Rating: 
Summary: What movies are made of....Not your run of the mill soldier!
Review: As a child born during the Vietnam war, I was embarrassed that I knew little about it. I could not have picked a better teacher. Learning about this time in history was decorated with the amazing story of one extraordinary man. I could not have picked a better character to guide me through the US military and Asian conflicts of my childhood. As the words of Robert Black carried me into worlds of the misunderstood, I came out of the the autobiography with an educated understanding of a troubled time in our history. Robert Black is the "Dr Phil" or our US Armed Forces. He tells it like it is, whether you are ready or not. In A Ranger Born, he writes for all those who care to learn and laugh on a journey that explores an unsafe time in history escorted by a Ranger that will protect and entertain you through the entire tour.
I hope Col. Black is deciding who will play him in the movie. I have a few suggestions...does anyone else? Read the book and you will see unforgetable characters come to life. Col. Black is the man everyone wants in their foxhole!!! Reading his book is as close as you will get!
Rating:
Summary: Well Worth Reading
Review: Dear Readers,
To properly praise a book means putting it in context with one's own background and experiences. US Army Ranger Bob Black's new book, A RANGER BORN, talks so well about his experiences in both the Korean and the Vietnam Wars, and has served in so many ways as a vivid reminder of my own Asian experiences, first as a USAF airman assigned to Osan Air Base south of Seoul in 1966, and then to Vietnam in 1967 and 1968.
That first tour in Korea was 13 years after the signing of the Armistice Agreement, and conditions were still very rough, with the war remaining very much in evidence.
Then, still as a military journalist, I went to Vietnam for a couple of back to back tours in the period before and after Tet 1968, ranging from the Mekong Delta fan to the bunkers of Dong Ha, at the eastern fringe of Leatherneck Square. I spent time at many of the air bases as well as on the ground or in the air above such places as Hue, Khe Sanh, Pleiku, Trang Sup, and Tay Ninh.
They were years of so much memory -- of people, events, places, sights, sounds, smells; some things sad, others horrible, some joyful, even proud, others so painful that wiped away would be a blessing.
You need to know this background so you will understand how crisp and sure, how factual and descriptive I found Colonel Black's narrative. He is a writer who has been there, done that, and come away mostly intact; first as a Corporal in Korea, up front as a Ranger, carrying a .30 caliber Browning Automatic Rifle in combat; then as a middle aged field grade officer trying so hard as an advisor to beat the politics while simultaneously trying so hard to instill a seed of military survival in Vietnamese units lacking so much while serving in the most terrible of circumstances.
Bob Black has a steel trap memory combined with the heart of a warrior. Searching for the words to tell it like it was, he used both heart and mind well, drawing from the well of experience in ample measure. Reading his passages, you can smell the garlic and kimchi, taste the fish sauce, feel the grit on your neck and the dust in your eyes, see the tracers bounce in nights lit only by flare light, hear the crunches, thumps and stutters of weaponry, and catch more than a whiff of cordite on some very hot, very humid, long and headache filled days.
It is my assessment that the Colonel, a very skilled writer as his other works so amply attest, has achieved great success in this, his latest endeavor, and this new book has the texture and feel of a classic, in the vein of Platoon Leader, Company Commander or even -- and yes, I believe this -- that great novel that continues to teach so many truths and realities about the military profession, Once An Eagle.
I am not a Ranger, though I am blessed to have Ranger friends, but I shared close contact with the Ranger community at Dugway, Utah a few years back, and take it as the strongest article of military faith that Rangers do indeed lead the way for all the rest of us. Back in those days, in the mid-1980s, I was an Army civilian, the installation PAO, and was between tours as the CINC speech writer in Korea.
Outside of incoming, that speech writing task held twice in Korea was the toughest job I ever had. Working deep in the shadows for such great soldiers as Robert Sennewald, Bill Livsey, Lou Menetrey and Robert RisCassi, and under friendly, sometimes stern guidance of CSMs Bill Gates, Ralph Phillips, Roosvelt Martain and Sam Smith, meant learning all I could learn about the Korean War, while not ignoring the valuable lessons of Vietnam and so many other conflicts and experiences, then putting it in context with the modern defense of Korea.
In the messages these men gave to a multiplicity of audiences, including hostile ones, credibility was a given, accuracy a must. Leadership examples had to be finely drawn. Facts had to be on time and on target, and adjustment of the message shot group continually required team effort in the building of a presentation and great skill by the individual speaker in its giving.
Noting the locale and delicacy of the speakers' positions, failure of communication carried grave risks. Designing words of praise intermingled with words of warning required a hefty library of resource materials.
Were I still doing that job today, A RANGER BORN, Bob Black's memoir of Asian war, would have a prominent and forward leaning place in my workspace; the book's pages turned and bent, sentences highlighted, paragraphs marked in search of truth about war; so huge and so visceral, so hard to ignore and yet so hard to describe in meaningful and complete language.
In a pair of deadly, terrible wars, Bob Black was there. He was the kind of soldier who saw both conflicts for what they were, and minced no words in telling the tale. His thoughts are of value for those who served, and of equal use for those who today protect our freedom in new, strange and deadly struggles.
If, in the next decade, you only read one work about the hot campaigns of the cold war, make it Bob Black's A RANGER BORN.
Respectfully Submitted for Consideration,Rick Fulton
Rating:
Summary: Well Worth Reading
Review: Dear Readers,
To properly praise a book means putting it in context with one's own background and experiences. US Army Ranger Bob Black's new book, A RANGER BORN, talks so well about his experiences in both the Korean and the Vietnam Wars, and has served in so many ways as a vivid reminder of my own Asian experiences, first as a USAF airman assigned to Osan Air Base south of Seoul in 1966, and then to Vietnam in 1967 and 1968.
That first tour in Korea was 13 years after the signing of the Armistice Agreement, and conditions were still very rough, with the war remaining very much in evidence.
Then, still as a military journalist, I went to Vietnam for a couple of back to back tours in the period before and after Tet 1968, ranging from the Mekong Delta fan to the bunkers of Dong Ha, at the eastern fringe of Leatherneck Square. I spent time at many of the air bases as well as on the ground or in the air above such places as Hue, Khe Sanh, Pleiku, Trang Sup, and Tay Ninh.
They were years of so much memory -- of people, events, places, sights, sounds, smells; some things sad, others horrible, some joyful, even proud, others so painful that wiped away would be a blessing.
You need to know this background so you will understand how crisp and sure, how factual and descriptive I found Colonel Black's narrative. He is a writer who has been there, done that, and come away mostly intact; first as a Corporal in Korea, up front as a Ranger, carrying a .30 caliber Browning Automatic Rifle in combat; then as a middle aged field grade officer trying so hard as an advisor to beat the politics while simultaneously trying so hard to instill a seed of military survival in Vietnamese units lacking so much while serving in the most terrible of circumstances.
Bob Black has a steel trap memory combined with the heart of a warrior. Searching for the words to tell it like it was, he used both heart and mind well, drawing from the well of experience in ample measure. Reading his passages, you can smell the garlic and kimchi, taste the fish sauce, feel the grit on your neck and the dust in your eyes, see the tracers bounce in nights lit only by flare light, hear the crunches, thumps and stutters of weaponry, and catch more than a whiff of cordite on some very hot, very humid, long and headache filled days.
It is my assessment that the Colonel, a very skilled writer as his other works so amply attest, has achieved great success in this, his latest endeavor, and this new book has the texture and feel of a classic, in the vein of Platoon Leader, Company Commander or even -- and yes, I believe this -- that great novel that continues to teach so many truths and realities about the military profession, Once An Eagle.
I am not a Ranger, though I am blessed to have Ranger friends, but I shared close contact with the Ranger community at Dugway, Utah a few years back, and take it as the strongest article of military faith that Rangers do indeed lead the way for all the rest of us. Back in those days, in the mid-1980s, I was an Army civilian, the installation PAO, and was between tours as the CINC speech writer in Korea.
Outside of incoming, that speech writing task held twice in Korea was the toughest job I ever had. Working deep in the shadows for such great soldiers as Robert Sennewald, Bill Livsey, Lou Menetrey and Robert RisCassi, and under friendly, sometimes stern guidance of CSMs Bill Gates, Ralph Phillips, Roosvelt Martain and Sam Smith, meant learning all I could learn about the Korean War, while not ignoring the valuable lessons of Vietnam and so many other conflicts and experiences, then putting it in context with the modern defense of Korea.
In the messages these men gave to a multiplicity of audiences, including hostile ones, credibility was a given, accuracy a must. Leadership examples had to be finely drawn. Facts had to be on time and on target, and adjustment of the message shot group continually required team effort in the building of a presentation and great skill by the individual speaker in its giving.
Noting the locale and delicacy of the speakers' positions, failure of communication carried grave risks. Designing words of praise intermingled with words of warning required a hefty library of resource materials.
Were I still doing that job today, A RANGER BORN, Bob Black's memoir of Asian war, would have a prominent and forward leaning place in my workspace; the book's pages turned and bent, sentences highlighted, paragraphs marked in search of truth about war; so huge and so visceral, so hard to ignore and yet so hard to describe in meaningful and complete language.
In a pair of deadly, terrible wars, Bob Black was there. He was the kind of soldier who saw both conflicts for what they were, and minced no words in telling the tale. His thoughts are of value for those who served, and of equal use for those who today protect our freedom in new, strange and deadly struggles.
If, in the next decade, you only read one work about the hot campaigns of the cold war, make it Bob Black's A RANGER BORN.
Respectfully Submitted for Consideration, Rick Fulton
Rating: 
Summary: North Vietnamese Parachute Regiment ?
Review: On page 207 of the paperback edition, Black writes about "sappers believed to have been drawn from a North Vietnamese parachute regiment." After I inquired to well over 100 Vietnam (in-country) veterans about a North Vietnamese parachute regiment, I was met with blank stares. A high percentage of these individuals served in combat units (i.e. Special Forces, 173rd, 101st, 1st Aviation Brigade). NO ONE EVER HEARD of a North Vietnamese parachute regiment. I was curious, so I contacted the author (Black) via telephone on Saturday (30 May, 2004). Black stated that he obtained the information from the military archives at Carlisle Barracks. When I checked the archives, no hits were obtained on this subject from their site, however they are now closed for the summer due to an ongoing physical location move. As a former combat Special Forces soldier and a retired homicide detective, I smell embellishment on this subject!
Rating:
Summary: North Vietnamese Parachute Regiment ?
Review: On page 207 of the paperback edition, Black writes about "sappers believed to have been drawn from a North Vietnamese parachute regiment." After I inquired to well over 100 Vietnam (in-country) veterans about a North Vietnamese parachute regiment, I was met with blank stares. A high percentage of these individuals served in combat units (i.e. Special Forces, 173rd, 101st, 1st Aviation Brigade). NO ONE EVER HEARD of a North Vietnamese parachute regiment. I was curious, so I contacted the author (Black) via telephone on Saturday (30 May, 2004). Black stated that he obtained the information from the military archives at Carlisle Barracks. When I checked the archives, no hits were obtained on this subject from their site, however they are now closed for the summer due to an ongoing physical location move. As a former combat Special Forces soldier and a retired homicide detective, I smell embellishment on this subject!
Rating:
Summary: What movies are made of....Not your run of the mill soldier!
Review: This is the best book yet in Robert Black's series about the U. S. Rangers. It is the remarkable story of a young boy who knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up and who worked toward that goal from then on. Black has revealed in his series that he is a true soldier/scholar. This book traces his story through triumph and sadness. His love for his fellow Rangers shines from the story as does his love for his country. He writes with compassion and wit. The man who is the soldier and the soldier who is the man will live with you for a long time.
Rating:
Summary: A Ranger Born
Review: This is the best book yet in Robert Black's series about the U. S. Rangers. It is the remarkable story of a young boy who knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up and who worked toward that goal from then on. Black has revealed in his series that he is a true soldier/scholar. This book traces his story through triumph and sadness. His love for his fellow Rangers shines from the story as does his love for his country. He writes with compassion and wit. The man who is the soldier and the soldier who is the man will live with you for a long time.
Rating:
Summary: Great Reading
Review: Unlike the technical, detailed Ranger books written by Col. Black, this one is from a personal standpoint and draws you into the story from page one until the last word is read. The book starts with Col. Black as a child and the desire to be a Ranger is obvious; to what it takes to qualify for Ranger training; what it takes to endure the training and what drives a Ranger to stay a Ranger. A story about being an American in the war ravaged country of Korea and Viet Nam. You read about betrayal, unrequited love, the guts and glory of war; the survival of war, and at times with a sense of humor. You laugh, you cry. It grips your heart; it grips your soul, but most of all it makes you proud to be an American; proud to have men of his calibar fighting for your freedom and that of our Country.
Rating:
Summary: Great Reading
Review: Unlike the technical, detailed Ranger books written by Col. Black, this one is from a personal standpoint and draws you into the story from page one until the last word is read. The book starts with Col. Black as a child and the desire to be a Ranger is obvious; to what it takes to qualify for Ranger training; what it takes to endure the training and what drives a Ranger to stay a Ranger. A story about being an American in the war ravaged country of Korea and Viet Nam. You read about betrayal, unrequited love, the guts and glory of war; the survival of war, and at times with a sense of humor. You laugh, you cry. It grips your heart; it grips your soul, but most of all it makes you proud to be an American; proud to have men of his calibar fighting for your freedom and that of our Country.
Rating:
Summary: Better than 'Band of Brothers'; a good read for anyone
Review: While admitting I am a personal friend of Ranger Bob Black, and very fortunate to be so. I had the opportunity to see this work before it went to print. Let there be no mistake, Ranger Robert Black is RANGER through and through. He also happens to be the foremost and most learned Ranger historian alive today. His previous works are invaluable to all Ranger historians who search for Ranger history from WWII and Korea. He is a stickler for detail and very thorough. He is a member of the Ranger Hall of Fame at Fort Benning, Georgia. This review is about his latest work however and I want to return to that subject. I just want to let you know a bit about the author. He is a man's man and well respected among Rangers of all eras. Because of the short duration of the Korean War and the short life of these elite soldiers of the Airborne Ranger Companies of Korea, much has been forgotten about their service and sacrifices. Ranger Black's book, "A Ranger Born", revives these memories and educates many who never really knew of the many obstacles and terrible conditions these men fought in. He takes us on a journey through his young life to the man he is today. Through two wars, including his service in the Vietnam War. Once I started reading it, it was hard to put down and that is a true measure of a book, isn't it ?? I read a lot of military history books, fiction and non-fiction, and I would put this book up there with the good ones as easily readable and entertaining. It is quite informative too, for those interested in the inner workings of a military advisor to the ARVN Army. I'd like to thank you Bob for sharing your story and your memories. Rangers Lead the Way !! Terry B. Roderick Co. P (RANGER) 75th Inf. RVN , Past President, 75th Ranger Regiment Association (1998-2000)
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