"Finally, we reached the summit, and it was like walking into a forgotten world. The terrain was a triple canopy, three layers of treetops, and as the light filtered through the trees, it gave the impression of early morning hours."
In this unique memoir, readers spend one year in the life of a Marine rifleman during the early part of the Vietnam War. From the book's beginning, readers discover a world unknown to most civilians: being separated from family by half the globe; a life of low pay; high, potentially life-threatening stakes. Also described are little-known operations such as Operation Golden Fleece, Operation Taut Bow, and Operation Wayne. As readers progress through the book, they trek along with the narrator through rice paddies where elephants have trod before them and encounter sniper fire in remote villages. One fact remains clear: "The bravery of the Marines was demonstrated as they continued to fight against superior odds." By the book's end, readers also see another side of the war as the author acknowledges, "I think now looking back we did not fight the enemy, we fought ourselves."
Those particularly interested in firsthand accounts of historical and military events will appreciate this book for its detail and its clarity. The memoir is also enhanced by the detailed maps and photographs that accompany the accounts. The book's structure is unique, beginning with a brief narrative that serves as the strategy, then progressing to more detailed recollections that form the sections "Assembly Area," "Staging Area," "The Four Phases of Offensive Combat," and "Long Trip Home." This format forms a swift, sweeping pace that leaves readers unable to leave the battlegrounds for too long and makes them feel part of the book's platoons. This vivid memoir is an honorable account that possesses the honesty and vulnerability of books like Dispatches and What It Is Like to Go to War. Readers curious about what it was really like to be a soldier during the Vietnam War might enjoy this book.
—The US Review of Books
War memoirs can turn many people off for various reasons, from the historical content to the graphic nature of war and the idea that one battle is the same as the next. It takes an excellent storyteller and one that was actually there to tell a gripping story about war. Chronicles of Marine Rifleman by author Herb Brewer has a bit of everything in it, making it a compelling story of one man.
The story follows author Herb Brewer’s time in the Vietnam War through his own eyes. There is something incredibly refreshing about his first-person tales which make the Vietnam war more authentic and intimate instead of the cinematic vehicle it has become. So many detailed experiences in the book make it feel far more real, such as their times patrolling through cities - and some of the more gruesome specifics in the story. There were times when I asked myself if the story needed some of these horrifying descriptions of war, but ultimately, like Mr. Brewer, I believe it did. The story ends with Mr. Brewer’s return to The States and a small taste of his life after the war, which leaves you wanting more but also reminds you that not all of our young men were lucky enough to have that part of their story.
As far as the writing goes, Mr. Brewer is a natural. I don’t know how much of it is thanks to his editor, but it is clear that he is a genuine storyteller. The details he remembered and the scenes of his memory chose to showcase, told a much more compelling story than any high-action big-battle story ever could. The tale covers his time in Vietnam at a perfect pace, never feeling too rushed, nor focused too much on a single period of his time in the country. As if words were not enough, Mr. Brewer was kind enough to share some of his memories through pictures, which helped even more, connect to his story. Chronicles of a Marine Rifleman comes to a satisfying end which tops off an absolutely fantastic read.
There is no doubt fans of history will love every page of this book told from a fresh perspective. Readers who don’t usually gravitate toward this kind of story may find themselves pleasantly surprised at how much they enjoy it as well. Thank you, Mr. Brewer, for your service and writing a book that tells a history that is all too often looked at in the wrong way.
—Pacific Book Review
