Randy R. Zahn

Why read another Vietnam War memoir? The virtue of Zahn's story is that of showing what it was like to be a gunship pilot as the big show was winding down for American soldiers. Zahn also goes to some lengths to dredge up the alienation and anger he felt at the time, as a good kid who learned how to be an angry young man. What gives me a bit of concern is that Zahn sometimes seems like he's swinging too big an ax. At the very least, when Zahn describes his struggles with military authority, I do wonder a little how much was due to jar-headed officers being unwilling to delegate authority to warrant officers in the field and how much was due to the possibility that Zahn actually DID have an attitude problem. Thowaway lines about LBJ being a war profiteer, or how certain atrocities involving American firepower just couldn't happen, with no back-up evidence, also give me a little pause. Still, it's Zahn's story and he does tell a pretty good one while pulling damn few punches.… (meer)