No comments about Cyclops in the Jungle: A One-Eyed LRP in Vietnam (Stackpole Military History Series).

5 comments about 4/4: A LRP's Narrative.

1. This book is a must read for anyone interested in the soldiers perspective during the Vietnam War. To make it even more interesting, the reader is told an account from the mind of a ranger. How anyone could infiltrate enemy territory with just six men is still an enigma to me? These men were nothing more than kids, yet they were given the horrific task of seeking and destroying a people in their own backyard. This is not the first book I have read about Vietnam, and yet I still couldn't put it down.

   To all you Vietnam Vets reading this, you have my utmost respect!




2. Having known hundreds of combat soldiers, dozens of whom were rangers, and having read more than a hundred of their after action debriefings, this is the best no frills account of the LRP war by a member of an elite group. It is from the heart. I could tell he still doesn't exactly understand a few things, and that is what separates this book out for me... This book is essential reading for those who seek simple truths from basic men, as are the books of Tim O'Brien and John Leppelman. Ford's tale is the only one that brought tears to my eyes after all these years.



3. I find this book very imformative. Having been with a LRRP/RANGER (Echo 50/75) I think that the writer lived it, and knew just what he was talking about. Roadrunner6 out



4. This book is a must for those interested in what really happened in LRP units in Vietnam. The bond that existed among these men and the sacrifices they would make for each other was what the LRP's were all about. Mr. Ford is the only credible author to come out of F/51st LRP, and his book, like those of Kenn Miller, Rey Martinez,Kregg Jorgensen and a small handful of others are must reads if you are either a military history buff, or just want to know the truth.



5. Having been the first paltoon to go through training at Nha Thrang with the Special Forces once 51st Infantry LRRP was formed. I can honestly say Gary speaks the truth. Many of the incidents recorded in the book were shared with some of my fellow employees where I work at. To my surprise one afternoon, a friend presented me with a copy of the book. Many things that I had related to him were in the book. I am very glad the book was written. I had no idea that the unit was awarded so many awards for valor.

5 comments about The Civil War: An Illustrated History.

1. THE BOOK IS WELL WRITTEN AND LAID OUT. THE PROBLEM IS IT IS A CURSORY REVIEW OF THE CIVIL WAR WITH NO PARTICULAR DETAILS. IT IS A COMBINATION OF THE AUTHOR'S PREVIOUS BOOKS. IT IS USEFUL FOR SUDENTS OR OTHERS WHO NEED A CRAM COURSE IN THE CIVIL WAR FOR HISTORY CLASS BUT IT IS OF NO PARTICULAR VALUE FOR SERIOUS CIVIL WAR RESERCHERS.



2. Excellent, in every way and the photos are fascinating.



3. A great book which covers the highlights of the American Civil War. The book captures the feel of the nation during the war including events leading up to it. Along the way the book covers many of the great battles and personalities involved; from Lincoln, Grant, and Sherman to Lee and Davis Jefferson. It doesn't go into great detail but with broad sweeping strokes brings the war into a grand perspective. It captures all the key high points of the war up to an including Lincoln's assassination and burial. It gives you just enough depth however to be satisfying. Being an avid military history buff I'd highly recommend this to anyone with even a casual interest in the Civil War or American history. This should be required reading for high school history.



4. In my opinion, still the best one volume book on the American Civil War. I use it as the primary text in a semester high school class. I find the writing clear and concise, yet with a high degree of moving readability. Something that is a good read for those wanting an overview of this crossroads event in our nation's history.



5. From the very beginning, I was enthralled with the PBS series by Ken Burns, The Civil War. So why it took me so many years to read The Civil War companion book, I'll never know. Written by Geoffrey Ward with Ric Burns and Ken Burns, it was like discovering lost treasure.
   
   The Civil War was a momentous event in the history of our nation, and thousands and thousands of books have been written on almost every possible angle. But if a Civil War neophyte had to bring himself up to speed as quickly as possible, this book is the way to go. The Civil War obviously covers all of the major events from John Brown, to the firing on Sumter to the surrender at Appomattox. The battles are done in a way that makes them easy to understand with maps and troop movements for clarification. The authors provide portraits of the major players (Lincoln, Davis, Lee, Grant, Jackson, Sherman, etc.) as well as some still important but lesser-known individuals (Clara Barton). But what I really enjoyed were the side-stories, anecdotes and trivia to be found here. We learn about the railroads, the medical corps, the engineers, the supplies, the uniforms, the ironclads, the weapons, and black soldiers. The north had much better marching songs. "A southern major who listened to a northern officer sing some of them after the war admitted `Gentlemen, if we'd had your songs, we'd have licked you out of your boots.'"
   
   What truly makes The Civil War come alive is the liberal use of letters and journal entries from the war. Throughout, we hear the voices of Sam Watkins (1st Tennessee Regiment) and Elisha Hunt Rhodes (2nd Rhode Island Volunteers) as they give us a first-hand account of their long war years. They also bring the story alive by the many photographs, drawings and maps that they've assembled.
   
   The authors not only give us all this fascinating information, but then they cement it together with commentary by Civil War experts interspersed throughout. Such notables as Shelby Foote, Barbara J. Fields, James M. McPherson, C. Vann Woodward and Don E. Fehrenbacher tell us what the Civil War meant to us as individuals and as a nation. According to Foote, "the Civil War defined us as what we are and it opened us to being what we became, good and bad things."
   
   Now that I've become reacquainted with the work of Ken Burns and crew, I'm definitely going to go back and watch the series again. This time, I plan to see it on DVD.

No comments about War Paint: The 1st Infantry Division's LRP Ranger Company in Fierce Combat in Vietnam.

5 comments about LRRP Company Command: The Cav's LRP/Rangers in Vietnam, 1968-1969.

1. Kregg Jorgenson has written a outstanding tribute and account of the men and C.O of 'Hotel Company' Rangers in LRRP COMPANY COMMAND. Then Captain George Paccerelli was a seasoned Special Forces / SOG combat veteran when he assumed command of the LRRP Company in 1968. Intelligent, devoted to training and caring about the well being of the men that were being sent behind the enemy's lines. You will find this book well written and informative about the ever-changing warfare the LRRP's were employing and adapted to. While reading this book I found very detailed accounts of being in 'the backyard' while the small LRRP teams set up their ambushes, prisoner snatches and intelligence gathering missions. You will come to appreciate these highly trained and heroic soldiers as they dealt death to the enemy on his level. In closing Col. (ret) George Paccerelli was inducted into the 'Ranger Hall of Fame' in 1993. During his speech at the induction he made the statement ' Getting into the Ranger Hall of Fame was easy with the kind of caliber of people I had in that company, I was very fortunate and the honor is very much theirs as it is mine.' This alone says something about what an outstanding person this man is. Where will you find this retired Colonel today? Having earned a Ph.D. he teaches History at a Community College.



2. Good reading(listening). The Real stuff. Very well read. This will take you in to the realm of true warriors.



3. "In a war zone, things never go bump in the night; they go BOOM!" That pretty much says it all with regards to Kregg's finely written tribute to Captain George Paccerelli and the LRRPs of Company E, 52d Infantry. Better keep your head down as you read this intensive tale of LRRP-style warfare. Those green tracers cracking over your head have your name on them! I got to know and admire Paccerelli for his tough, no-nonsense approach to building his LRRPs into a highly-effective, elite reconaissance unit that could fight the enemy on his own terms and win. Kregg doesn't embellish events. He gets down to the nitty-gritty and tells it like it is. This book will go on the shelf in my classroom for my high school students to read and write book reports on. Eminently readable, packed with action, and studded with truly unforgettable characters, Kregg's book stands out as a great antidote to the liberal media's hateful degradation of Vietnam vets as subhuman dopers bent on raping and pillaging hapless civilians. "LRRP Company Command" will help dispel that ugly myth for my students.



4. Kregg Jorgenson has done it again.
   
   This is his latest work about his own unit, H company of the 1 cav divison
   
   Kregg is a very skilled historian, and this show in this book, it is clear that Kregg has done his homework on this one
   
   By far right, many pages are spend on military leadership is defines by one of the greatest LRP company comanders the vietnam war has seen, Capt G Paccerelli
   
   Go buy this book, its a smashing read
   
   Bo Hermansen
   Denmark



5. I bought this book because I knew the man that it is about. I wanted to have this book in my collection, and to read how his story was presented. I have not read the entire book but it is a good book. It is what I expected it would be.

5 comments about Phantom Warriors: Book I: LRRPs, LRPs, and Rangers in Vietnam (Phantom Warriors).

1. Phantom Warriors 1 115,499 Phantom Warriors 2 120,935 Eyes of the Eagle 74,883 Eyes behind the lines 70,045 Six Silent Men 1 44,553 Six Silent Men 2 64,323 Six Silent Men 3 51,645 Rencondo 125,464 Death in the a Shau 80,095 LRRP Team Leader 143,658 Wings of the Eagle 109,956 Lest We Forget 174,728 Last but least I snevel 586,563 That pretty much says it all.



2. Despite what this anonymous reviewer says, this book is excellent -ALL parts of it can be verified, and many veterans who served with him agree with what is written. A great book, adding to a great series of books by this author



3. I have read all of this author's books and found them all well written and captivating in description of the horrors of war, the brotherhood of warriors and the rise of ordinary American young men to heroic deeds in the face of a determined enemy. As an eye witness to some of the events described I find some of those all too captivating in their reality and accuracy. I consider it my extreme good fortune to have known the author both as dedicated warrior and true American patriot, who after leaving the Army has used his experiences in offering a strong hand or a sympathetic shoulder to any other veteran in need. Unfortunately, there is one veteran whose choice was to return that hand with teeth marks in it. This veteran, fancying himself as a modern day Oliver Twist frequently posts reviews laden with inaccurate and irrelevant staff duty logs as evidence that the actions on 20 Nov 68 never happened or are distorted fantasies created Gary Linderer. He often identifies himself as "a reader" or with handles like Mark Twain "Joy", but never his real name and all his facts Oliver Twisted. If Linderer fantasized the action of 20 Nov 68 it surely was a mass hallucination, taking in some 30 pilots, the Company Commander and even Commanding General of the 101st Airborne Division all who actually there that day Oliver. The dream was so realistic that team members and reaction force soldiers can still show one the scars inflicted by this author's imagination. It also took in an unknown, but clearly large number of enemy soldiers who spent the better part of ten hours trying to shoot me out of the sky every time I went near that hill. Maybe I just imagined myself in a very large hornets nest, but the difference was that I was there that day and Mr. Reader was not. Reader questions the author's awards, but fails to mention that the U.S. Army saw fit to hand out dozen of valorous awards for that action that included two Distinguished Service Crosses. I visited the author in the hospital the next day so I am convinced that he earned a Purple Heart that day whether it made it into his records or not. Have your mommy read you Mr. Dickens work again, you may discover that Oliver did get what he wanted when he asked for, "More please."



4. The following is stated on the cover of Gary Linderer's books: "Gary A. Linderer is the publisher of `Behind the Lines,' a magazine that specializes in U.S. military special operations. In Vietnam, he earned two Silver Stars, the Bronze Star with V device (for Valor), the Army Commendation Medal with V device, and two Purple Hearts. His first two books were selected by the Military Book Club."
   
   Gary Linderer has consistently claimed to have earned two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts, all for the same day's combat in Vietnam, on 20 November 1968. He used these high honors to enhance his professional reputation and credibility as an author and his fitness to be consulted as an expert on LRP operations. Records I obtained in 2000 by FOIA request from the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, MO., refute Mr. Linderer's claims of two Silver Stars and two Purple Hearts for the same day's combat actions of 20 November 1968. Because Mr. Linderer has lied about his medals, according to the NPRC records, then readers have to view everything Mr. Linderer writes in his book with a skeptical eye. The text of Linderer's NPRC record is as follows:
   
   National Personnel Records Center Military Personnel Records
   9700 Page Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63132-5100
   OFFICIAL LIST OF AWARDS The Official Military Records of GARY A. LINDERER [SSN removed] show that he is authorized the following awards and decorations for his service in the US Army:
   
   SILVER STAR
   BRONZE STAR MEDAL W/FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND "V" ARMY COMMENDATION MEDAL
   W/FIRST OAK LEAF CLUSTER AIR MEDAL
   GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL NATIONAL DEFENSE
   SERVICE MEDAL
   VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL W/4 BRONZE SERVICE STARS
   COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE
   REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM CAMPAIGN RIBBON W/DEVICE (1960)
   REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM GALLANTRY CROSS W/PALM UNIT CITATION BADGE SHARPSHOOTER
   BADGE W/RIFLE & MACHINE GUN BARS EXPERT BADGE W/AUTO RIFLE BAR
   ////////NOTHING FOLLOWS/////////////
   R. L. HINDMAN,
   
   Director



5. At first i was a bit amazed by the cheap thin papers of this book and wasn't quite sure what to except from it all.
   
   True combat stories of Vietnam, and that is exactly what it is. This book is filled with action. Action so real that your skin will crawl, and you will get chills when reading it.
   
   Unreal action stories combined with sometimes humorous moments, and off course the unimaginable things done during warfare.

5 comments about Six Silent Men (101st Lrp/Rangers).

1. I've read a lot of books on Special Ops and especially Lurps in Vietnam. I haven't read a book yet that I didn't like but this one was rather boring. I have to agree with another reviewer that there "wasn't anything making me want to turn the page." If you like sit on the edge of your chair, can't put the book down for hours read this isn't it. Still the book is informative and the series is pretty good.



2. Six silent men Reynel Martinez
   101st LRRP
   The 101st Long Range Reconnainsce Patrols worked all over Vietnam, from I Corp in the North to the delta in the South. At times they worked with the Marines and the Special Forces. They went out in 6 man teams. The goal was to locate the enemy and target it for others to kill.
   The 101st arrived in Vietnam in July 1965, at Cam Ranh bay. They were highly trained due to the efforts of Major David Hackworth, the brigade operations officer. In September, 1965, to gather intelligence, the Long Range Recon Patrol group was set up under the command of 1srt Lt. Joel Stevenson. The unit was formally established on 15 October. 337 men volunteered, and 32 were accepted.
   The book relates the histories of several of the men that the author knew. This is the 1st of 3 books written about the LRRPs by the men who served with them. It covers this authors time there. Other time periods are covered by other authors. The author is the son of one of the Darby Rangers of World War II. He went around in the 1980's and got each person's story for the book. Maps would have helped in this book.
   
   Part of the training was knowledge of the rules of 1759, of Rogers Rangers, still valid today, and in an appendix.
   Doing this kind of work was new for Americans. The Special Forces had been doing it for years, and the LRRPs borrowed some of their tactics. However, the SF worked with local people on patrol It was widely expected that the LRRP all American team would not last a week in the jungle.
   One problem was the headquarters would want to send the LRRPs out as bait for the North Vietnamese, and then attack the North Vietnamese when the LRRPs were attacked. This tactic was fought by the LRRPs, as they did not have the firepower to stop large groups of enemy.
   The author goes into lots of detail about who was on each mission, combat loads, and training. In an appendix, is a list of a variety of weapons the LRRPs used as well as the enemy. LRRPs used the Special Forces tiger uniforms that they acquired via barter or stealing.
   A bunch of times the teams were inserted into hot landing zones and had to be extracted immediately.
   This included their very first mission, which was being monitored by brass all the way to Saigon. On the first mission they almost lost the classified codes used, and had to go back to retrieve them while being fired upon.
   Sometimes while under fire chopper pilots refused to retrieve the teams. Braver substitute pilots had to be found. As time went on, a bonding occurred between the pilots and the LRRPs, as the pilots knew that the LRRPs would come and get them if they got shot down. The LRRPs greatly admired the pilot's bravery.
   
   The LRRPs carried whatever weapon they wanted. Most used M-16's but some carried shotguns, grease guns from WWII, SKS's, Thompson's, whatever. They borrowed strobe lights from the chopper pilots for use in signaling.
   Many of the fights were within a few feet of the enemy. Several accounts relate the enemy looking directly at the men on one side of a bush, the LRRPs on the other side, and the enemy not seeing them due to LRRP camouflage.
   Choppers at the time had to descend to the ground for the men to get aboard, as ladders and harness's had not been devised yet.
   There were several occasion were teams were inserted into the wrong spots and got into big trouble, as there were lots of unexpected enemy, or they were in the target zone of a B-52 arc light bomb strike.
   A bunch of the LRRPs were former Special Forces people.
   Special Forces camps such as Dong Tre and Tra Bang were used as jump off points for some of the teams.
   Sometimes they got orders that they knew were making them bait, so they said OK to the orders, but ignored them.
   Once in a while they got inserted via boat. One Vietnamese crew put them in 30 miles North of the target area, and they ran into many VC and were in the way of a B-52 strike.
   Some teams had scout dogs, but the teams considered them worthless as the dogs ate and drank too much, and gave away their locations by growling and whining. One dog kept biting the team members and mysteriously got fragged. (Killed by a grenade).
   Sometimes they had time to fish and used "Dupont lures" (M-26 grenades.)
   One mission was up north near Duc Pho, near Nui Dang hill, where Marine Carlos Hathcock got his 2500 yard sniper kill using a 50 caliber machine gun. Hathcock was a legend with the 101st too.
   There were lots of people killed in this book. A lot of medals were given, Medals of Honor, Silver Stars. One person had acquired 13 purple hearts.
   On one mission, they were flying for an insertion and spotted troops on the ground. They radioed this and were told that there were no friendlies in the area. They called in an air strike and found out later that the target was a group of American troops who had been inserted in the wrong landing zone.
   May 1966 was the second generation of LRRPs, as the originals were being sent home. The 3rd generation came a year later. In 1967. Some men kept extending, staying overseas 5 and 6 years. LRRP troops were recruited for SF duty, and visa versa.
   One mission they were on was to snatch a prisoner. He was a high ranking VC and they were in a no shooting mode, so as not to kill the potential prisoner. Shooting started immediately, and they got the prisoner they wanted plus a bunch of others.
   Several funny incidents in local bars are included. One Lt had a pet bird that he used to take to the bar and buy drinks for. He told the bird to attack, at which point th bird would run out on his arm and squawk at the crowd. The bird always passed out. At another bar, they ran into a bunch of Koreans. There was a face off, and finally a Korean grabbed a beer out of a LRRPs hand, drank half of it, and handed it back. The LRRP finished it and the party was on. Other times they took beer back to base with them, a no-no. They had arguments with MP's trying to take the beer away. A Marine major was giving a bunch of static right after they had returned from a mission. The LRRPs listened to this for awhile, and one in the back finally yelled out "let's shoot the MF!". The Marine major advanced in the other direction quickly.
   In July 1967, the LRRPs were running missions from the Tra Bong Special Forces camp. The author liked the Montagnard rations better than his own. Theirs was fish heads and rice, and hot peppers. The author did not envy the SF as they always had VC spies among their troops.
   The author also went to the Recondo school while there, and participated in 10 mile runs with a 40 lb pack, plus weapons.
   Men like Top Smith were idolized for his leadership ability. He never raised his voice or gave orders, just suggestions. He defended his men from headquarters. So did Superspade.
   
   There was a mission where they called in an air strike and the planes and choppers came and shot the target up. There was a VC 51 cal machine gun that was shooting at the aircraft. Strike after strike came in, and the VC with the 51 cal kept shooting and wounded a couple of the planes. The LRRPs were impressed with the VC gunners bravery and cheered him on. After several passes, the aircraft finally silenced the machine gun.
   Weather and leeches were a constant problem. They were on a mission when a typhoon came over them.
   The monsoon season kept them wet and cold all the time. Electrical storms got so bad that it would set off the claymore mines and trip flares.
   One man in their group was a medic. He was one of 3 brothers. He got killed on Nov 1, 1967, exactly 17 years to the day as his older brother, who died in Korea. He was one of the authors best friends.
   An incident is related where the unit is out in the boonies and comes to a hamlet with a restaurant. They order a meal, and while eating a VC group comes in and orders lunch too. Both sides eat and leave, in opposite directions.
   
   
   At one time the LRRP. s were working out of Song Be, on the Cambodian border. At least once they got picked up for extraction on the Cambodian side.
   On leave in the states, he meets one of his team members for some drinks and go to a bar. A good looking girl sits with them. The author knows the girl has something on her mind. He has something on his mind. Both keep drinking. The author felt something was wrong. She finished her mixed drink and finally asked, "Well, how many babies did you kill in Vietnam"? Thinking this over, the author finally replied, "Not near enough. That's why I'm going back!". End of relationship.
   Within 48 hours of landing back in Vietnam, he was in the bush again, in action.
   
   They caught a VC paymaster with a bunch of gold leaf, and turned him in to the Vietnamese. Superspade turned the guy over to the Vietnamese. A few days later, the author saw the VC out. He had bought himself ort of prison. After returning from leave, he noted to Superspade how unfair the situation was, letting the VC paymaster go. Superspade showed the author his new gold teeth and said that the VC paymaster paid for them. He had kept a bunch of the VC money. He also noted that he saw the VC paymaster in the jungle later. The paymaster was arrogant to Superspade, thinking he had bought Superspade's silence. Fatal mistake.
   The book ends after Tet, and the elimination of the 1st Brigade LRRPs as an independent organization.
   
   There is an epilogue explaining where surviving members went.
   
   A good book that would be better with maps.



3. This book is very informative, and includes the accounts of various LRRPs who served in the LRRPs of the 101st. This is excellent, as you get different views on the experiences. If you are interested in the LRRPs of Vietnam, then this is one you should definately add to your collection!



4. THE THIRD OF THE THREE BOOKS TELLING THE STORY OF THE LRP'S ROLE IN THE VIETNAM WAR. TOLD BY ONE WHO WAS THERE FOR MORE THAN ONE TOUR. GO ON PATROL, FEEL THE TENSION AND EXPERIENCE THE FEAR AND EXCITEMENT OF COMBAT. A GREAT READ!!



5. Martinez writes about the early years of the LRRPs in Vietnam; about formation and transformation of the unit and their training and equipment. Furthermore the book is filled with dozens of accounts of LRRP missions. From observation missions to kidnap missions etc. These accounts come from a nummber of ex-LRRPs who Martinez interviewed and from the author who was a LRRP himself. Result is a book full of interesting facts and stories full of heroism, action, drama, humor or whatsoever.

5 comments about Six Silent Men, Book Two (101st Lrp/Rangers).

1. There are few books about modern war that cause me to suspend my awareness of present surroundings while reading. This one does the deed. Kenn Miller's book Tiger The Lurp Dog introduced me to his exceptionally refined and gripping style of story telling. With Six Silent Men, Book Two, Miller continues to impress and inspire me. These were men of my generation "just doing a job" that deserves to see the light of day and a place in our memories and hearts. [...] Give this book your attention. It earns it by not being based just on imagination but on brotherhood, blood and guts and brains. A great read.



2. This is another excellent addition to the series of books about the 101st Airborne LRRPs. The raw emotion will have you laughing, crying and enthralled. Just as with Rey Martinez' Book 1, and Gary Linderer's book 3, Kenn Miller interviewed veterans and got their stories. This is an extremely good way of getting an internal view of the emotions and experiences of the men who served in Vietnam. I have to say that I could not find a quote anywhere as stated below, and find the jealousy of some insulting to these authors with merit. I recommend reading the online "Brother against Brother" to find out just what type of BS some people will go to to slander these honorable men!
   
   Highly recommended book, go out and buy a copy today!



3. A GREAT SECOND STEP IN THE TELLING OF THE LRP ROLE IN VIETNAM FROM ONE WHO WAS THERE. KEN MILLER TELLS THE STORY IN THE THIRD PERSON SO YOU DON'T GET THE "I DID THIS AND I DID THAT" NARRATION WHICH GETS OLD.



4. This is a great book, Kenn Miller is the LRP with one of the higest number of missions in Vietnam...he know what it was like, he has been there, done that
   
   An exelent read, gives a very accurate account about what happend on the 20 of November 1968 and there by rames a spike in the rubbish that a certain Seattle resident has been whining about, " the army record does not match what is written in several vietnam books, so there for Gary Linderer, Larry Chambers, Kenn Miller, WT Grant and Bill Meacham must be fake and they make all the other veterans not like me, bu-hu huh hu, where is my wife's apron so I can hide"
   
   Miller....you are one of my Hero's



5. Read a memoir by a general and then read Six Silent Men. You'll see the difference right away. Nobody is holding back here, and nobody is trying to let anybody off the hook. This is volume two of three, a series that covers the entire life of the unit from activation to stand down. There is no self-serving BS anywhere in any of them. The words that come to mind are honor, honesty, and guts. Somebody once said Vietnam was a "war without heroes." They just weren't looking.

5 comments about Six Silent Men...Book Three (101st Lrp/Rangers).

1. This work is all that is to be expected from a sequel to the first "Six Silent Men". I was not let down, as I so often am, with some of the small unit contact books. This work was all that I expected. The action was close to non stop. The depictions of contact were thrilling and heart stopping. I was with and rooting for the teams all the way. This book, as was its precursor,is top notch. After having read circa 110 books about this subject, you may take my word for this book's being an interesting read.



2. The LRRPS did. Time and time again the long-range-reconnaissance-patrols went out to "see" and not be "seen", and sadly, some individuals wouldn't return home.

   This is fantastic series of books covering the history and evolution of the LRRPS/LRPS/RANGERS during the Vietnam War.

   Rey Martinez, Kenn Miller, and Gary Linderer interviewed a great number of the surviving members of the LRRPS/Rangers to bring their history alive. While some members were able to tap into their memories, others wouldn't touch the pain from long ago. The authors did a terrific job bringing the histories together for a strong narrative.

   If anything, I found myself wanting to know more! What were they thinking? What were you feeling? I'm sure much ended up on the "editing room floor".

   The "SIX SILENT MEN" books are a very honest account if the units actions. They're packed with adventure and daring. While reading their books, I was filled with tension and dread, other times I had to laugh aloud, and a few times I became misty-eyed. You feel for the teams as they "will" themselves to become invisible while on patrol.

   Don't be mis-lead by a negative review. The reviewer misquoted the book. This I know since I pulled my copy off the shelf and checked the text. The reviewer claims the authors are liars --- NOT SO. A great number of books on the Vietnam War are written very honestly, and the publishers do "Fact Checking" before publishing these books. Read the review by Harold Nealy, who was a LRRP! His testimonial supports this fine series. If these books were embellished tales, then Vietnam Vets who served in the LRRPS/Rangers wouldn't hesitate to post a review here and let the truths be known. As you see this isn't the case.

   I have never met a veteran who has panned these books. Never.

   If you enjoyed this series, I would also recommend Jim Morris' WAR STORY, John Plasters' SOG, James Rowe's FIVE YEARS TO FREEDOM, Larry Chambers RECONDO, and Leigh Wade's TAN PHU.

   I had the honor of meeting Kenn Miller, Jim Morris, and John Plaster (and other Vietnam Vets) two years ago. They freely answered my questions. I was going to `buy a round' when one of them said, "Put your money away kid." I was 33, and that gathering was enjoyed by all.

   Read the books. You won't be disappointed! God Bless and Attack life!




3. ...This book is, as well as the others by Linderer an interesting recollection of his own experiences as well as experiences of others. Spend the bucks and you won't get disappointed. Try reading his other books to get a good sum of what he and his teammates experienced during Vietnam.
   Don't let yourself be blamed by such [bologna]. I mean, the war is long gone, Linderers and Chambers books are a recollection of their feelings, thoughts and experiences. Truly and honestly written. The way I understood it, this book and the other books aren't a recollection of commo details or other things. These are facts of men fighting a war not REMFs ... spitting on a good job and being jealous about what they could do. So buy this book or the others by Linderer and you will understand a lot more.



4. Excellent piece of writing from a guy who served with the team. As a UK reader, I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the 101st LRRPs/Rangers in Vietnam.



5. I highly recommend any & all of Gary Linderer's books; all are packed with great recollections of our brave fighting men in Vietnam, and are fast reads. Once you start this book (Vol 3), you'll find it very hard to put down. Reading Vols 1 & 2 are not necessary, as each is a stand-alone account.
   
   I have enjoyed all of Mr Linderer's publications, and can recommend this one as well without hesitation. You won't be disappointed!

5 comments about Blackwater: The Rise of the World's Most Powerful Mercenary Army.

1. I read everything from far right to far left. I stopped reading this book on page 44, the first book I have not completed in maybe a decade. Mr. Scahill apparently believes that one uses the first 40 pages of a book to destroy the reputations of the people he will be discussing for the rest of the book.
   
   In his preface, the author indicates that the Blackwater team refused to be interviewed for the book and as a reader I could not imagine why. After 40 pages, I knew that the presentation would be so slanted that there would have been no reason for the Blackwater executives to even considered an interview. ------ too bad, I really wanted to know about the company.
   
   Page 12: "As he grew older, Erik became increasingly active in right-wing politics, landing a six-month internship in George H. W. Bush's White House" ---- If you like this and enjoy the terms: right-wing, Christian (with non-flattering adjectives), neo-conservative manefesto etc., this is the book for you.



2. The author provides a great deal of information on how Blackwater came into being and some information on their operations and incidents prior to the campaigns of the US military in Iraq. He goes through extraordinary efforts to speak about the Christian religious affiliation of the founder, Mr. Prince as well as discussions of many of the employees of the company from low level to former politicos. I was not at all thrilled with the absolute liberal bias and anti-Christian or Judeo-Christian sentiment of the author. Further, his bias towards what is conservative, i.e. G.W. Bush and his crowd became a distractor for and diverted from what could have been more indepth reporting on Blackwater. I would have preferred him writing about what facilities and training they put teams through, more on criteria for accepting jobs, etc. He did not provide this. I will point out that I am not religious, never attend religious events of any faith and yet this authors attitude toward Christianity left me disgusted with him as an author. He makes Blackwater out to be a Christian Army organization. He speaks of securing the US Border and Blackwater's relationship to that and those who want a secure border as anti-immigrant and not anti-illegal/criminal immigration. He did provide some insight on hurricane Katrina and Blackwater which I did not know and did not like, but the overall information and tenor of his book was not as much on Blackwater as it was a statement against the American Right and "Neo Cons" and Christians. I am a current military officer serving and have my own biases, but this was very much like a NY Times expose' on individuals and not the story of Blackwater. But, if he had not written this way he could have wrote the story for a Time Magazine article of less than 10 pages.
   I have read many other books and listened to many audio books pro and con on the War on Terror. Fiasco was well written and although the author had some biases he kept those in check by staying on topic and not dwelling on individuals.
   My view is that this book will not provide you much more than you can get on reading articles about the Fallujah incident in the news and off the internet. It is sad to say I will not purchase or read another book by this author due to his underlying bias.



3. We live in a world where 1984 is a silly cartoon in comparison. Wake up America and put a tax end to this nightmare!



4. Funny that I call this a "must read," then give it three stars.
   
   To explain, first, I listened to the recorded version of the book. I still don't like that medium much. In the case of this book, the subject matter MUST be studied, investigated. In the recorded version there are no "footnotes," so those who purport to dislike the book can say, "There's no footnotes so it has no credibility." Nonsense, to be sure, but you'll see the argument. Next, again, the subject is so terribly important. Indeed, many who're taking part in the mercenary war should be tried for treason. So the "paper" record needs to be availble so that more people know what's really going on in that debacle we call a "war."
   
   So, what is it that makes Iraq an unusual situation in our country's history? Aside from the massive debt we're building to pay for it, we're relying on mercenaries, paid troops, who're making immeasurably more than the troops who're putting their lives on the line.
   
   And what connection does that mercenary war have with, say, religion? Well, the Bush administration has been notorious for cronyism. Even conservatives have noted that, people hardly qualified sliding into UN positions, FEMA positions, Pentagon positions. It's true that "it's not what you know, it's who you know." And Dubya's connections with the "religious" have paid the latter off. That's come up in countless books, now in Scahill's.
   
   I wish I had more detail but, frankly, I finished this about a week ago and, again, it doesn't sink in like it would had I had the time to actually read it.
   
   The only objection I have to the text is that it does tend to be quite repetitive. A few times, I thought that maybe I'd slipped an earlier disk into the player as I'd heard the same lines before. That seems trivial but it can be disconcerting.
   
   In short, this is a book that every legislator should read before conducting a complete investigation into the mercenary industry that is costing us taxpayers dearly. Read it...and act!



5. Wow am I scared! - not for the `Black Helicopters' and the evil Christian mercenaries. I'm scared because more than 70% of the readers of this monstrosity rated it higher than `one-star'. This book is nothing but cover-to-cover radical left-wing propaganda (literally cover-to-cover - check out the accolades on the back from the notoriously `honest' Michael Moore). The thesis of the book is that crazy Christians, assisted by neo-cons and good ol' Big Oil, are trying to take over the world with their new blood-thirsty `guns-for-hire' army (at least I think that's the thesis - book jumps from one ramble to another, throughout). U.S. Troops are disparaged at every opportunity; accused of war-crimes; massacring civilians; blowing up mosques; and so on (all the standard stuff). The author is sneaky: when the "resistance fighters" conduct a "resistance attack" (yes, these are the author's terms), it is phrased in the passive, "A grenade was thrown into the building." No mention of the brutal Iraqi on Iraqi savagery that plagued stability efforts - doesn't fit the message - think children with kites...and then bombs, bombs, and more bombs. The main stream media is too far right for him - the truth comes only from Al Jazeera. Like I said - the most frightening aspect of this book is that a majority of readers seem to be biting on this guy's hook - we're in big big trouble.