A Life in a Year : The American Infantryman in Vietnam, 1965-1972
by By Ebert, James R.
Category: History , Military , Vietnam War

Finally, a book that focuses completely on the life of the "grunt" (infantry soldier) in Vietnam. The voices of more than sixty army and marine infantrymen speak with restrained elegance of their experiences from induction to the jungles and rice paddies of "Indian country" to their return to "The World."From I Corps in the north to IV Corps in the south, and from the early days of 1965 to the American withdrawal in 1972, A Life in a Year offers a unique look at the grunt's war in Vietnam - as seen through the eyes of the soldiers themselves. The insights of these combat veterans are woven into the narrative, giving the reader a sense of what it was like to serve in an infantry unit fighting Viet Cong guerrillas and North Vietnamese regulars. Veterans can compare their own experiences to those of infantrymen who served in different time periods during the Vietnam era and in different parts of the country. Civilians and veterans who did not experience life in the "boonies" will appreciate the author's candid explanations of the war in terms that will help them to better understand the individual soldier's experience. This lively, topically arranged account will appeal to both scholars and casual readers alike. A Life in a Year is sure to become a classic and is a valuable addition to Vietnam War literature.