About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior (Paperback)

by Colonel David H. Hackworth (Author), Julie Sherman (Author) "WHEN I first saw them, about a thousand yards to our front, the enemy looked like little black ants racing from the village toward snow-covered..." (more)
Key Phrases: wonder gear, automatic ambush, airmobile assault, West Point, Viet Cong, World War (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
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.

Product Details

• Paperback: 875 pages
• Publisher: Touchstone (April 15, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0671695347
• ISBN-13: 978-0671695347
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #76,526 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A born warrior, August 18, 2002

By	Jon R. Schlueter (Grand Terrace, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Vietnam - a defining point of his life, April 22, 2005

By	Michael Horn "mikie" (US Army Combat Support Training Center, Dublin, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

[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.

31 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Telling the Truth!, August 21, 2000

By	Michael Desario "MD" (Stow, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.