War memoir recommendations, please.

[ChrisinHove]

If matters stay as they are, in a couple of weeks I will be reading, sitting in the sunshine in Saumur, France (the home of the French Cavalry and armoured corps, and site of a noteworthy battle in 1940 when the officer cadets fought an armoured division after the general surrender, “for honour alone”).

Anyway, any recommendations for good war memoirs, please? Any conflict or cause is of interest.

Thanks!

[PSquared]

Chickenhawk - Robert Mason. Vietnam Huey pilot
Legionnaire - Simon Murray. Englishman’s experiences in the French Foreign Legion in the 1960s
Fireforce- Chris Cocks. Rhodesian Light Infantry trooper during Zimbabwe’s battle for independence
Contact - AFN Clark. Young officer in Northern Ireland in the 70s

[MichaelScott]

Chicken Hawk is very good, but the absolute best, honest and true book to come out of Nam is

Dispatches, Michael Herr

Also works with Kubrick on Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now screen plays.

Have a great vacation.

[MichaelScott]

Chicken Hawk is very good, but the absolute best, honest and true book to come out of Nam is

Dispatches, Michael Herr

He also worked with Kubrick on Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now screen plays.

Have a great vacation.

[Doc Dan]

Here is one I want to read.

We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Book by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

[rangefinder]

The only one I've read recently is:

Commando: A Boer Journal of the Boer War
Deneys Reitz

I assume you've read both of these already -- both were best sellers that were made into feature films:

Guadalcanal Diary
Richard Tregaskis (he was a war correspondent, not a soldier, but he was embedded with the USMC)

Seven Pillars Of Wisdom ("Revolt In The Desert" is an abridged version of this)
T. E. Lawrence

[ChrisinHove]

Fantastic recommendations! Thank you, everyone.

[OldHoosier62]

Force Recon Diary 1969, Force Recon Diary 1970, Sergeant Major, US Marines, One Tough Marine..... Maj. Bruce Norton USMC (Ret.)

ANYTHING written by Ernie Pyle.... Was a war correspondent in both the European Theater and Pacific Theater in WW2.

With the Old Breed at Pelilue and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge.

About Face by Colonel David Hackworth



These are all excellent reads.

[OldHoosier62]

Here is one I want to read.

We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Book by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

I had the privilege of attending a dining in at Aberdeen Proving Grounds where General Moore was the honored guest. Hearing him speak about the Ia Drang Valley, his men and their courage was one of the most moving experiences of my life. He never forgot their names, their heroism and their sacrifice.

Met SgtMaj Basil Plumbley there also when he was a guest speaker for a ANOC (Advanced Non-Commissioned Officers Course). Let's just say that Sam Elliot portrayed him perfectly in "We were Soldiers".

Definitely read the book.

[Doc Dan]

Here is one I want to read.

We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Book by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

I had the privilege of attending a dining in at Aberdeen Proving Grounds where General Moore was the honored guest. Hearing him speak about the Ia Drang Valley, his men and their courage was one of the most moving experiences of my life. He never forgot their names, their heroism and their sacrifice.

Met SgtMaj Basil Plumbley there also when he was a guest speaker for a ANOC (Advanced Non-Commissioned Officers Course). Let's just say that Sam Elliot portrayed him perfectly in "We were Soldiers".

Definitely read the book.

Thanks. I will do it as soon as I can. He and the Sgt Mgr are the real deal.

Have you read The Great Raid?

[OldHoosier62]

Here is one I want to read.

We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Book by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

I had the privilege of attending a dining in at Aberdeen Proving Grounds where General Moore was the honored guest. Hearing him speak about the Ia Drang Valley, his men and their courage was one of the most moving experiences of my life. He never forgot their names, their heroism and their sacrifice.

Met SgtMaj Basil Plumbley there also when he was a guest speaker for a ANOC (Advanced Non-Commissioned Officers Course). Let's just say that Sam Elliot portrayed him perfectly in "We were Soldiers".

Definitely read the book.

Thanks. I will do it as soon as I can. He and the Sgt Mgr are the real deal.

Have you read The Great Raid?

I have it in my bookcase but I haven't managed to get it read yet. It is in the que though.

[wrdwrght]

The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant are something else again...

[ChrisinHove]

Force Recon Diary 1969, Force Recon Diary 1970, Sergeant Major, US Marines, One Tough Marine..... Maj. Bruce Norton USMC (Ret.)

ANYTHING written by Ernie Pyle.... Was a war correspondent in both the European Theater and Pacific Theater in WW2.

With the Old Breed at Pelilue and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge.

About Face by Colonel David Hackworth



These are all excellent reads.

I was hoping you would chime in, sir. I recall this being your speciality.

My Kiwi neighbour and friend’s 21 y.o. USMC grandfather was killed on Pelileu; her and her mother have only recently provided dna samples to help identify remains. These events continue to chime down through the decades.

[ChrisinHove]

Chicken Hawk is very good, but the absolute best, honest and true book to come out of Nam is

Dispatches, Michael Herr

Also works with Kubrick on Full Metal Jacket and Apocalypse Now screen plays.

Have a great vacation.

Thank you, Michael.

I feel incredibly lucky and privileged just to be able to take even a camping holiday this year.

[MichaelScott]

Here is one I want to read.

We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam
Book by Hal Moore and Joseph L. Galloway

Excellent book. More snafued **** in there than the movie.

[Skidoosh]

Low Level ****- Vietnam
Quartered Safe Out Here by Fraser- WWII
Death Traps- WWII Armor
Combat Crew - John Comer, WWII B-17 flight engineer

Lots of good ones out there, is there a particular time or place you are interested in?

[wrdwrght]

but the absolute best, honest and true book to come out of Nam is

Dispatches, Michael Herr

I don't want to put too fine a point on it, but you do know that Herr has admitted at least two of his characters are fictionalized? Not to say truth can't be found in fiction (probably most often found there, actually), but journalists are supposed to stick to the facts...

I'm actually a little suspicious of war memoirs, as they often turn into self-promotion at the expense of facts, U.S. Grant's excepted. I prefer oral history, expecially in compilations that afford comparisons. Journalist Harry Maurer's Strange Ground: An Oral History of Americans in Vietnam, 1945-1975, and historian Christian Appy's Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered From All Sides are worthy compilations.

Not sure if such things are what Chris seeks, but I mention them at least for you.

[OldHoosier62]

Force Recon Diary 1969, Force Recon Diary 1970, Sergeant Major, US Marines, One Tough Marine..... Maj. Bruce Norton USMC (Ret.)

ANYTHING written by Ernie Pyle.... Was a war correspondent in both the European Theater and Pacific Theater in WW2.

With the Old Breed at Pelilue and Okinawa by Eugene Sledge.

About Face by Colonel David Hackworth



These are all excellent reads.

I was hoping you would chime in, sir. I recall this being your speciality.

My Kiwi neighbour and friend’s 21 y.o. USMC grandfather was killed on Pelileu; her and her mother have only recently provided dna samples to help identify remains. These events continue to chime down through the decades.

My most sincere hopes that the remains are found and returned to the family. I still have a couple of relatives who are MIA/presumed KIA from WW2 and Korea.

[Naperville]

How about reading the tactical guide to how they fought the war by von Clausewitz.

I believe that I used Archive DOT org to locate the complete book, and a 3 volume set of "On-War." The books are FREE and are still being studied.

[Doc Dan]

The Anabasis by Xenophon is a fine read. It used to be required reading at West Point.