David Donovan

5766. Once a Warrior King Memoirs of an Officer in Vietnam, by David Donovan (read 28 Nov 2021) I have read more than 30 books concerning the Vietnam war, though I was too old for it and my kids, thank God, were too young to be in it. This book, published in 1986, is by a man who was an Army second lieutenant and served as the officer in a five man team assigned to live and work in villages in a province in the Mekong delta. He was there for almost a year and utterly believed in the work he was doing, which was often dangerous. He worked with the villagers and there was mutual respect Often the book is tensely interesting but there are aspects of the story he tells which I can understand he does not feel proud of, though on balance his work was admirable. The closing chapters of the book, when he tells of the effect of the time on him subsequently, is poignant and well-written.… (meer)

A good book worth reading. A different view of the murder committed by we Americans in Vietnam - this soldier was left in the middle of the jungle with five other Americans to assist the local militia against the VC - his position being that the VC was, in fact, a terrorist organization which preyed upon the Catholics and Buddhists of the South, and he was there to help - no doubt he was -he and his compatriots were good and brave men (young boys, actually) - but the bigger point is that none of it was our damn business in the first place - and the US Government was not there to help the peasants of Vietnam - it was there to make money for the industrial complex - Westmoreland, Johnson, McNamara, Kissinger were war criminals who should have been Nuremberg/ed - incredible - the author is in combat - people are dead all around him and - suddenly - he is put on a helicopter - flown directly to Saigon - is soon placed on an airplane - and hours later is in San Francisco airport - no coming down from combat mode - no word of caution about being back in the world - just get thee out of here - everything about the Vietnam War was bad, except for the courage and commitment to duty of our young men, - if you don't believe me about the cost - the families of 58,220 guys may want to speak with you.… (meer)

Interesting account of American officer who led a 5 man team in a remote posting in the Mekong Delta. He highlights the contrast between his team's life of suspense , patrol and ambush while directing local militia against the Vietcong with the life and comforts of other Americans in rear areas. His subsequent life post -Vietnam is well written particularly his post-traumatic suffering. He finally receives some catharsis in writing his novel and taking part in Vietnam veterans ceremonies in November 1982.… (meer)