We were Soldiers Once...And Young: Ia Drang--The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam

We were Soldiers Once...And Young: Ia Drang--The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam | Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway | Garryowen!

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	We were Soldiers Once...And Young: Ia Drang--The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam Harold G. Moore, Joseph L. Galloway Random House, 1992 - 432 pages average customer review:based on 251 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Gave me a more realistic view of war.

This book, besides moving me deeply, made me realize that my (and probably many other people's) view of war is very unrealistic. I rarely think of it in terms of the possibility of running out of food, water, or ammunition. I don't think about the possibility of not being able to dig a foxhole for protection. I don't think about your gun jamming and needing to be cleared and especially not about having it shot out of your hands and being so shot up that it is unusable. This book tells about each of those situations more than once.
Beyond that, this book gave me a better picture about what Vietnam was really like. More specifically, many decisions that turned out to be "wrong" decisions, as well as many good decisions that helped improve the situations for troops that had been sent into tight spots.
I have also seen the movie and, while a movie can show things that books can't, the opposite is the same. I am glad that I have both "seen" and read about this battle. I have to say that the book is better though. It tells not only about Landing Zone X-Ray like the movie, but also about Landing Zone Albany a few days later. Also, the movie doesn't show such things as American soldiers watching enemy soldiers walking around in the open, shooting wounded Americans, and being able to do nothing about it.

Overall, this was a very pointed and emotional book book for me, and I highly recommend it. I cannot stress how important a book this is to read. I would also recommend the movie, "We Were Soldiers".
If you want to read other good books about survival against a determined enemy, I would recommend "Out of the Depths; The Sinking of the 'USS Indianapolis'" and "Left to Die; The Sinking of the 'USS Juneau'". These are stories of sailors fighting against the enemies of nature and those armed with teeth, not guns. Read and enjoy.

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Garryowen!

I have never read a finer tribute to the bravery of the American soldier. This book is about leadership, valor, self-sacrifice and esprit de corps. Simply the best account of infantry combat I have ever read. As a Desert Storm veteran of the 7th Cavalry, I salute my fellow Garryowen troopers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Ia Drang Valley. You "drained deep the chalice of courage."

Best Vietnam War Book Out There!

After reading several books on the Vietnam War, this is by far the best of all of them. If you loved the movie "We Were Soldiers", then you must read this book. It took General Hal Moore and Joe Galloway 10 years to gather all the research and all the facts to write the book on the battles of LZ X-Ray and LZ Albany. Both men were at X-Ray, with LtCol Moore Commanding the First Battalion of the Seventh Cavalry, and Joe Galloway as a young reporter for UPI, who himself picked up an M-16 during the intense battle. This book is a must read for military history buffs, and students.

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I was a Reviewer Once... And Young

Even though part of the title reads more like an afterthought, I had a lot of thoughts about this book since I read it a few years ago, and none of them were second thoughts.

This book is about daring and superb leadership. If there had been anyone other than LTC Hal Moore running his battalion, it most assuredly would have been been overrun in the first major battle of the Vietnam War between North Vietnamese (NVA) and Americans. This was also a story about poor leadership because the book tells about a follow-up battle at Landing Zone (LZ) Albany where the North Vietnamese launch a horrific ambush against another American battalion led by an inexperienced and ineffective commander. The difference provides a sharp contrast of consequences between battalions, and the role of leadership in battle. After this ambush the NVA walk among the wounded GI's during the night executing them while they are calling for mercy or their mothers. The story briefly mentions Spec 4 Howard K. Smith Jr. the nightly news reporter and son of Howard K. Smith, who pretended to be dead in the elephant grass, and survived. Incidentally, poor leadership continued in Vietnam as officers kept changing commands to get their "tickets punched." By the time they were beginning to lead effectively, it was time to turn command over to someone else. Hal Moore kept his command protesting the practice, but eventually had to relinquish command to the policy of the day.

The Battle of the Ia Drang pits two highly skilled leaders against each other. Moore's tactical skill enables him to predict where and when the NVA commander will strike at every turn. As a result, his unit decimates the North Vietnamese division they landed right next to.

Moore is able to make you feel the excitement from the very beginning, before they leave for Vietnam. Reading about the battle, you actually feel what it is like to be hungry, thirsty, out of ammunition, or wondering if your wounds will be treated. You feel comfortable with a commander who promises that he will leave no man behind, and will be the last to leave the field of battle.

Equally interesting, is what the author added at the end of the book, a "Where are they today?" part. It is nice to know what eventually happened to all of them who fought this horrific battle and cheated death.

This is primarily a man's story. It is probably even more important for those who served, maybe more so for those who served in Vietnam. But for anyone, especially for those who may think battle is glamorous or glorious, it is a story worth reading.

It was a fight for survival.

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A True Hero!

I saw the movie first and was surprised when reading this book that there was another battle to take place and just as bloody as the first. Hats off to General Moore and Joseph Galloway for writing such a fine story and for doing what they did in the Ia Drang. I served in Nam, but later and up by Da Nang and the DMZ. I found this book to be riveting and very hard to put down. The reason I did not rate it as excellent is because the writing was not crisp. But the action sure was. General Moore you will always be a hero to me and would have loved to serve under your command. A terrific book!

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