made him undergo a "life review" to reevaluate his life as a Marine sniper in Vietnam (assassinating government officials, of course). Brinkley's personnel file revealed that he actually spent his entire 18 months as a Marine in the United States-as a truck driver.

While the exposure of the fakers is amusing, it is also very disturbing. Why didn't these media outlets take the simple step of comparing the "vets" claims against their records? The slipshod journalism exposed by Burkett and Whitley raises the legitimate question of whether all of the news reports you read are equally badly researched

A voracious reader I am particularly interested in books about the Vietnam conflict, especially in light of the fact I spent a year there in the service of my country. I've always advised those interested enough to inquire, that if you can read only one book on the war read Neil Sheehan's A Bright Shining Lie; since reading Burkett's and Whitley's effort I've modified that advice to, "If you can read only two books on the war Robbed of Its Heroes and Its History."

Stolen Valor is not a history of the war. Rather it's one of those indispensable works that that adds essential background information needed to understand the peripheral issues that arise in the wake of every conflict. Burkett and Whitley have done their homework and documented their book with what appear to be unimpeachable sources and first-hand accounts.

The main thrust of the work is to set the record straight on a number of sticky issues that have come forth after the war's end. Whether the Agent Orange controversy or the propriety of hawking T-shirts at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., Burkett and Whitley examine most of the major issues surrounding Vietnam veterans along with their accompanying moral ramifications.

Perhaps the most enlightening material concerns the Veterans Administration and its attitude towards and treatment of those veterans who claim to be suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder as a result of their service in Southeast Asia. We learn that the VA apparently treats not only those who served in Vietnam for PTSD, but some who apparently never set foot on Vietnamese soil; and even more astonishing are revelations some veterans who didn't even serve during the Vietnam era are the recipients of the VA's largesse for Vietnam induced PTSD.

The book is a treasure trove of information about imposters, those who are labeled "wannabes." Well documented is the high incidence of individuals, some actual viet-era veterans, some never having serve in the theater and incredibly some who never served in the military at all, who are fakers and self-proclaimed war heroes adorning themselves with unearned decorations and illegal medals. Numerous accounts are included of individuals who have made outlandish and false claims of having completed elite military training programs, and then further shaming themselves by claiming ex- P.O.W. status.

The book contains excellent information on how to check the military records of individuals, and includes important lists. Enumerated are those who received the Medal of Honor, Vietnam; the Distinguished Service Cross, Vietnam; the Navy Cross, Vietnam; the Air Force Cross, Vietnam; and Vietnam era POW's who returned alive.

I consider this an outstanding contribution to the general body of literature surrounding the war. It is engrossing, well written and most informative. For anyone with a interest that goes below the veneer of most Vietnam conflict treatments, I consider this a "must read."

If there are flaws they are few and insignificant. Perhaps the single thing that bothered me the most was the occasional tendency on the part of Burkett to be flippant and resort to humor that, more than once, seem stilted and awkward. But this criticism should not detract overall from this examination of real problems and issues that beg to be addressed and examined on a larger scale.

This work, in a real way, is a wonderful tribute to all those who served and did so without returning home to besmirch their contributions by claiming heroic actions and deeds of which they were not a part. At the same time the book stands, whether consciously or not, as a tribute to the wounded and those who so gallantly made the ultimate sacrifice

Every journalist, editor, and TV producer should read Stolen Valor. Hopefully that would keep them from interviewing and featuring the scruffy looking liars, fakers, and "wannabees" in camouflage fatigues covered with patches, pins, and unearned medals when they want to interview a Vietnam veteran.

Too many journalists pass on to their readers--and preserve for posterity--whatever lies they are told about secret missions behind enemy lines, American atrocities, amazing Rambo-type combat, and our nation's highest awards for valor which somehow were never recorded in the faker's official records. Are these journalists just naive or are they intentionally supporting an anti-Vietnam War, anti-military, and anti-American agenda?

Burkett and Whitley demonstrate how those opposed to the war (and the military and the government) are using the myth of vast numbers of Vietnam veterans being so psychologically scarred by the war that they are dysfunctional and the parallel myth of widespread American atrocities in Vietnam to validate their own political agendas.

The leaders of the American Legion, VFW, and other mainstream veterans' organizations would also do well to read this book. Many of them have been hoodwinked by fakers who gain positions of leadership and influence within veteran's organizations and become public spokesmen based on their impressive--but false--war records.

The machine copies of DD214 forms used by individuals to join veterans' organizations, obtain VA care, and convince skeptics cannot be accepted as valid proof of service because they can be forged with copy machines. Burkett and Whitley tell us the way to unmask the liars and frauds is to use a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain a copy of their DD214 directly from the National Records Center in St. Louis, MO.

I've encountered some of these phonies myself and my theory is that the longer and dirtier their hair and beards are, the more they look like street people, the more medals, badges, patches, pins, and other gewgaws they are wearing, the more likely they are to be impostors.

It's not difficult for a real veteran to see the inconsistencies in their claims but journalists and the public who have never served are easily fooled into believing these bums are typical of Vietnam vets. That's why "Stolen Valor" is an appropriate title for this book. They are besmirching the reputation of all of us who served honorably and are proud of it.

If you've never read any other Clancy novel, read "Without Remorse."

In typical Clancy fashion, Without Remorse is a lengthy novel filled with great characters, lots of suspense, and more! But it breaks from the Clancy norm in that it's not as intricately detailed, technically-speaking, which makes it a great book to recommend to 1st-time Clancy readers.

For those who have read other Clancy novels, and therefore may be familiar with the main character, John Clark... or if you've seen the movie "Clear & Present Danger" or the more recent "Sum of All Fears" and recall Clark (played by Willem Dafoe and Liev Schreiber, respectively)... Without Remorse gives you the story behind the deadly CIA operative.

Not that I don't thoroughly enjoy the Jack Ryan series, but the Clark character is mysteriously intriguing and telling his history is Clancy at his best. It's my favorite Clancy novel.

"Without Remorse" is the page turner to beat all page turners. I brought this book to Korea with me the first time I went there, knowing that I'd have some spare time at the end of a six week tour there. I was expecting to maybe read half of the book in that time and finish it when I came home. No way! Once I started this book, it was done in less that 48 hours. You simply cannot put this one down for something as trivial as sleeping or eating. Tom Clancy goes into great detail giving the whole backstory on John Kelly/Clark. Once you've read this book, you'll be thinking back on all that came before and after it saying to yourself, "this is how and why John Clark does what he does." It is extremely heart wrenching to read what happens to Pam and how John Clark deals with it. You feel as if you want to be there with him, ready to take out some vigilante justice. I had originally skipped this one and read his next novel, what a mistake that was. Even though I knew that John Clark was in the next novel, I kept saying a prayer hoping he doesn't get killed in this one. That is how good a writer Tom Clancy is. I don't know if there's such a thing as a writer's hall of fame, if not, there should be one with Tom Clancy right there at the top. Thank you very much to Tom Clancy for an absolutely great read!

This is one of Clancy's finest works, and although somewhat less of a "techno" book than his early efforts, a superb read, that introduces John Kellys (now John Clark) background.The book explains how he became a CIA opperative after his time in the navy. As John Clark is probably Clancys most interesting character most people who have read Clancy before will enjoy discovering his rather dark past.

It was daring of Clancy to turn away from his most well known character Jack Ryan, and have Kelly as his leading man, but the gamble seems to have paid off, resulting in a compelling read which is hard to put down.

So as not to dissapoint his most eager eyed fans Ryan can actually be found in the book, having a discussion with his parents upon his choice to join the Marines, and it is Ryans father, a cop, who is investigating the drug ring and then Kelly which is vital to the plot.

The plot is quite good, and probably somewhat more realistic than the world wars that act as the backdrop to most of Clancys novels. As expected the action sequences are brilliant written in true Clancy style, and as the tension builds toward the end of the book you really will not want to put it down.

All in All this is Clancy at his best, and is well worth a read, even if nomally you wouldnt touch a Clancy book. Its good to see Clancy writing as he is best able to do, hyper fast pace, superb action in gory detail, and good character development, rather than endless ramble about Clancys rather conservative political views that spoil some of his -otherwise excellent- novels.