Book Recommendation: Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam
I have had this excellent novel on my shelf for some time,
but put off reading it due to the length. Recently, I ran into a friend, a
retired Army LtCol, who suggested I read it and tell him what I thought. He
found it discouraging that so many screwed up officers were depicted. So I read
it. Like the author, I am a Vietnam
vet; however, I was doubly fortunate. First, the Corps decided---I wasn't asked
in 64--that I was going to be a Radio Relay Tech and sent me to electronics
school. That meant while I was with an infantry regiment, the 26th Marines at
Khe Sanh, I was with Rgt. HQ for my time in Vietnam, except for a month when my
team was assigned to the Combined Action Company in Khe Sanh Ville. Secondly,
Khe Sanh was pretty quiet in 1967 when I was there; I rotated home on September
10th, about four months before Tet, when things got interesting. (They was
scared to attack while I was there!) So my combat experience was mostly hugging
the ground at Da Nang ,
or Phu Bai and praying one of the incoming rockets or mortars didn't drop on
me. Lt. Marlantes, conversely, was a line company infantry officer. He holds
the Navy Cross, three other medals for valor and two purple hearts. This more
than attests that he was in more "shit sandwiches" than are depicted
in his novel. So I have not the experience to judge the accuracy of his
descriptions of ground combat in the bush, but they have the ring of absolute
truth to me. There is a helpful glossary at the end for the non-vet, which I
didn't need, though some terminology had changed between my time and his. The
thing I found most surprising was the level of racial tension depicted. In my
time, there was some on Okinawa before I went down to Nam . I was in
an outfit where a black staff Sergeant Russell was, I felt, marginalized by the
other senior NCOs due to his race (comments were made) and I thought he was the
best NCO they had. And there was a place called Four
Corners where white Marines did not dare to go on liberty. But I
saw none of it at Khe Sanh in 67, and Marine buddies, black and white who were
grunts told me that it was nonexistent in the line companies at the time. Everyone
was too busy killing NVA and trying to stay alive. But I don't doubt Marlantes.
By the time I got to Lejeune in 68, things were worse there and I heard they
were much worse after I got out.
The thing
that struck me about this novel was that I kept wishing those PC elitists who
feel all warm and fuzzy about lobbing for women in combat should read it and
imaging their daughters--or themselves--in one of the assaults by Bravo Company
depicted in this book. But they won't, and their kids will never serve. Other folk's
kids will die so they can feel good about being for equality. I highly
recommend this book. And yes, Colonel, the Marine Corps has some great officers
and NCOs I'd follow anywhere, and some not worth what we paid them. Just like
other walks of life.
Book Recommendation: Great Marines of Virginia
Having read and enjoyed Meriwether Ball's interesting book "The Puller Chronicles," I was delighted
to get a copy of her latest book. This is a selection of short, well-written biographies
of Marine icons--and Marines who should be icons--who were raised or lived in Virginia . It will be of interest
to all Marines and military historians, and should stimulate interest in digging
further into the lives of these Marines, especially those with heroic experiences
who are little known today. I look forward to her next book. (I'm sending her my
bio in case she gets around to doing a book called "Average Marines who did Nothing Special.")
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