Col Keith M. Nightingale (Ret)

This is innovative fiction. Nightingale was actually there for the battle, doing after-action intelligence gathering. Yet, he chose to write a novel about it instead of a history or memoir. This gives freedom to write descriptively, and oh so good it is. Particularly the natural setting. Lush. Sort of like nature writing + war - a strange yet effective mixture, I've never read anything quite like it. The main character is the jungle. He self-published in 2015 (why?). Then it took off on Amazon, and a commercial publisher released it in 2019. Audiobook followed. The zen-like attention to detail sets it apart, small things writers don't normally focus on. He describes body sweat in so many ways, not in one place it keeps re-appearing in different contexts. Or the shape of the trees, the root system, the character of the mud. It goes on, the details. It grounds you there. Technicolor Vietnam.… (meer)

The author forwarded a copy of "Just Another Day in Vietnam" to me in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a narrative that covers every detail of the planning, execution, and aftermath of a battle that took place in June of 1967 in the III Corps area of South Vietnam. The mission was orchestrated by the highest level of North Vietnamese Government; planning and training were months in the making. Their goal was to isolate a large South Vietnamese unit and annihilate them.

A single NVA private had an important role in the plan: he was to surrender (Chieu Hoi) to the American forces, and convince them that he has knowledge about a major enemy build-up and would graciously lead them to the basecamp and into the trap.

The enemy private was quite convincing and the South Vietnamese jumped on the opportunity to kill hundreds of enemy soldiers. The 52nd Vietnamese Ranger Battalion was chosen for the mission lead with backing from other Vietnamese units. The author accompanied the 52nd as an American advisor and artillery forward observer (lieutenant) and writes about the ensuing battle of survival from his first-hand experience.

I found it amazing how Mr. Nightingale was able to put together this narrative with so much input from key players from all sides and many support units. Keith alleges that he was able to gather information from personal interviews with former NVA soldiers, POW's, American and South Vietnamese participants, after-action reports, and observations of his own. His descriptions are vivid and leave little to the imagination, sometimes, creating exceptionally morbid pictures that will give readers pause. However, war and battles are not pretty and the aftermath promises to leave everlasting scars in the psyche of participants.

The Ranger Battalion is outnumbered 10-1, and would have been annihilated had it not been for the overhead forward observer who worked overtime to guide in the many jets and gunships that responded to the Rangers' call for help. The Rangers managed to hold off the NVA for almost two days before help actually arrived on the ground. However, it was at a great cost of their own.

I highly recommend "Just Another Day in Vietnam" by Keith Nightingale. There is little dialog within, but readers are guaranteed to get hooked after the first page. Great job, sir!… (meer)