Status
Available
Call number
Collection
Publication
Presidio Press (2004), Edition: Illustrated, 480 pages
Description
History. Military. Nonfiction. In November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into a small clearing in the Ia Drang Valley. They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers. Three days later, only two and a half miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces. Together, these actions at the landing zones X-Ray and Albany constituted one of the most savage and significant battles of the Vietnam War. How these men persevered-sacrificed themselves for their comrades and never gave up-makes a vivid portrait of war at its most inspiring and devastating. General Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting, have interviewed hundreds of men who fought there, including the North Vietnamese commanders. This devastating account rises above the specific ordeal it chronicles to present a picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier. It reveals to us, as rarely before, man's most heroic and horrendous endeavor.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member theancientreader
Unlike some of my reviews, I plan to keep this one rather short. With the number of reviews here, most of what I would say would be rather redundant. Suffice to say that I have not read a book that touched me more in quite some time now. While I was not there, as I was serving in another area at
This work is a very personal unit history of one battle during the Viet Nam War. It is a document which covers the first real use of our Air Assault Forces; the first time they were used on this scale against a very well trained and dedicated opponent. This battle took place during the month of November 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley. Between October 23 and November 26, 1965 305 American soldiers were killed in what is know as the Pleiku campaign. There were many, many wounded, both physically and emotionally. The total number of Vietnamese killed and wounded will never be known, but it is felt that it numbered in the thousands.
The book itself is a rather personal book, and as one reviewer has pointed out, it is probably one of the best accounts of small unit combat since The Red Badge of Courage. I not that there has been some criticism that the book spent too much time detailing and naming individuals who participated in this engagement, naming names, home towns, backgrounds and ultimate fate on the battle field. Good grief people, many of these young men are either dead or quite old now. I personally feel that Lt. Gen Moore would have been less than honorable to not have noted as many of these men as he possibly could have. Their names need to be remembered. Moore should be applauded for this and his efforts to tell their stories.
I also note that there is criticism from some of the arm chair soldiers as to tactics, etc. Again, good grief! Under the circumstances I doubt seriously if another group of officers and men could have done any better nor made a better account of themselves. As to those critical of Moore’s and Galloway’s writing style…again, get real! To be quite frank and blunt, no one really cares about your literary pontifications; they simply are not relevant here, and are sort of pathetic. If you want smooth action, and a flowing story, go see a John Wayne movie or read one of those God Awful Mack Bolan books.
The Viet Nam War was a war that almost split this nation apart. I certainly am not going near that debate in this review. I will say though, that no matter what side of the coin you were on, this is one that all should read. We have young men and women in harms way at this time, and Americans need to know just what some of these young people are going though. In a way, it does not matter who won this battle or who lost. The fact is that many brave men, on both sides, gave their all and they should be remembered and honored. This is by no means an endorsement of war or an attempt to glorify war as only a complete fool would do such, it is though an honorable attempt to honor those that deserve it.
This was a wonderful work on so many levels and I do recommend it be read by all.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
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this time, I did have friends who were; some made it out, others did not. I cannot imagine the horror they went through in the brief time this battle took place and I doubt very much if anyone who was not there could make that claim.This work is a very personal unit history of one battle during the Viet Nam War. It is a document which covers the first real use of our Air Assault Forces; the first time they were used on this scale against a very well trained and dedicated opponent. This battle took place during the month of November 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley. Between October 23 and November 26, 1965 305 American soldiers were killed in what is know as the Pleiku campaign. There were many, many wounded, both physically and emotionally. The total number of Vietnamese killed and wounded will never be known, but it is felt that it numbered in the thousands.
The book itself is a rather personal book, and as one reviewer has pointed out, it is probably one of the best accounts of small unit combat since The Red Badge of Courage. I not that there has been some criticism that the book spent too much time detailing and naming individuals who participated in this engagement, naming names, home towns, backgrounds and ultimate fate on the battle field. Good grief people, many of these young men are either dead or quite old now. I personally feel that Lt. Gen Moore would have been less than honorable to not have noted as many of these men as he possibly could have. Their names need to be remembered. Moore should be applauded for this and his efforts to tell their stories.
I also note that there is criticism from some of the arm chair soldiers as to tactics, etc. Again, good grief! Under the circumstances I doubt seriously if another group of officers and men could have done any better nor made a better account of themselves. As to those critical of Moore’s and Galloway’s writing style…again, get real! To be quite frank and blunt, no one really cares about your literary pontifications; they simply are not relevant here, and are sort of pathetic. If you want smooth action, and a flowing story, go see a John Wayne movie or read one of those God Awful Mack Bolan books.
The Viet Nam War was a war that almost split this nation apart. I certainly am not going near that debate in this review. I will say though, that no matter what side of the coin you were on, this is one that all should read. We have young men and women in harms way at this time, and Americans need to know just what some of these young people are going though. In a way, it does not matter who won this battle or who lost. The fact is that many brave men, on both sides, gave their all and they should be remembered and honored. This is by no means an endorsement of war or an attempt to glorify war as only a complete fool would do such, it is though an honorable attempt to honor those that deserve it.
This was a wonderful work on so many levels and I do recommend it be read by all.
Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
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LibraryThing member meegeekai
Great book!! Harold Moore is a hero of mine. I use examples of his thought processes during the Battle of Ia Drang in sales and management training. The movie did not do the book justice unfortunately, and well Mel Gibson was probably mis-cast. This is a gripping book and a must read for those
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interested in the Vietnam War. Show Less
LibraryThing member LisaMaria_C
I can't fault the intentions of the authors to honor the sacrifices on both sides of this battle, nor their evident dedication to get the facts right. There's a blurb in the back from General Norman Schwarzkopf recommending the book as a corrective to those who view warfare as a video game. If I
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were a military professional I'd certainly consider this invaluable. But despite the fact this was a bestseller, I don't see this as a book to interest a general reader not particularly fascinated by military stories or the Vietnam War. It doesn't have the intensity and feeling of immediacy of Mark Bowden's Black Hawk Down. To anyone considering joining the armed forces--or any citizen wanting to get a sense that warfare isn't a video game--well I'd recommend either the book or film of Black Hawk Down. I'm sure it helps that the Battle of Mogadishu it depicts happened in the age of video and audio recording, with media rolling the cameras and with Bowden able to get very fresh impressions of the encounter from all sides--the book came out only six years after the battle. We Were Soldiers Once which tells of the Battle of Ia Drang in Vietnam in 1965 was written in 1992--decades later. Nevertheless, Stephen Ambrose in his works about World War II (Bands of Brothers among others) manages to be engrossing, insightful and moving. So does Michael Shaara's The Killer Angels about the Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War--written over a century later. Harold G. Moore actually commanded a battalion in the field in Ia Drang. His author Joseph L. Galloway, a war correspondent, was there too. But they simply aren't comparable as writers to Bowden, Ambrose or Shaara. Too dry, too technical--the kind of book that makes your eyes glaze over and is a slog to read. Show Less
LibraryThing member lassiter
One of the best books on the combat soldier in Vietnam. Told from two men that were at the first major battle of the war. Good job looking at the soul of the American combat soldier.
LibraryThing member bespen
This book made the war in Vietnam present again, 45 years later. The best account I have ever read of a battle from the point of view of the men who fought it, backed up with some of the larger details that give context. Moore didn't say as much as he could have, but if you know a bit about the
One of the blurbers described this book as eye-stinging. I can't think of a better word for my emotional reaction. The citizen soldiers who fought at LZ X-Ray and LZ Albany displayed incredible courage and grit. I was struck by the difference between this book and books of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military that fights in the sandbox today is very different than that of the Vietnam War. Many of today's shooters are professionals, career military men who provide structure to an all-volunteer force that is increasingly disengaged with wider society.
Moore's men were a combination of conscripts and volunteers, but they were the best of citizen soldiers, non-professionals who shouldered a tough job for a short time in solidarity with their countrymen. One of the best parts of the book is Moore and Galloway's homage "Where have all the young men gone?". They tracked down as many of the men who fought at Ia Drang as possible, and told their stories after the battle. These were men from every walk of life, so the impact of their lives and deaths was diffused throughout society. This was the last great hurrah of the citizen soldier, and he fought damn well.
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history of the Vietnam War you can fill in the gaps with what he does say. Many of the things the military does today are based on lessons learned from this battle, and others like it.One of the blurbers described this book as eye-stinging. I can't think of a better word for my emotional reaction. The citizen soldiers who fought at LZ X-Ray and LZ Albany displayed incredible courage and grit. I was struck by the difference between this book and books of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The military that fights in the sandbox today is very different than that of the Vietnam War. Many of today's shooters are professionals, career military men who provide structure to an all-volunteer force that is increasingly disengaged with wider society.
Moore's men were a combination of conscripts and volunteers, but they were the best of citizen soldiers, non-professionals who shouldered a tough job for a short time in solidarity with their countrymen. One of the best parts of the book is Moore and Galloway's homage "Where have all the young men gone?". They tracked down as many of the men who fought at Ia Drang as possible, and told their stories after the battle. These were men from every walk of life, so the impact of their lives and deaths was diffused throughout society. This was the last great hurrah of the citizen soldier, and he fought damn well.
Show Less
LibraryThing member bherner
I was impressed by the respect shown by the authors to the enemy.
LibraryThing member MacsTomes
I only read 193 pages. How do you rate a nonfiction book like this? I realize that there was incredible courage shown by these men, BUT for what? Incredibly overwhelming odds in favor of GIs yet the NVA put up a valiant, effective fight causing horrific casualities on both sides.
I've read many
I've read many
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accounts of war. For me it must be more personalized, such as the personal accounts of Farley Mowat, Paul Fussell, & Norman Mailer. Show Less
LibraryThing member armysparkey
The film only showes half the story in this book those looking for balance will appreciate this book it realy does bring home the strains and stresses of war .although it is quite long it is a real page turner and one finds oneself willing the individual soldiers on hoping they make it.
LibraryThing member NY-Independent76
A vivid retelling of the intense battle for the Ia Drang valley.
LibraryThing member foof2you
This a story of a battle in Vietnam, the problem with American involvement and the tenacity of the enemy. A powerful story of the courage of soildiers in the heat of battle. This story is told with remarkable clarity by Moore.
LibraryThing member mr_rhumba
Painful tale of an early war shellac-ing.
LibraryThing member ngennaro
4/2004 Excellent book and movie. Goes along well with any of Hackworth's books. Sad to read about the death and destruction but another example of men who fight for their country despite the odds, environment and pain they know they will endure if not immediately than for the rest of their lives.
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These men are true heroes. Show Less
LibraryThing member rockinghorsedreams
Definitely an engaging read. Hal Moore takes us into the jungle along with the soldiers through the meatgrinder. A fascinating and horrifying story.
LibraryThing member Hiromatsuo
A vivid retelling of a savage series of battles that took place in the early years of the Vietnam War. Moore and Galloway tell things as they happened. The language is very matter-of-fact. That is to say, it's not eloquent, flashy, or super-embellished, they (along with the comments of various
It's a gripping read with a very realistic edge to it, and combined with the film "We Were Soldiers" (which only depicts the battle at LZ X-Ray, you come to an understanding of just how brutal and fierce these engagements were.
There were a few points where I did get a bit confused as to who was talking and/or where things were in the chronology of events, but overall, it was easy to follow.
Recommendation: Read this book, then see the film, then read "We Are Soldiers Still".
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other veterans of those battles) just tell you how it was.It's a gripping read with a very realistic edge to it, and combined with the film "We Were Soldiers" (which only depicts the battle at LZ X-Ray, you come to an understanding of just how brutal and fierce these engagements were.
There were a few points where I did get a bit confused as to who was talking and/or where things were in the chronology of events, but overall, it was easy to follow.
Recommendation: Read this book, then see the film, then read "We Are Soldiers Still".
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LibraryThing member pennsylady
We Were Soldiers Once And Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam
"We went to war because our country asked us to go,
because our new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered us to go,
but more importantly because we saw it as our duty to go."
n November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st
They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers.
A few miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces.
The conflict at the landing zones of X Ray and Albany are viewed as significant, savage and one of the most violent battles in American history.
Lt Col Moore has promised his soldiers and their families
"I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together"
Detailed...realistic...valor... courage...and so much more as the brotherhood of soldiers persevered and sacrificed
Chronicled by retired lieutenant general Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting.
"A picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier"
(1992)
5* for excellence
The drama and impact of this military event far exceed any words I can lay on paper.
"We went to war because our country asked us to go,
because our new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered us to go,
but more importantly because we saw it as our duty to go."
n November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st
Show More
Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into l clearing in the Ia Drang Valley.They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers.
A few miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces.
The conflict at the landing zones of X Ray and Albany are viewed as significant, savage and one of the most violent battles in American history.
Lt Col Moore has promised his soldiers and their families
"I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together"
Detailed...realistic...valor... courage...and so much more as the brotherhood of soldiers persevered and sacrificed
Chronicled by retired lieutenant general Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting.
"A picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier"
(1992)
5* for excellence
The drama and impact of this military event far exceed any words I can lay on paper.
Show Less
LibraryThing member jerry-book
Engrossing tale of the first big battles in Vietnam fought by the 7th Calvary Division. The first was a resounding victory. The second was an inconclusive bloody draw due to mistakes by Colonel Mcdade. One grunt said my company lost 102 and they lost 104 so I guess it was a victory. It was
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astonishing how the North Vietnamese were able to fight toe to toe with the American Army despite the American superiority in firepower. They cleverly used the jungle and the sanctuaries in Cambodia to their advantage. General Moore who co-authored this book with journalist Galloway comes across as a brilliant military leader. As one soldier said if had not been for then Colonel Moore none of us would have survived the battles in the Ia Drang Valley. The book is enhanced by interviews with the main Vietnamese commanders faced by the Americans. During these flights they delivered much needed supplies while evacuating wounded soldiers. The fighting at Ia Drang set the tone for the conflict as American forces continued to rely on air mobility and heavy fire support to achieve victory. Conversely, the North Vietnamese learned that the latter could be neutralized by quickly closing with the enemy and fighting at close range. Show Less
LibraryThing member pennsylady
We Were Soldiers Once And Young: Ia Drang - The Battle That Changed The War In Vietnam
"We went to war because our country asked us to go,
because our new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered us to go,
but more importantly because we saw it as our duty to go."
n November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st
They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers.
A few miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces.
The conflict at the landing zones of X Ray and Albany are viewed as significant, savage and one of the most violent battles in American history.
Lt Col Moore has promised his soldiers and their families
"I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together"
Detailed...realistic...valor... courage...and so much more as the brotherhood of soldiers persevered and sacrificed
Chronicled by retired lieutenant general Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting.
"A picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier"
(1992)
5* for excellence
The drama and impact of this military event far exceed any words I can lay on paper.
"We went to war because our country asked us to go,
because our new President, Lyndon B. Johnson, ordered us to go,
but more importantly because we saw it as our duty to go."
n November 1965, some 450 men of the 1st
Show More
Battalion, 7th Cavalry, under the command of Lt. Col. Hal Moore, were dropped by helicopter into l clearing in the Ia Drang Valley.They were immediately surrounded by 2,000 North Vietnamese soldiers.
A few miles away, a sister battalion was chopped to pieces.
The conflict at the landing zones of X Ray and Albany are viewed as significant, savage and one of the most violent battles in American history.
Lt Col Moore has promised his soldiers and their families
"I will leave no man behind...dead or alive. We will all come home together"
Detailed...realistic...valor... courage...and so much more as the brotherhood of soldiers persevered and sacrificed
Chronicled by retired lieutenant general Hal Moore and Joseph Galloway, the only journalist on the ground throughout the fighting.
"A picture of men facing the ultimate challenge, dealing with it in ways they would have found unimaginable only a few hours earlier"
(1992)
5* for excellence
The drama and impact of this military event far exceed any words I can lay on paper.
Show Less
LibraryThing member buffalogr
Hal Moore is a leader who cares! One can see that in the use of personal information about the men in his unit and the follow up at the end of the book. The book graphically demonstrates that soldiers fight for their buddies and not necessarily for lofty ideals. This was the first air assault
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engagement by the US Army against the North Vietnamese Army and both sides learned a lot. The North Vietnamese perspective was very good. That said, the reader gets lost in the minutiae and is unable to follow the big picture when he flips back and forth on the myriad and many persons in the book. I skimmed quite a lot--just to get the gist--in those instances. Most interesting to me was the chapter on the impact of the battle from the Army perspective and it's impact on the US' political will. I can't imagine, after such an emotional event, briefing the SECDEF, as LTC Moore did and then having your words just go pfffffftttt. This makes a better movie than a book. Show Less
LibraryThing member JHemlock
Heart Breaking.
LibraryThing member SuzieBrown
I enjoyed this book, but at times it was hard to follow what was going on. I am so sorry for all those poor young men who lost their lives for the sake of politics for the most part. The folks in Washington calling the shots didn't know what they were doing. Everyone was ill-prepared for this type
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of war, and when they knew what they should be doing, their hands were tied by political motives. So sad. Show Less
LibraryThing member donttalktofreaks
Wonderfully told story of Ia Drang as one of the most important battles during the Viet Nam War.
LibraryThing member appaloosaman
Tough going in parts - a bit like Vietnam itself. When I was in grammar school, my best friend for my first two years was the son of a Lt-Col in USAF who was based in England. Years later, when I was visiting Oklahoma, I met him again. I knew he would have been drafted so asked him what he did in
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the Vietnam War. His elder brother had been a helicopter gunship pilot. He said he had spent his years as an officer in Georgia, conducting funeral details and honor guards at a military airfield for bodies shipped back from Vietnam. As he observed, "There's nothing like doing that in front of grieving relatives for two years to give you a whole new perspective on war." Reading this book gave me a better perspective on what he and his brother were doing in 1966. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Audie Award (Finalist — History/Biography — 2019)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1993
Physical description
9.2 inches
ISBN
034547581X / 9780345475817