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Loading... Mighty Men of Valor: With Charlie Company on Hill 714-Vietnam, 1970by John G. Roberts
None No current Talk conversations about this book.  JPodlaski | May 27, 2014 |  no reviews | add a review
THE SCREAMING EAGLES OF VIETNAM IN 1970 The Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne have been in combat against the elusive Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army for nearly five years. In his memoir, author John G. Roberts tells the story of the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, the "Widow Makers" of the 101st Divisions' 1st Brigade. Written in the often crude language of the combat infantryman, Roberts describes what it was like to confront the enemy during close combat in the triple-canopied jungles of I Corps, west of the Song Bo River and in the infamous A Shau Valley. As part of Operation Texas Star, the 502nd Infantry (the "O-Deuce") lost 30 men killed and over 200 wounded in a month long battle against the 29th NVA Regiment in April and May, 1970. JUNGLE COMBAT SEEN THROUGH THE EYES OF A YOUNG SHAKE-N-BAKE SERGEANT Roberts relates the shock and grief he and others felt when his 11-man squad lost 3 men killed and five wounded in about an hour of combat. The fights around Hill 714, Hill 882 and the 4-month Battle of Firebase Ripcord received very little attention in the media. The press was focused on the April invasion of Cambodia and the May student shootings at Kent State University in Ohio. Roberts, like many Vietnam combat veterans, carried the symptoms of PTSD with him when he returned home. The author is very open about the 35 year battle he had with PTSD and alcohol. With help from his family and support from medical professionals at Veterans Affairs, he has worked out a truce with the demons of PTSD and now lives a quiet life in Southern California. JOIN THE O-DEUCE DURING OPERATION TEXAS STARWhen you read Mighty Men of Valor: With Charlie Company on Hill 714 - Vietnam, 1970 you have the chance to experience life (and death) as an combat infantryman during the last big American-led battles of the Vietnam War as only someone who was there can describe them. No library descriptions found. |
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Wikipedia in English
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John writes about the day-to-day routines of the infantry grunts - the misery of humping, digging foxholes and keeping watch for the enemy during the black of night. Then waking up and repeating the process all over again. Most of the time, these treks are uneventful and soon become redundant and boring - causing soldiers to become complacent and sloppy. Their ranks continue to diminish as soldiers are Medivaced daily - not due to enemy action, but as a result of falls, sprains, heat exhaustion, dysentery and malaria. Relocating to the Ashau Valley changed everything.
The Ashau Valley is a dangerous and notorious place, the surrounding mountains, thick with vegetation, steep and mysteriously shrouded in clouds during the monsoon season, made it difficult to climb, sleep and fight. Here, everyone is on full alert, because the enemy is always nearby. When contact is made, there are moments of sheer terror before their training takes over. His descriptions of the gut wrenching action are spot on. Many of the battles here last days instead of hours - the author's experiences are on Hill 714 and others without a name.
Low hanging clouds on these half-mile and higher mountains often created a hardship to those grunts fighting in the hills; making it impossible to receive food, water, medivacs or air-support during those times - sometimes going without for several days. This is the time they are most vulnerable.
John also tells about his homecoming at the end of his war and of his difficulties with PTSD in the years to follow. His wife also contributes to the book and writes the final segment, offering advice about living with and supporting loved ones who suffer from PTSD.
I thoroughly enjoyed "Mighty Men of Valor" and recommend it to all. Veterans will relate...civilians will learn. Welcome Home Brother! God Bless!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel (