Vietnam 1968-1969

by Bryon E. Holley

Book Overview

Byron Holley spent the longest year of his young life in Vietnam as surgeon of the 4th Battalion of the 39th Regiment, 9th Infantry Division. He lived like a swamp rat in the boonies of the Mekong Delta, and his actions were sometimes all that made the difference between life and death. But Holley never got used to death. In a land torn by generations of bloodshed, filled with leeches, snakes, malaria-infested mosquitoes, and, of course, the Viet...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0804109346
• ISBN13: 9780804109345
• Release Date: February 1993
• Publisher: Ballantine Books
• Length: 211 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.8"

Customer Reviews

Great book

This book by Dr. Byron E. Holley is a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning about the soldier's personal experiences in Vietnam. His personal accounts of nearly everyday ocourances while on his Tour Of Duty is so insightful. When I read this book it was like being there or being the relative who received the letters home from Vietnam. This book and its account of daily events on Dr. Holley's Tour freezes ones mind in time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A Book to Remember

This awe-inspiring book reminds us of a war that some of us may have forgotten and others would like to. The words that Dr. Holley uses to describe his fears, concerns, and disgust with the war is a chilling reminder to us all. Dr. Holley tells his story in 1968-69 real-time by incorporating letters to his sweetheart and his parents. The book begins with Doc Holley receiving that wonderful letter from Uncle Sam stating that his medical services are needed so that his country may be served, through his one year tour-of-duty including his experiences with Col. Hackworth. You will hear this story from a man, a true man, who has saved countless lives and lives to tell about it. Dr. Holley captures his audience in this must-read for any person that survived his or her worst nightmare. This is simply a must read.

A Book to Remember

This awe-inspiring book reminds us of a war that some of us may have forgotten and other would like to. The words that Dr. Holley uses to describe his fears,concerns, and disgust with the war is a chilling reminder to us all. Dr. Holley tells his story in 1968-69 real-time by incorporating letters to his sweetheart and his parents. The book begins with Dr. Holley receiving that wonderful letter from Uncle Sam stating that his medical services are needed so that his country maybe served, through his one year tour-of-duty including his experiences with Col. Hackworth. You will hear this story from a man, a true man, who has saved countless lives and lives to tell about it. Dr. Holley captures his audience in this must-read for any person that survived his or her nightmares. This is simply a must-read.

Recommended by Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 295

This book is on the "Recommended Reading List" of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 295, Indianapolis, Indiana

Authenic, interesting

I much enjoyed Holley's "A Battle Surgeon's Journal". Holley gives you a feel for the chaos of the "patch-'em-up-and-dust-'em-off" that was his job with the 4/39th of the 9th Infantry Division. Taken from the letters to his wife and to his parents, Holley doesn't pull any punches telling it like it was. However, when he transferred to the 218th Medical Dispensary near Saigon, Holley glosses over the day-to-day happenings which occurred there. Perhaps, after being in the field and working with people the likes of Col. David Hackworth, Holley thought that the "REMF" life at the 218th wouldn't interest his readers. Up until he transferred to the 218th, Holley's book is lively and full of incident; after the transfer, Holley complains of the personnel he has to work with and the "REMF" attitude that flourishes in the rear areas. A natural reaction when being spared from the meatgrinder that was the field in 'Nam, I would suppose. I would have liked to have learned more of the operations at the dispensary and what the REMFs (no offence, Byron) did with all their free time. Other than that, I thought it was an excellent book and recommend it to those seeking the medico's story of Vietnam