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Vietnam War Diary: As Told by a Combat Infantryman

This is a first-hand account of a war the U.S. should not have entered. It is easy to read from the first page to the last, and gives some history of Vietnam and the ignored warning signs. It is written by a combat infantryman, or “grunt,” in the 5th Battalion 7th Cavalry, a battalion formed to join the other battalions of the 1st Cavalry Division’s airmobile operations.He, along with a core group of soldiers who trained together for over eight months, was sent to Vietnam in August 1966, a “band of brothers” mostly made up of draftees. Over the next year, the unit saw numerous encounters with both the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army. In one battle, his company was literally wiped out. The bravery of these soldiers was shown by the numerous awards given to them, including one Medal of Honor winner.Reading through the daily accounts, you will see why the 1968 TET offensive occurred, given what happened in 1967. You will read about the bravery of soldiers fighting for a country that didn’t want them there. You’ll read about the daily movements of soldiers from one firebase to another, using these soldiers as bait to draw out the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army in hopes of winning by attrition, or what was known as “body count.”So, take a walk in a grunt’s boots as you journey through the pages of this diary.“Jasper has been talking about writing this book ever since we came home. I was with him from Basic Training through most of our time in Vietnam and to the end of the book. We are still special friends today, formed by a special bond that only combat soldiers know.” ~Mike Beaupre“A story that needed to be told by someone I was with.”Larry MillerRead more

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