Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt [Hardcover]

Gary L. Tornes (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2004

Iraq,Vietnam, Korea or WW II: it makes no difference...they are the apprentices of wars; young grunts who do most of the fighting and dying. Their apprenticeships are short and violent. Survival often depends more upon luck than training or experience. It's an environment where peer pressure creates heroes. Those who survive are often better people for it. They move forward with their lives possessing the unique self-confidence that only combat survival produces.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Remarkable in its depth of detail, yet the broader implication of the story it tells could apply to any war. -- MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW (August, 2004)

This isn't about politics, grand strategies, or fabled perfection. It's simply a well written book about "mud Marines" at war. -- Leatherneck Magazine, October 2004

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: AOW, LLC (September 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975260006
• ISBN-13: 978-0975260005
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,284,645 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars War story keeper., December 31, 2004

By 

Michael Mcnally (gainesville, fl) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt (Hardcover)

From the first chapter on, Gary Tornes hits the reader deep in the guts with his horrific true life experiences as a Marine grunt in Vietnam. I predict Apprentices of War will go down as one of the best war stories of all time. Tornes has an easy going style of writing and quirky humor that makes this fascinating story a real page turner.

If there ever was a lucky man in Vietnam, Tornes had to be it, at least for awhile. He writes of the absurd irony of war, of how death can happen to anyone at anytime and of the great bravery of many of his comrades, especially the corpsmen.

Apprentices of War is both the ageless story of infantrymen who do the dirty work of war and at the same time a excellent training story for anyone who is now in the military and expecting to be going into a combat zone soon. For them this is a must read, for they will be getting great timeless information from a real pro.

5.0 out of 5 stars Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt, February 9, 2009

By 

Margit G. Singer (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt (Hardcover)

A "must read" for all American citizens because it vividly illustrates what the Marines do for us.

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Account of RVN, February 20, 2006

By 

Chuck B. "CJB" (Appleton, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Apprentices of War: Memoir of a Marine Grunt (Hardcover)

As a Navy corpsman working with a Marine infantry unit, I served in RVN in 1967, 1968 and 1969 in roughly the same geographic I Corps area as the author. Since receiving this book last summer as a gift I've read it 3 times. It is a difficult book to put down and caused me to continually reflect on my own experiences and remember many details I'd either forgotten or hadn't thought about in years. While reading this book I could almost smell the smells, ; feel the heat, humidity and rain; live in the situations again and more importantly recall some of the characters that were routinely coming into or going out of your life for a variety of reasons. It's not that I continually ruminate over having been there but it was, and always will be, a significant part of me. I would recommend this book without reservation to any and all people who were there and all who are curious as to what the average American soldier was feeling and going through his mind. It is void of politics for a political war and does not take a judgemental tack on what was happening but relies on a very personal account to tell his story. It is truly a moving experience to read this and I am forever indebted to the author for having the wherewithal to put it on paper for what is sure to be the benefit of others. Thanks for releasing it.