All Good Men: A Lieutenant's Memories of the Korean War [Paperback]

Robert Hallahan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2003

All Good Men was written to chronicle the experiences of a young lieutenant from the time he joined the First Artillery Battalion to fight in the Korean War in August 1950 until he returned home in December 1951. He describes in gripping detail his days as a forward observer in the Naktong Bulge during the searing heat of August, his exploits as a reconnaissance officer from the Pusan Perimeter through the dash to the Yalu River, his contribution as Assistant Operations Officer to the 52nd Field Artillery Battalion, and his days as a unit commander when he rebuilt his firing battery from scratch after losing most of his experienced personnel. With his untested unit he supported the final advance of the 21st Infantry Regiment 30 miles north of the 38th Parallel in October 1951. The author pays tribute to the men who gave their lives fighting in the stinking rice paddies and frozen hills of that unforgiving land under the harsh conditions of ground combat. His poignant comment is still true today. "They could stand tall in any nation's hall of heroes. They were all good men."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert F. Hallahan, a retired Army Colonel, is a graduate of the West Point Class of 1948. He saw action with the first field artillery battalion to fight in the Korean War from August 1950 to December 1951. He held assignments as a forward observer, reconnaissance officer, assistant S-3, and battery commander and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for valor. He commanded artillery units in the 24th Infantry Division, the 11th Airborne Division and the 7th Infantry Division, including every caliber of weapon from 105 mm howitzers to 8 inch howitzers, as well a battery of 4.2 inch mortars. Colonel Hallahan was one of the few honored by of the Ancient Order of Saint Barbara for conspicuous, long-term service on behalf of the United States Army Field Artillery. He advised the Commander-in-Chief Atlantic on ground operations during the Dominican Republic crisis. He directed several critical staff actions of immediate concern to the highest national authority during the Vietnam War in the Southeast Asia Branch, Organization Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is a graduate of the Army War College and holds two masters degrees. Colonel Hallahan resides in Vienna, Virginia with his wife of 55 years where they enjoy the activities of their six children and 14 grand children.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse (July 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595280188
• ISBN-13: 978-0595280186
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,309,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sad pride, February 10, 2004

By 

"lrtormey" (Wall, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: All Good Men: A Lieutenant's Memories of the Korean War (Hardcover)

Colonel Hallahan's precisely written book evokes sad memories of a sad time in our country's history. US forces in the Far East,fresh from the epic achievement of having defeated the forces of imperial Japan, and then imbued with the mind set: "it's over--let's go home", were hastily thrown back into battle to stem the breech of the North Korean attack. As the author so pointedly relates, the politicians in Washington allowed the state of readiness of US forces to deteriorate to a disgracefull degree. The numbers of US KIAs and wounded in the Korean "police action" which were directly attributable to this neglect, may never be known. But "All Good Men" is about those who endured that neglect and who ceaselessly fought their way up and down the mountains of Korea in a seemingly endless round of "we win--they win" battles.

A tough, devoted patriot, and a proud graduate of the United States Military Academy, Colonel Hallahan presents to the reader a primer on how an artillery unit functions. That he is able to recount in such detail the many battles in which his unit took part, is a tribute to his goal of remembering and lauding his men and their successful execution of the unit's mission. His recollections of the many harrowing situations in which he and his men were forced to fight off the enemy, often in brutal weather conditions, while setting up their batteries, are highlights of the book.

"All Good Men" is a book of tribute to the members of our armed services. It is also, in its own way, a tribute to leaders like its author, Colonel Robert F. Hallahan, US Army (Ret.). The book is a good read for veterans and non veterans alike.