5 comments about The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to the Present.

1. The soldiers of the US military are unquestionably the most highly trained, motivated, technically advanced and dedicated fighting force in the history of mankind. But within the armed forces there exists a group of individuals who are the elite; the best of the best. The Special Forces. These are the men and women that that push themselves to the brink of physical and mental failure, take on the dirtiest and most dangerous jobs, receive no credit when the job is well done, and much of the criticism when things go wrong.
   
   This book takes you on an awe inspiring high speed adventure through a half century of Special Forces engagements. Although a work of fiction, is undoubtedly based very closely on real life events and situations. Keep that in mind as you read it. This is a book full of situations you'll want to tell people about. It also shows that people who are trained to kill are perfectly capable of acts of kindness even in the midsts of very difficult conflict.
   
   I really enjoyed the quotes that start each chapter, and the various snippets of military and political history that are presented really add to the stories. The only thing bad about this book is that it isn't three times as long.



2. In this well told story the stories of the heroic Green Berets, the Special Forces, are intimately told through the eyes of one who was there. The book examines five conflicts through the eyes, ears and stories of five men. This is a historical novel, which means it is based on true events but some of the dialogue is injected to make the story more human. Michael Lennon, one of the authors, is a veteran of Special Operations, where he served as a staff officer.
   The story begins with Mike Apin's tour in Vietnam with the Special Forces in the Central Highlands, eventually fighting in the battle of Dak Pek. Mike arrives in 1970, post-Tet Vietnam and he experiences the low moral and discrimination against Special Forces inherent at the time. He becomes acquainted with the ARVN and the Montagnard(Yards) and Chinese(Nungs) minorities who served alongside the Special Forces.
   Book two surrounds the story of Chuck Rogers in the Gulf war in 1991. He arrived at the tail end of the 82nd airborne deployment, the `speed bump' set up to stop Saddam from invading Saudi Arabia. When the coalition moved into Kuwait he found himself along Highway 8 and eventually in the battle for Tallil airbase, where Iraqi forces put up tough resistance. The story also follows Kemal Mohammed and his life as an Iraqi ex-pat in the U.S and eventually in Saddam's army fighting opposite Rogers.
   Book three examines the Somalia operation in 1993, Ryan Gallagher and the 10th Mountain Division. Having missed Desert Storm, Ryan arrived in Somalia on July 29th. In the first days of October a Black Hawk helicopter was shot down, the famous `Black hawk Down' and the 10th Mountain, with Gallagher in the lead, was ordered to relieve the rangers stuck in Mogadishu.
   Book four, the most interesting book, examines the fighting in Afghanistan in 2001 as the stories of Gallagher, Rogers and Apin all come together in Special Ops in Afghanistan against the Taliban, working with the Northern Alliance.
   The last section examines the Second Gulf War in 2003 and gives some background on Delta Force and its founder, Colonel Beckwith. Special Forces operated in Western Iraq during the war, behind enemy lines. This chapter is a summing up, examining Mike Apin's experience in 2003 and the ensuing problems of the occupation of Iraq and his prescient views that it could be `another Vietnam' and that valuable assets were being taken from the Afghan war. A well written, thoughtful and informative book, action packed and very insightful.
   
   Seth J. Frantzman



3. This long overdue book by the bestselling author of "The Green Berets" and "The French Connection" continues his chronicling of Special Forces operations. Naturally there are adventures from the Vietnam War but the book also covers the stories of a new generation of Green Berets with reports from the Gulf War, our involvement in Somalia as well as stories based on current Special Forces missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The book is written in a gritty realistic style and is extremely difficult to put down. As always Mr. Moore writes with a great admiration for the men of the Special Forces which can only be expected from the only civilian to go through the Special Forces Qualification Course. Each chapter shows the efforts of the Special Forces to preserve and advance freedom and often points out forgotten facts. For example the capture in Baghdad of Mohammed Abu Abbas, the mastermind of the Achille Lauro hijacking which is obvious proof that Saddam Hussein was harboring some terrorists. Any student of modern military history or unconventional warfare will enjoy this book.



4. Much like his previous work The Green Berets Robin Moore takes us through his adventures in places such as Cambodia, Baghdad, Afghanistan, and many more. Some of these stories have to be read to believed, as most fiction writers can't come up with stories this good. If you loved The Green Berets, pick this up right now.



5. As for incorrect jump commands, incorrect helicopter (Ch-47 instead of a Ch-46), the misspelling of the town next to Columbus, Georgia (it's Phenix City), it is an OK read. "Doc" Lennon should get his head out of his "fourth point" of contact. Journalism 101.

4 comments about Green Beret in Vietnam.

1. Looks stupid and the Navy Seals are way better!



2. This has not even been released yet. If it is like most osprey titles it should be good.



3. For those who already have a small library of books on Vietnam Elite Forces and Militaria the names Gordon Rottman and Kevin Lyles are no strangers. To my knowledge this is the first time they have collaborated together and the result is as could be expected - excellent!

   Given the many roles SF personnel conducted during the Vietnam conflict, their 'bread and butter' was the 'advisory' effort and consequently, this is what the book focuses on.

   The text is well indexed, concise and clear - covering items such as organisation, training, life in the A-camps and the weapons utilised. The majority of photos are new and well chosen for their relevance to points in the text. Kevin Lyles' colour plates are superb - clean and well detailed - his intimate knowledge of the items involved are apparent (such as the highly 'technical' method of squeezing extra transmission range from a PRC-25/77 radio!). They also illustrate the closeness that SF soldiers had with their indigenous charges - my favourite colour plate depicting a light hearted mortar lesson!

   My only criticisms of the book are in the order of nit-picking .. The 'SSGT' depicted in Plate 1 is quite obviously SF officer and legend, Ed Rybat - why not give him his due rank? Also, SF involvement in MACV-SOG was only alluded too - but in the space limitations of this particular publication this is understandable.

   Incidentally the cover depicted on the amazon page was illustrated by Ron Volstad and most likely a pre-production cover - it is NOT the actual cover of the book I obtained.

   In summary, a must have book for those researching the life and look of the SF soldier of the period. It brings together in a clear, concise way information that one would otherwise have to obtain from more expensive or out-of-print texts. An authoritative bibliography is also supplied for those interested in further reading. Although a short book, it is a worthy companion to those other excellent Rottman and Lyles titles adorning the bookshelf of the SF aficionado.




4. A goog solid effort on a very interesting subject for me. A good nuts and bolts book about the SF. A worthy addition for a library dedicated to Military History.

3 comments about The Green Berets: The Amazing Story of the U.S. Army's Elite Special Forces Unit.

1. The new edition of Robin Moore's Vietnam War era classic "The Green Berets" is as timely and relevant today as it was when it was published over forty years ago.
   
   What is amazing is that the problems faced by the Green Berets in Vietnam described by Moore are the very same problems faced by our soldiers today in the War on Terror. These include the problems of corrupt local soldiers, relegious differences and the ago old cultural clash between the conventional military mindset and the unconventional warrior. If one changed the locations names from Vietnam to Iraq the stroeis would be ripped from today's headlines.
   
   The new edition also contains materials which were not in the original edition. It was also enjoyable to read the various stories which conributed elements to the John Wayne movie which was based on the book. The book is well worth your time.



2. This book is a classic. Set in Vietnam, Robin Moore was one of the first people to expose America to the horrors of the Vietnam war. You get to see America's soldiers fighting and braving these nightmarish war. Pick up this, and The Secret Wars of the Green Berets



3. A classic book that everyone should read. Having grown up watching John Wayne in The Green Berets and listening to Barry Saddler sing "Put silver wings on my son's chest..." I should have read this book 30+ years ago.
   
   Many parallels to today's conflict in the Middle East. It's amazing how little has changed.

5 comments about The Green Berets.

1. I was blown away that some people did not like this book! I absolutely loved it! Before you begin reading it you must put it in the context of the time it was written. This is a book written before any of our main troops were sent to 'nam and therefore the things we know now are simply hindsite and can not be applied to this book. This book, while called fiction, is the closest you will ever get to truly understanding our most well known and almost mystical special forces group. It details, with fake names due to govt regulations at the time, many Beret missions that were, until lately, highly classified. This book will take you on many missions that seem like they are straight off of a hollywood script...in fact these stories are what created most of those scripts. You will join the berets in battle, deep behind enemy lines and see how they fought before the days when rescue was an artillery shot away. You will love each chapter of this book and it will be a very quick read. Please do yourself the favor, if you have any interest in this subject, of picking up this important book and learning a bit about America's Green Berets!



2. In 1965, when I first read this book, I believed most of it because I didn't know any difference. During Infantry OCS (Officer Candidate School), I read it again as a book-report (1966) and did not believe any of it...any at all. Then on the flight back, after spending 13 months in Southeast Asia as a Special Forces officer, I read it again. The book is true...completely true. As a-matter-of-fact, it actually left out some of the things we experieced and the "politics" we had to deal with, but what he told in the book was true. Robin Moore holds our respect for what he had to accomplish (at his age) in order to write this factual book. We loved the book and laughed at the movie.
   
   Understand that Special Forces, at that time, were very different from Special Forces today. Remember, we were the most highly decorated unit in history for a reason. The ones today are great, but they built on our experieces. We were not the "quite professionals"...but we were the "movers and doers" of our time. I add this only because some authors today should recognize this hard-earned fact.
   
   H. G. Kidd
   Ex-Special Forces.



3. I liked this book so much I bought an old paperback copy and added it to my personal collection. I believe that there's a picture of Staff Sergeant Barry Sadler, or someone that looks a lot like him, on the cover. The movie made in 1968 does NOT do Robin Moore's work justice. I found the short stories in this book to be very well written.



4. The new edition of Robin Moore's Vietnam War era classic "The Green Berets" is as timely and relevant today as it was when it was published over forty years ago.
   
   What is amazing is that the problems faced by the Green Berets in Vietnam described by Moore are the very same problems faced by our soldiers today in the War on Terror. These include the problems of corrupt local soldiers, relegious differences and the ago old cultural clash between the coventional military mindset and the unconventional warrior.
   
   The new edition also contains materials which were not in the original edition. It was also enjoyable to read the various stories which conributed elements to the John Wayne movie which was based on the book. The book is well worth your time.



5. This is a great book. Very accurate, painfully so in many instances, especially considering the absurd restrictions placed on units operating in the field. Ironically, Moore's account of Special Forces operations in Vietnam is much more accurate than anything you'll ever get from the US government...even 40 years later.
   
   Post Script: In the first Chapter, Moore writes about Capt. Steve Kornie, a larger than life Special Forces officer. Darn near everything Moore wrote was accurate! The officer's real name is Larry Allan Thorne (the "Americanized" version of his Finnish name - Lauri Allan Torni). He was a truly remarkable man by any measure.
   
   Major Thorne was lost on a cross-border mission into Laos on 18 October 1965; but, at that time, and "for the record" he was classified as Missing In Action resulting from a helicopter crash 25 miles south of Da Nang (not even close).
   
   A joint US-Vietnamese team found the wreckage in 1997, excavated the site in 1999, and collected the remains of Maj. Thorne and 3 Vietnamese (two pilots and a door gunner). A decision was made to do a joint internment at Arlington, since what little remained of the bodies was intermingled. Although positive identification, however, was made through Thorne's dental records and parts of the Swedish-K submachine gun that was his personal weapon.
   
   The memorial stone is atypically large for Arlington; and the local Vietnamese community ensures that fresh flowers are maintained at the grave. I have provided additional information should you be in the neighborhood and would like to visit the site. Unless you have very specific information on dates of internment and the correct spelling of the name, you will not be successful in locating the site through the cemetery administration.
   
   [...]

5 comments about War Stories of the Green Berets.

1. When an author writes based on research and not personal first-hand experience they MUST insure what they write is verified by more than ONE source or they end up printing total bovine excrement.
   
   Halberstadt has failed to even follow the basic rules when he wrote "War Stories of the Green Berets."
   
   A basic background check by Halberstadt on Otis Hedges Ashley III, would have revealed the man is a total phony. He does NOT have two Silver Stars and he never was a POW. He never was recomemnded for the Medal of Honor and he has a very long record for forgery, deception and lying. The story Ashley tells in the book is total fiction.
   
   One can only assume Halberstadt placed a newspaper add asking for SpeciaL Forces men to publish their stories and those who responded were the phonies or self-aggrandizers.
   
   This book does NOT represent the true heroes of Special Forces and brings questionable doubt on Halberstadt's other "novels" he passes off as non-ficition.



2. War stories are traditionally told in bars, over beers, and are notoriously unreliable as history but very reliable as entertainment. This book is a collection of war stories from about three dozen men, most of whom I know personally. They are best enjoyed with a blood-alcohol level of about .01 or higher. The book has been in print for about fifteen years, in two editions, and only one person has objected to the format. But he is a LOUD person, so I will just say here what I said in the introduction -- these are stories Green Berets tell each other late at night, long after the incident. Some are funny, some are horrifying, and all provide a little insight into what goes on in "the Special Forces community." Anybody expecting a proper history has come to the wrong book; this one was meant to be fun to read. And that's what it is!



3. I served with the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne) from December 1969 through January 1971. I was fortunate enough to have served with the finest, bravest, and most professional soldiers God ever put into combat boots.
   Mr. Halberstadt's book brought back many memories of those times. I especially enjoyed reading about the various soldiers' memories of LTC Maggie. She was one of a kind. I was fortunate enough to spend many hours with her in Beverly Hills in her Team Room. She had photos of herself with every president from Roosevelt to Nixon. She had all types of military awards and photos adorning her walls.
   I can only imagine what adorns the wall of Hanoi Jane Fonda. Probably photos of Che Guevera, Stalin, Uncle Ho, and Alger Hiss are hung on her walls.
   The book, for me, was pure enjoyment. Most war stories books dwell on the horrors of war. This book is the exception. Although there is a modicum of horror in this book, it is replete with many numerous anecdotes.



4. Considering our son recently became a green beret, I thought it was an excellent idea to give my husband, a viet nam veteran, several books about the elite soldier units. He hasn't put them down. He started reading and couldn't stop till he finished. Christmas is coming. Gee what should I give him. Great idea. More books to keep him close to our son.



5. This book is a series of first-hand experiences from Special Forces soldiers in the field.
   The author provides some tidbit-type information about Special Forces,procedures,weapons.
   
   The S.O.G was mentioned in some of the accounts,there was some additional detail about them in the section about Charles Berg.
   
   Mr. Halberstadt gives some history and origin of the Special Forces. I found that to be educational.
   
   The origin of the green beret as headgear was interesting.
   
   The details about the ethnic makeup of the allies in Viet Nam was really good. The differences and animosity between the Montagnards,Nungs,and South Vietnamese added responsibility to Special Forces units that utilized the various groups as team members.
   
   This book covers the Special Forces from Viet Nam to Iraq,with over half of the book deicated for Viet Nam era experiences.
   
   The last chapter was about "sprayers" found in Iraq and the possible connection to WMD's. That's something I haven't read before!
   
   This book is a compelling read! I am intrigued by the S.O.G. warriors. Consider that these volunteers were "off the books" and on their own, many of them disappeared and with no official explanation.

No comments about In Search of the Warrior Spirit, Fourth Edition: Teaching Awareness Disciplines to the Green Berets.

No comments about The Green Berets: Action in Iraq.

5 comments about Desperate Lands: The War on Terror Through the Eyes of a Special Forces Soldier.

1. Started reading this book and couldn't put it down. A true story of a soldier that really shows the meaning of serving our country. A must read.



2. I bought this book because of the ratings it got on amazon but like another reader above i am wondering if they were describing the same book as i just read. While there is no doubting the bravery of the man in question i quite frankly found this book very hard to read. I actually found the writing to be nothing short of 'strange' - at times it feels like the text was written by a robot or someone who does not have a good command of the english language - with lots of repetition and this is suddenly dispersed with the odd curse which seems like it was just put in there to liven things up - in short it feels uncomfortable to read and i think that the author wrote this book and then someone came along and 'dubbed it' ! Apart from all of that the book is extremely boring - dealing with the day to day medial tasks these guys took on and very little action which i think is what most readers/buyers of these types of books expect. Overall one of the worst special forces books i ever read because quite simply i had to 'fight' myself to keep reading it to the finish.



3. If you are looking for action packed memories of events experienced in the Afghanstan war this book is not for you.
   Zapata's service to his country is commandable, but his stories and writing style in this book are dull and uneventful.
   This book may well be cherished reading for his grandchildren when they get older, but anyone expecting it to be full of adventure and intrique will be disappointed.
   Definitely not worth the price Amazon is asking.Desperate Lands: The War on Terror Through the Eyes of a Special Forces Soldier



4. This is a compelling first-hand account of what our soldiers are facing in the War on Terror. It is both entertaining and emotional. The book is written from the heart and is a must-read for anyone hoping to gain a better of what it is like for our troops.



5. I loved this book! It was a real story, written by a real special forces soldier. It was compelling, and had me hooked. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in what the war is like from a soldiers perspective.

4 comments about To Be a U.S. Army Green Beret (To Be A).

1. This book provides great insight in to what it takes to be the best. It breaks down the process from the beginning of basic to the last phase of the Q Course. I thought I knew pretty much everything I needed,boy was I wrong. The info. is from BTDT's and students going through the training. The pictures are vivid and clear. If you have "To be a U.S. Army Ranger", its in the same format, just a little bigger in size(HxW). This is a must for anyone wanting to go SF.



2. This book is amazing, because of its pictures and diagrams. It gives you an exact idea of chronological order of what happens in your training of becoming an SF soldier. It gives you respect for these soldiers and what they are capable of doing. very informative. However, since i am not interested in becoming a green beret, i haven't been able to finish it. i have read the "to be a u.s. army ranger" because it seems to pertain to me more. however it is a good book and i would recommend to those who really don't mind spending money on just buying books to satisfy their curiosity and those who want to be SF.



3. Probably the best single resource I've ever seen about Army S.F., recommend to anyone interested in this field!



4. I'd give this book 3.5 but I cant... I found this book to be very well informing of all types of stages in trasining to be a green beret and the conciseness... Though it lacks detailed first-hand accounts on what the training is like and rather usually just gives a brief overview. It does however have alot of pictures and often times (brief but) particular information on other stages of the course like the Scuba and even has a course outline and pictures on SERE.
   
   
   This book is really good for those that have no working foundation on process of becoming SF, yet its also good if you already have one because it presents the information in a clearer concise presentation. If you want more detailed first-hand accounts on the actual training read Dick Couch's "Chosen Soldier"

5 comments about Chosen Soldier: The Making of a Special Forces Warrior.

1. I remember having a conversation with a friend of mine and we were trying to figure out what training produced a more deadly efficent incredible (man/soldier/warrior) although, I am more biased towards the navy seals, as my son is one, my friend was formerly in the special forces. He recommended that I read this book and I am amazed once again at what people are capable of learning and doing. It truly is amazing the types of situations these soldiers get themselves into and out of, what they have to do to get there, what they have to do once they're there, and what they have to do to get home. I can't say enough how interesting this book is. I enjoyed it a lot as you might be able to tell from my review.



2. This is a great book on Special Forces. The author, Dick Couch, was offered complete access to thhe Special Forces training process. And he has experiance in being a Spec Op, he was a U.S. Navy SEAL.
   
   This book, covers the whole training and selection process. And it even includes some pictures.
   
   Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in being a Green Beret, or any type of Special Forces, or to anyone that loves reading these kind of books.
   
   5/5



3. Mr. Couch had the privelege of tagging along with a group of SF candidates throughout their selection and training process - his book offers a level of candidness and insight that only such first-hand experience can provide. His background as a Navy SEAL allows him to accurately highlight the crucial differences between the modus operandi of Army and Navy SOF - differences of which not many are aware. If you want to know about the road to becoming an Army Special Forces solider and the caliber of man it takes to travel it, this is an outstanding choice.



4. Dick Couch has provided great insight into the selection and training of one or our premier units.
   He has a great blend of personal and training highlights that give a great feel for the making of a SF soldier.
   Highly recommended for those wanting to know more about the making of the next greatest generation.



5. My son is a Green Beret, and I had only heard a few of his stories about the intensive training that he went through. This was a real eye-opener for me to see exactly what went on. He was able to identify some of the cadre who had fictitious names assigned by the author.
   
   If anyone is interested is signing up for SF, they need to read this book to get the real inside story.