We Were Soldiers Once..and Young

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Summary: Gripping, forthright depiction of infantry combat in Vietnam
Review: Moore's account of his 1/7 Cav's part of the Ia Drang Valley/Pleiku campaign was excellent. While J.D. Coleman's book, "Pleiku", provides an excellent overview of the origin of the 1st Cav and the Ia Drang/Pleiku campaign, Moore's work brings focus to the key triumph of it--LZ X-RAY. He humanizes his soldiers in a way few such books have, particularly when written from the perspective of a field-grade office. He also did not gloss over the glaring short-comings of Cav operational planning which led to the needless butchery on the way to LZ Albany. Why airmobile troops were dispatched on a route march, [to clear the area for B-52 strikes!!], then were led by an inexperienced battalion commander, with little or no flank security and other required patrol discipline, seems never to have been answered. Moore, to his credit, does not pull any punches that the LZ Albany battle perhaps should not have occurred at all, and certainly should not have had the outcome it did.

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Summary: Where the rubber meets the road . . . . .
Review: I arrived in Viet Nam in March of 1966 and was assigned as a pilot to 1st Cav's 229th Assault Helicopter Battalion (Stacked Deck). I carried the 7th Cav into various battles and never questioned Col Moore's analysis of the situation. We always knew that if Col Moore would go there, we would go. We all did our job as best we could and often under fire. He darn sure fully and accurately assessed McNamara. If you ever have the honor of saluting Hal Moore, do it with pride. He's as good as they get. Don Estes (KIA), who is mentioned in the book, was a personal friend of mine. I saw him die . . . but that's another story.

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Summary: One of the most revealing books on the Vietnam War.
Review: You'll probably not post this on the book's website, but I feel compelled to comment on it. I myself am the author of a book on war and veterans, "Hell, Healing and Resistance: Veterans Speak," to be published this fall. I was not in Vietnam, but spent two years in Navy/Marines ROTC, with active duty '78-'80. However, I know many veterans of Vietnam and other wars of this century, who inspired me to write the book. In addition, I personally interviewed more than 40 veterans and collected over one hundred previously unpublished accounts. "We Were Soldiers Once and Young" was perhaps the most difficult book on Vietnam I have ever read. It is not the profanity or blood and gore which is hard to take (neither are overwhelming), but rather the loss of life on such a personal level. The tragedy of young boys thrust by circumstance into the "kill zone" is heartbreaking. And so needless! The two savage battles at X-Ray and Albany took place in November of 1965, before Vietnam was a household word. For those who believe Vietnam was the first televised war from beginning to end, this book proves otherwise. The carnage of Ia Drang was well-concealed from the American public. And mothers were informed of the death of their sons by anonymous yellow taxi cab drivers, who simply delivered "The Secretary of the Army regrets to inform you" telegrams into their quaking hands. What makes this book so devastating is the schizophrenia permeating every page. The depiction of personal tragedy and loss clashes violently with the acceptance of massive deaths on both sides. Only the military would attempt to intertwine love of comrades and tender remembrance of individual character with such blatant irreverence for human life. By the end of the book, the words "kill" and "killed" have been stripped of horror; men pass from life to death (and into eternity) like the ticking of a clock. If I didn't grasp before how "unhitched" the military mind is, I certain! ly do now. None of us has the right to judge the hearts of men (boys, really) who were shoved into horrifying meat grinders like the battles at Ia Drang. Their families and their surviving comrades deserve an outpouring of compassion and love and listening like never before. But never again must we capitulate to the inevitability of war! The "Vietnam Syndrome" is not "over and done with;" it is time for we Americans to face our legacy of self-deception. As architect of U.S. foreign policy and head of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff in 1948, George Keenan wrote: "We have about 50% of the world's wealth but only 6.3% of its population... In this situation, we cannot fail to be the object of envy and resentment. Our real task in the coming period is to devise a pattern of relationships which will permit us to maintain this position of disparity... We should cease to talk about vague and unreal objectives such as human rights, the raising of the living standards, and democratization. The day is not far off when we are going to have to deal in straight power concepts. The less we are then hampered by idealistic slogans, the better."... That is why we went to war in Europe, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. Instead of remembering battles and thinking about the next war, let us, for once, begin to seek a way of life that makes war impossible. That, indeed, would be the finest tribute to the fallen at Ia Drang!

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Summary: Fabulous Accounts told with Truth and Distinction
Review: This novel isn't written by someone who was merely a naive child when the war began. He foughtin it. There are few books written by eye-witness soldiers that could add the amazing honesty, power and passion that this author did. The statistics, stories, sympathy and sadness bring this book into one of my personal highest lists.

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Summary: CLEARLY SHOWS THE COURAGE OF THE AMERICAN SOLDIER
Review: This book clearly provides the account of Americans at war and the courage and determination of young soldiers. It is a tribute to the American fighting spirit, courage and the self-sacrifice of all Americans in all wars. The text was moving and flowing as if you had your rifle and were there. I did serve in Nam in 67 as a door gunner and operations spec. We who have been at war, any war, understand the sacrifice. It is a book like this that should inspire and affirm the American soldier. Regardless of the task, the controversy or the moment, we always do the job! GREAT BOOK - READ IT and remember.

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Summary: Could not set it down. Best book yet on Vietnam
Review: We were soilders once....is written very matter-a-factly, honest, and truthful. I could not set it down. I rate this a must read.

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Summary: Book has become required reading for my highschool students.
Review: Three years ago I read the book. Today we have 150 copies of the book in our history dept. Each student in my American History class must read the book. For those of you who do not like the book come to my classroom and see the effect it has had on my students.General Moore is a true American patriot.O

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Summary: Excellent book, with deficits,describing infantry combat
Review: Moore and Galloway have written a great account of infantry combat in Vietnam. The courage of the men in the battles is outstanding, and should never be forgotten. Unfortunately, Moore is not explicitly critical of the leadership which sent US soldiers badly outnumbered to LZ X-ray, and then on a murderous trek (90% casualties (KIA/WIA) in Charlie Company!) to LZ Albany. I felt this to be a major problem with this book. Hackworth's "About Face" gives better criticism of the Army leadership during the Vietnam war, and is much more satisfactory from this perspective.

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Summary: Solomn Respect of True Honor and Gallantry
Review: Words cannot capture it. It is ground more hallowed than the Holy See. I crossed the stream. If anyone knows Savage, tell him that his RTO would like to talk with him again. This book, as did the occasion it describes, changes people. Should be required reading in every high school.

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Summary: Problems with facts stated by others
Review: I have read, with interest, We Were Soldiers Once And Young. I found a number of problems with some of the incidents stated. One vet whom I have interviewed presented a far different picture, one that criticized American commanders for an unnecessary number of deaths. It is important that battle history be as factual as possible, so future combat leaders can avoid pitfalls suffered previously. Amazon has asked that reviews discuss the book and not the author. But with this book it is impossible to criticize the book without criticizing the American commander, Hal Moore, for apparent battlefield errors. I agree that the book should be read. However, I believe all should not take the experiences communicated with self-interest by this author as being the gospel truth. The Vietnam War was lost by its incompetent senior officers... not by enemy offensives.