Gary McKay

A big book, just a few pages short of 600 but it needs to be to include the decade long history of Australia's military involvement in the Vietnam war. It covers the commitment, the Advisors, the Task Force and to a lesser extent the Airforce and Navy. What I found of great value was it includes Australia's role within a wider context. Not only is the US included but also the often forgotten South Vietnamese. It sheds new light on the Battle of Long Tan by including details on a South show more Vietnamese action in 1964 and the ambush of a US company, both in the same area. It also includes alot more detail on operations nearby at the same time as the battle. The book also includes alot on the Communist forces and what they were doing in and around Phuoc Tuy Province during the Task Forces stay there. Finally it covers the withdrawal, the final Campaigns and the aftermath of the war. Good solid history. show less

McKay wasn't in Darwin when the cyclone came through, but he was posted there shortly afterwards to help with the clean up. A Vietnam veteran, and an accomplished teller of stories from that era, he tells this story almost exclusively through the voices of those that were there. And like a truthful story of battle, the horror builds upon horror, but the little stories of survival and hope remain at the end.

This is as good as a war memoir can get, it's near perfect. It deals with the Authors experiences in the Australian Army during the Vietnam War, including his training, both as a recruit and his officer training, his training for service in Vietnam as well as his service in the last Australian Infantry battalion to fight in Vietnam. It is worth remembering that this documents some of the last actions fought by Australian troops in Vietnam and for that it is most unusual. Anyone interested in show more the Vietnam War, or the Australian Army in Vietnam should read this very well written book. show less