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Summary: The real facts.
Review: As I began I thought a book written by a General would be one sided. I was really surprised, this book was written with all the fact that was there. To look back and see just how the degeneration of the faith,pride,and backing of the American public to this non declared war can make you cry. Many protesters should bow their heads and ask gods forgiveness for their actions during that period. may god bless each and every man that went and fought for his country, they were true patriots to the man. We should never forget them.
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Summary: A Story of Valor and Courage
Review: This is a gripping piece of work that vividly demonstrates the valor, courage, and sacrifice of professional soldiers and draftees in the face of a determined foe. The book is not just for the military history buff. While Gen. Moore and Joe Galloway created a book that appeals to the miltary history fan, this book goes beyond being just another war story. It tells the story of everyday Americans who fought and died for each other without question, for to do less meant certain death. You'll read it more than once.
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Summary: Gut-wrenching
Review: This IS the definitive non-fiction book to come out of the Vietnam War. COL Moore does a fine job with this tribute to the men under his command who fought so desparately in a WAR that many have tried to forget. May the world never forget what they did there.Not only is this a great, detailed account of squad-level infantry combat, it goes beyond other accounts in that it gives insight into the enemy's side of the story. The Vietnamese commander adds his perspective and frustrations about the battle into certain areas of the story. What a tragedy this was, and how sad it was to lose so many needlessly in the Tall Grass. There are plenty of heroes in here, if it's heroes you're looking for. There's even occasional humor, albeit morbid. How can one forget the guy who pressed his body close to the ground while under a hail of enemy gunfire, but then jumped up and danced around when a centipede crawled onto him? If you're planning on being an infantry officer, add this to your required reading list. We can't repeat the mistakes of the past, nor we can afford to not learn from the experience of the men in this battle. God bless all chopper pilots!
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Summary: May the movie do this book justice
Review: I first heard about this book when reading Mel Gibson would star in a movie based upon it. I decided to read it and am very glad I did. The battle of the Ia Drang valley is told graphically and well. The heroism of the soldiers there is astonishing. Many soldiers in the battle were veterans of WWII and Korea and state in interviews that this battle was the most vicious fighting they had ever seen. The battle scenes are retold by the soldiers who fought there, and as harrowing as these passages are, I was able to read them with fascination and admiration for the soldiers while not becoming overly emotional. But as some other reviewers have stated, the emotional part of the book is what happens to the families back home. It is reading through these heart-wrenching passages, that I too, broke down in tears reading about the feelings of loved ones who lost family members there. Lt Gen Moore and Joseph Galloway are to be commended for writing a wonderful book about some very brave soldiers who fought as valiantly in those few days in November of 1965 as any American soldiers have ever fought in any war in the service of their country. I salute them all. The director of the upcoming movie has written an open letter to the men of the 7th Cav telling them he will respect their valor in his depiction of them. I hold him to his word. Many Hollywood movies have portrayed Vietnam soldiers in very demeaning or cynical ways. May this movie be a rare exception.
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Summary: Grant that peace may be in our days.
Review: War is a terrible waste. Beautiful lives horribly cut off. In that sense, "We Were Soldiers Once and Young" is a very disturbing read. When encountering graphic descriptions of combat, at Ia Drang, I imagined every soldier killed or maimed could have been one or both of my boys (in reality they had not been born during the Vietnam era). The heart break of the surviving spouse, child, parent is poignantly told. We should all be continually praying for peace. But, it is also a story of brave and honorable men. If war does come, I hope our soldiers are of the caliber of Moore and the 7th Cavalry. For those of you that served in Vietnam, thank you and God bless you. For those that made the ultimate sacrifice, "Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives to all generations" (Sirach 44.14). Thank you Lt. Gen. Harold G. Moore (Ret.) and Joseph L. Galloway for writing "We Were Soldiers Once and Young".
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Summary: Important
Review: A story of war is a canvas for the depiction of human qualities and capabilities. The stakes are not just victory or defeat but life or death. Also, most of the persons involved don't want to be there -- at least that was true as to the average American serviceman in Vietnam. A war-story about Vietnam, then, is a story with very high stakes told about people who usually didn't want to be there and about what they did in a deadly confrontation. This is a subject of inherent drama and worth. We Were Soldiers Once is written by the American field commander in the battle of Ia Drang. The author extensively quotes servicemen who fought in that battle, and their remembrances are vital to this book. At times the book is quite moving, as when the author visits the grave of one of his officers who died in the battle of Ia Drang. At other times, it depicts awesome courage and resourcefulness.
Vietnam was a tragedy. Because of the ultimate futility of it and its exorbitant human cost to both America and Vietnam, it's a shame it happened at all. However, it happened, and Americans who fought and sometimes died in that war deserve to have their stories told. This book tells a piece of the overall story and tells it well.
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Summary: A Wonderful Tribute and Shocking Book
Review: This is not an easy book to read. That isn't a statement on the writing style or the way the book is organized. I found this a difficult book to read because of its content. Several times, more than I could count, I stopped reading and found myself staring off into space as the impact of what I had just read was beginning to sink in. Bravery and nobility, even in the face of such horror and violence, all in a day's work. I was humbled by the almost nonchalant way in which these men spoke about their role in the battles at LZ X-ray and Albany. I have't cried in reading a book in a long time but I could not hold back tears when reading the chapter at the end in which the wives and children back in the States told their own tales of how the battle impacted their lives. This book made me feel so very proud of all of our men and women who went to Vietnam, fought for our country, risked everything, and in far too many cases, never came back home.
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Summary: A Must Read!
Review: This is perhaps the best book that I have ever read. I could not put it down. The author replays what happened in the Ia Drang Valley, minute by minute as told by the soldiers who fought there...on both sides. This is definitely going to become a classic. What I like about the book is the author tells the story the way it was, without the sideline drama. You definitely feel as though you are transported back into the steaming jungles of the Ia Drang Valley. I would recommend this book to anyone that appreciates military history. This is a must read.
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Summary: One of the best books about Vietnam
Review: If ever you wanted to feel what it must have like to be in Vietnam during that awful war. READ this book. It is so realistic that you could hear the bullets zing by your face. After reading this book, my esteem and respect, now has no bounds for the combat vets of that conflict. Let us hope that our collective memory for the fallen never fades away. They deserve to honoured and revered, just like our respect for the World War 2 & Korean vets.
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Summary: This book is a must for any military leader
Review: It's hard to describe and comment upon a book which is so emotive to a soldier. I read this at the beginning of company command, and it gripped me very powerfully to the point of where I've given several copies of it to other leaders who worked for me. It is especially relevant and poignant for leaders that are down doing "muddy boots" jobs, and is very contemporary in that it chronicles the perilous combat of the first air assault operation. LTG (ret) Harold Mooreimpresses both in his recollection, his frankness, and his connection with his soldiers. He remembers everyone's name, their character, what made them tick, and truly painted an exquisite picture of the uniquely bonded community that is formed in a combat arms unit. He did not shuck the responsibility of telling it like it was when it came to human failure, which is all too often a problem in today's military. Anyone who is dedicated to being the best they can be (and not the Army of One) will benefit from taking on the experience that is this story.
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