Rating: 
Summary: Once An Eagle - The finest book I've ever read...and read..!
Review: Literally the only non text book I read in four years of college...I've probably read it 5 times since. I've since worn out that first copy and I continue on another. Myrer has written, quite simply, the finest modern American war novel. Damon's (Myrer's) prayer for strength in leadership ("...let me not fail them...") was on my desk or wall or wallet in every leadership or staff position I had for all my years of military service, as was his statement that a man must be prepared for the awful shrieking moment when he knows he may die on a lonely hilltop 10,000 miles from home. I made my lieutenants read and discuss the book, named my tank 'Sad Sam' after Damon (my XO's tank was 'The Wolverine' after Ben Krisler)and had it been in print in the late '80s would have had my students buy it as their leadership primer. When he is old enough, I will ask my son to read it. Composed of the traits of fine American officers and sergeants, Sam Damon's life is a rich tapestry filled with great success and great failure. That is the magic of Anton Myrer, he created a character who was truly believable. His protagonist, Massengale, is just as real - and he exists today in one or more arm chair senior officers. I've met him, as have others. A must read for all leaders, military or civilian...truly one of the finest examples of modern tragedy that anyone could write. I salute the memory of Anton Myrer...it was an honor to have read his work and known him through Sam Damon!
Rating:
Summary: Old books never die...
Review: This was the first book I had "read for fun" ever, being that I just got out of college. But the subject matter (History) and length (1,000 pages) told me otherwise. But I insisted, since it was on every reading list I saw for Junior Officers, including the USMA and Army Chief of Staff lists.
You follow Sam Damon through his entire life, from the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1915 up to the beginnings of the Vietnam "War." From the lowest Private to the General Officer who people worshipped. The story is amazing and unbelievable. I was so attached to the book. I found myself highlighting passages and quotes of the "real" moments that I have either seen or assume I will see. Sam is everyone's hero. And this hero has his sworn enemy in Courtney Massengale. I hated Massengale. Just like the book wanted me too. But Myrer makes you understand everbody's view in this work by shifting the perspective from Sam to Massengale to Sam's Wife on occasions. But still, I hated Massengale.
The book trashed two of my immediate expectations. First it was an Army book written by a Marine. I thought, "what could a Marine know about the Army?" Second, I never expected much regarding Sam's relationship with his wife/family and the toll that the Army life took on them. This was not distracting to the book, but rather intensified the relationship between Sam and his family, and the "relationship" with myself.
Highly recomended to anyone with an interest in the history of the battles of the early part of last century, the military minded, or even those who hate the military, but need a bit more knowledge. Yes, this book can be read as an "Anti-War" book.
Rating:
Summary: Two roads to the top
Review: While Sam Damon is the putative hero of this book, it is really about two people--Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale. Damon enters the Army as a private and works his way up through the ranks. Massengale enters as an officer through West Point. Damon works at his job. Massengale works the system. Damon is loyal to his men. Massengale is loyal to himself. For those of us who have worked in organizations, these two characters are quite familiar. Anton Myrer separates them in a very black-and-white, yin-and-yang fashion, although most real people evince each behavior pattern at different times. This turns "Once an Eagle" into a morality play that puts our own foibles at the forefront. Who do you want to be, after all, Sam Damon or Courtney Massengale? Myrer does all this while maintaining a page-turning pace in a very readable story. I highly recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: The book is a guide to military & non-military leadership.
Review: I am a retired Army Guard and Reserve officer of twenty eight years. I was first introduced to the book, "Once An Eagle" while I was going through OCS and college. I was amazed at the detail of thoughts of the young Sam Damon and how much they paralleled my own thoughts. I could really identify with him. I tried throughout my military and civilian careers to model myself after the leadership examples of Sam Damon. I looked for and became very aware of the Massengale officers. Once you are aware of that type of "problem" you can combat it. Later I re-read the book when I was a company commander. Boy had Sam become smarter. It really helped my at that stage of my career. This past weekend I saw a huge write-up in the Minneapolis Star and was suprised that the book had that big of a following. I am re-reading the book again, for the third time, and I find my self re-identifying with the characters. I recommend this book for all young NCOs and young officers to help them formulate a mentoring guide book, like a set of rules to work towards, that they can use in the daily experiences that will make up their careers. If you use the book to help focus your committment to leadership, you will have a great experience, a great career, and a love of adventure.
Rating:
Summary: Inspiring story of an all America soldier
Review: Anton Myrer, a former U.S. Marine, has written the all-time greatest novel of a soldier's life of service. The protagonist, Sam Damon, was commissioned on the battlefield but never forgot his simple and honorable roots as a citizen and enlisted man. He lived a life of dedicated service, loyal to his subordinates, leaders, the Army, and the nation, and rose to two-star General officer rank. His nemesis was a West Point graduate, Courtney Massengale, who was never a soldier at heart, but merely a careerist... out for himself. On one level, these two characters provide contrasting types of military officers, one noble and self-sacrificing, and and the other obsessed with personal aggrandizement. On a more intimate level, these two characters represent the struggle within every soldier's heart between the allure of promotion and prestige, and the call to duty and humble loyalty to his men and profession. Myrer died of cancer on Robert E. Lee's birthday in January 1996. I read the book before I was commissioned at West Point in 1976 and the story stuck with me throughout my own humble 20+ year career as a constant conscience and counselor against self-promotion. This is a character-building tale
Rating: 
Summary: Over-rated!
Review: This book is the most over-rated book on leadership I have ever read. Sam Damon is the knight in shining armor who can do no wrong. As a teenager, prior to even joining the Army, he spends his time writing analyses of Civil War battles that one would expect from a graduate of the Army War College. He decisively beats the lumberjack-size town drunk in a fist-fight hands down. He does everything right. Oh, excuse me...he commits adultery by having an extra-marital affair. But hey, Sam Damon is such a stud, he deserves the right to blow off a little steam with some Army nurse. What aspiring leaders need to understand is that it is possible to be an exceptional leader, maintain your integrity and dedication to your subordinates, and accomplish the mission despite human limitations. Aspiring leaders need to understand that while innate talent is important, dedication and perseverence and living by a set of firm moral values will enable you to succeed as a leader. We don't need an "out of sight" Sam Damon to inspire our aspiring leaders. Instead, consider studying the paths to greatness of real human leaders who actually walked the face of the Earth, such as Abraham Lincoln. My point is, how can you truly credit anyone, such as the hero, Sam Damon with such honor, courage, and commitment, when the author has already built-in so many talents that the humans among us can't even relate? I admit, this is a pretty good book...it reads extremely well, and of course Sam Damon is a model of the very best motives and attibutes all combat leaders should aspire to. I guess it was the extra-marital affair that really put me off, as if that's no big deal. The way I see it (I've been married for eight years and an officer for ten), if a man or woman cannot or will not honor the vows they made on the altar, I have a hard time believing that they would honor the Code of Conduct under pressure. Like, 'I can't resist my urge to do the wild thing with some nurse behind my wife's back, but on the other hand, you can push needles under my fingernails or torture me with electric shock, but I will never betray my country.' Yeah, right.
Rating:
Summary: As professional reading for a soldier...
Review: First off, let me say I loved this book. I thought that Meyers wove an intricate plot that fully engrossed me. I could not put the novel down and often stayed up late in the evening unable to pause until I finished just one more chapter. I picked up this book because I had seen it on the Chief of Staff of the Army's reading list for Army officers. I am a professional officer and wanted to read this book that was recommended by several senior, successful officers. They all spoke of how the main character was someone they wished all military officers would emulate and his arch nemesis someone to ostracize and avoid. So I came at this book with some preconceived notions.
My point of contention with many of the reviews both on the book cover and from my superiors and peers was the hero worship aimed at the character of Sam Damon. He is a wonderfully constructed hero and Myers has done a wonderful job but, as in all great literature, he is flawed, sometimes painfully so, and his flaws in the end are his undoing.
This concerns me because some of the traits I know senior officers in the military want us to emulate are those same tragic flaws. Sam Damon sees his service to country above all else. He sacrifices his family to his duty. This is what I see as a major element of his tragic flaw. At times he better serves the soldiers under to the detriment of his own family, in effect, subjugating the needs of his family to those of the Army. Too many senior officers in today's military expect this sacrifice from their subordinates and that is why this book is so popular amonst senior military officials. They all wish they had a flock of Sam Damons working under them for they do not see his tragic flaw as such. They do not want balanced well rounded officers with lives outside the military. Instead they want officers willing to sacrifice everything in their life for the Army.
As I see it, Sam lacked the ability to balance his life. He gave everything to the military and when it was done he had nothing and was easily pulled back in to his doom because he had not invested some of his time in his family, friends, community or religion.
A wonderful story and cautionary tale and I would recommend it to anyone. To military personnel who are reading it based on advice from others, come to the table with an open mind and understand that Sam has many wonderful traits to emulate. It is up to you to intelligently decide which traits are noble and which are flaws.
Rating:
Summary: Old books never die...
Review: This was the first book I had "read for fun" ever, being that I just got out of college. But the subject matter (History) and length (1,000 pages) told me otherwise. But I insisted, since it was on every reading list I saw for Junior Officers, including the USMA and Army Chief of Staff lists.
You follow Sam Damon through his entire life, from the Mexican Punitive Expedition in 1915 up to the beginnings of the Vietnam "War." From the lowest Private to the General Officer who people worshipped. The story is amazing and unbelievable. I was so attached to the book. I found myself highlighting passages and quotes of the "real" moments that I have either seen or assume I will see. Sam is everyone's hero. And this hero has his sworn enemy in Courtney Massengale. I hated Massengale. Just like the book wanted me too. But Myrer makes you understand everbody's view in this work by shifting the perspective from Sam to Massengale to Sam's Wife on occasions. But still, I hated Massengale.
The book trashed two of my immediate expectations. First it was an Army book written by a Marine. I thought, "what could a Marine know about the Army?" Second, I never expected much regarding Sam's relationship with his wife/family and the toll that the Army life took on them. This was not distracting to the book, but rather intensified the relationship between Sam and his family, and the "relationship" with myself.
Highly recomended to anyone with an interest in the history of the battles of the early part of last century, the military minded, or even those who hate the military, but need a bit more knowledge. Yes, this book can be read as an "Anti-War" book.
Rating:
Summary: The moral compass of the American fighting man
Review: My review of Once an Eagle is from the point of view of a Marine rifleman who participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom. I would like to note that Anton Myrer was also a Marine rifleman at one point of his life. . . Once an Eagle's characters are inhuman. No man can match the dignity and sense of duty of Sam Damon. Few men can match the evil of Courtney Massengale, and none of those have worn the uniform of our country. The situations in Once an Eagle are preposterous; each one is form-fitted to provide the reader with the most insight into the characters. All these alledged flaws (which other reviwers have used to justify their low marks given) are the very things that make Once an Eagle such an outstanding book. By making the world of Once an Eagle such a high-contrast and black-and-white place, Anton Myrer gives military leaders the perfect yardstick to measure their actions. Each new lieutenant aspires to be a Sam Damon, and wishes to God that he does not become a Courtney Masengale. The qualities of Sam Damon- integrity, a sense of duty, the deep parental feelings towards his men- are the qualities that make armies strong. These qualities, above technology or resources, are the qualities we hope that our military possesses. To paraphrase a former Marine Corps Commandant: while the circumstances of war change, the essence remains timeless: war is a struggle of will. Once an Eagle is the perfection that our military leadership aspires to, because the qualities of Sam Damon ensure victory in that "struggle of will." Other reviewers have disparaged Mr. Myrer's military experience; how can a mere corporal speak of leadership? I believe that a corporal in charge of three other men in a fire team has the most tangible grasp on leadership- the results are always in front of him. As a corollary, it can also be said that as one rises in rank, the more difficult is becomes to grasp the principles of leadership that a corporal plainly sees. The qualities of leadership necessary to be a corporal are magnified proportionally as one commands more men, but the requirements are the same: integrity, a sense of duty, and a parental attitude towards the men he commands. Perhaps that is why Mr. Myrer has written such a magnificent work. During the start of Operation Iraqi Freedom, I was told to take nothing but the most essential items. I skimped on the extra underwear and put my copy of Once an Eagle in my pack instead. I wasn't afraid of running out of clean underwear- I was afraid that I would not live up to the example of Sam Damon if and when the moment of truth came. I think Once an Eagle is THE moral compass of fighting men.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Book!!
Review: I purchased this book based upon the rave reviews below and was definitely not disappointed. A superb story from beginning to end with lessons in leadership, humanity, war and politics. A book you will think about long after you have finished it. Read this book.
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