He joined the army at 15 and is today America's most decorated living soldier. In one of the most extraordinary military memoirs of our time, About Face chronicles the wars of David H. Hackworth--from World War II to his opposition to U.S. tactics and goals in Vietnam. Photographs.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
42 of 44 people found the following review helpful
By Michael Horn
Format:Paperback
[Sadly for all of us, Col David Hackworth died shortly after I wrote this review. Nothing about him or my review of his works needs revision. Hack - we will miss you! Hack - RIP, Mike H, LTC, MI, USA 1970-1996].
Say what you want about Hackworth - you can't deny him his valor or experiences in the Army. "Hack" continues to thrive on controversy - one who is not afraid to stir the pot. This book was his first view on the public stage after his Vietnam exit from the Army.
As a young officer - I first read this book in the career stage of my commission - as a Major - and came away with mixed feelings about his views and attitudes. Hackworth's Vietnam experience - like that of John Kerry's, was a defining point of his life. Both came away from that service determined to change the way government uses the military. Kerry became an anti-military cynic; Hackworth lashed out at the systems' waste and stupidity - in an attempt to make the system better.
During war, Hack would be a leader one would wish to serve under. In peacetime - like so many other warriors - he'd be a disaster in the mindless training environment of a peacetime army. Like a fire extinguisher - keep under glass until an emergency demands his use.
The book is deliberately written to stir controversy. This IS Hackworth and what he is all about. Step on a few important toes to save good soldiers - this IS and always was his intent. When he drifts to politics - watch out! He has no friends in either political party.
If you have never served - and are thinking of signing up - maybe this will give you pause. If the world awaits you as a grand adventure - do what he did - and wear the uniform proudly for a majority of your adult life. At the least - Hackworth made me stop and think along the way. My latter years in uniform were constant battles against mind numbing stupidity and for care and protection of our countries' most valuable assets - the men and women who served under my leadership. I have learned much from this soldier. Buy and read the book. You will come away a changed person.
Say what you want about Hackworth - you can't deny him his valor or experiences in the Army. "Hack" continues to thrive on controversy - one who is not afraid to stir the pot. This book was his first view on the public stage after his Vietnam exit from the Army.
As a young officer - I first read this book in the career stage of my commission - as a Major - and came away with mixed feelings about his views and attitudes. Hackworth's Vietnam experience - like that of John Kerry's, was a defining point of his life. Both came away from that service determined to change the way government uses the military. Kerry became an anti-military cynic; Hackworth lashed out at the systems' waste and stupidity - in an attempt to make the system better.
During war, Hack would be a leader one would wish to serve under. In peacetime - like so many other warriors - he'd be a disaster in the mindless training environment of a peacetime army. Like a fire extinguisher - keep under glass until an emergency demands his use.
The book is deliberately written to stir controversy. This IS Hackworth and what he is all about. Step on a few important toes to save good soldiers - this IS and always was his intent. When he drifts to politics - watch out! He has no friends in either political party.
If you have never served - and are thinking of signing up - maybe this will give you pause. If the world awaits you as a grand adventure - do what he did - and wear the uniform proudly for a majority of your adult life. At the least - Hackworth made me stop and think along the way. My latter years in uniform were constant battles against mind numbing stupidity and for care and protection of our countries' most valuable assets - the men and women who served under my leadership. I have learned much from this soldier. Buy and read the book. You will come away a changed person.
42 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hackworth is the warriors warrior. BTDT (been there done that) is his motto. I was so inspired by this book I could hardly put it down. At first glance you think, this is about a thousand pages too long. But as the story of Hacks life unfolds you find yourself wishing for more! His metal in combat is unequaled and his actions speak for themselves. His list of achievements says it all, over 110 military decorations. But his humility cannot be disputed. The man is not a braggart, he is a truth teller. He tells the story of an American soldier from the trenches, where the fighting and dying took place. His passion will bring tears to your eyes as he reveals himself cradling the lifeless bodies of the men who died under his command in the Korean War and then risking his own life years later in Vietnam to rescue young soldiers caught in a harrowing cross fire. Hack is a 100% genuine American Hero, without doubt one the best soldiers our country has ever produced. (Too bad he's not a Joint Chief)
This book is definitely worth the read. I highly recommend it.
40 of 44 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A juvenile delinquent, Hackworth, flees from his confinement and joins the Merchant Marine. Later, he pays off a wino to sign a fraudulent affidavit, as Hackworth's "father" (he was an orphan), that allows him to enter the Army at the age of fifteen. This is the beginning of this book, which ends with this man, now a Colonel, venting condemnation of America's tactics in Vietnam in the press, and his subsequent persecution by Army investigators, in a harrowing, white-knuckle ending.
A man is lucky to find his calling, and Hackworth was born to be a warrior. In a way, this book is an inspiration. It makes one want to be as good in one's profession as Hackworth was in his. And no matter what one's occupation is, one can identify with Hackworth's frustration with and anger at the "perfumed princes" who rose to the top in the Army he knew, and whos' equivalents exist in every field of endeavor. Don't you know people who don't give a grape-skin about the higher goals of their profession, and who live only to feed their ambition? Reading this book is like sitting down and listening to somebody who knows the score.
A man is lucky to find his calling, and Hackworth was born to be a warrior. In a way, this book is an inspiration. It makes one want to be as good in one's profession as Hackworth was in his. And no matter what one's occupation is, one can identify with Hackworth's frustration with and anger at the "perfumed princes" who rose to the top in the Army he knew, and whos' equivalents exist in every field of endeavor. Don't you know people who don't give a grape-skin about the higher goals of their profession, and who live only to feed their ambition? Reading this book is like sitting down and listening to somebody who knows the score.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Must read
Although I never served a day in the military, it would have been an honor to simply meet this man. This is a phenomenal book that needs to be included in the syllabus at West... Read more
Published 22 days ago by TruxtonSpangler
5.0 out of 5 stars
A soldiers soldier.
I had the honor of meeting Col. Hackworth while stationed at Ft. Bragg - his 'men first, mission always' philosophy coupled with a deep conviction of integrity, love of country and... Read more
Published 2 months ago by J J Luranc
5.0 out of 5 stars
For my Army Son
My career Army son requested this. He is a history buff and found this to be just what he wanted.
Published 3 months ago by Karen Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars
The life of a true warrior, on and off the battlefield
Hack loved the Army and loved his country, and this comes through every page and word in this lengthy autobiography. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Flying Photographer
5.0 out of 5 stars
top 10 book i've ever read
I was really moved by Hacks life story. He was lucky to be alive many times over. I think i was most impressed by his always giving the credit to those who molded and shaped him... Read more
Published 7 months ago by S. kennedy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Colorful memoir of war in Korea and Vietnam
This book contains some of the best first-person accounts of combat from the Korean War and the Vietnam War that I have read anywhere. Col. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Preston Fleming (Author of Forty Days at Kamas)
5.0 out of 5 stars
Essential professional reading for soldiers
It is almost 20 years to the day since I first read this book as a cadet at RMC Duntroon, and it is difficult for me to think of any other single book that influenced how I viewed... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Peter Monks
4.0 out of 5 stars
Who Am I To Judge?
After selling over one million copies of "About Face", who among us can truly judge the depth of this man's impact on our military and on our society? Read more
Published on March 26, 2011 by John E. Nevola
5.0 out of 5 stars
An honor to read...
Opinions vary on Colonel Hackworth's political views, but nobody questions his integrity and bravery. Read more
Published on February 9, 2011 by Doug DePew
4.0 out of 5 stars
"About Face "
Excellent book. I served briefly under David Hackworth and wish i had got to know him better. He and people like him are exactly what the US Army needed but NEVER got and is the... Read more
Published on January 9, 2011 by Ian Kemp
Citations (learn more)
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23
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- Battles in the Monsoon by S. L. A. Marshall on page 548, page 597, and Index
- The River and the Gauntlet by S.L.A. Marshall on page 548, page 567, and page 584
- Men Against Fire: The Problem of Battle Command by S.L. A. Marshall on page 548, and Index
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