Before honor [Hardcover]

Eugene B. McDaniel (Author), James L. Johnson (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: A. J. Holman Compay (1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0879810467
• ISBN-13: 978-0879810467
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,776,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scars and Stripes.....truly inspirational, March 31, 2003

By 

Kyle Tolle (Phoenix, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Scars and Stripes (Mass Market Paperback)

The story of Eugene "Red" McDaniel is not only about a prisoner of war in Vietnam, it is the story of a hero who defied the odds and overcame extreme adversity.

Eugene McDaniel was shot down in 1967 and spent 5 years in captivity in North Vietnam's Hanoi Hilton, Zoo, and Zoo Annex prison compounds. While imprisoned, he made very aggressive strides to keep secret communications going between the prisoners even though such communicating was prohibited. In continued defiance of his captors, he paid a dear price.

McDaniel had the unfortunate distinction of being one of the most viciously tortured prisoners of the Vietnam war. Methods used on him were sadistic and barbaric and leaves you wondering how his jailors could possible treat another human being in this manner.

In the most trying of times, when all hope was lost and despair was complete, McDaniel turned to faith and prayer in God and was lifted up from the depths he was in. McDaniel was a constant source of optimism and strength for his fellow prisoners during confinement.

This book, outstanding in its message of courage, perseverance, and inspiration, will leave you knowing that no matter how difficult things can become, faith in God will always see you through.

A magnificent book from start to finish and definitely recommended to everyone.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A role model for brave people, September 23, 2005

By 

Theodore (Ventura, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scars and Stripes (Mass Market Paperback)

Scars and Stripes is the emotional story of Eugene McDaniel and his seven year emotional rollercoaster in Vietnamese prisoner of war camps. McDaniels served in the Navy during the Vietnam War (965-1972), was shot down while flying an A6A jet on May 19, 1967, crushed two vertebrates after falling forty feet out of a tree (p. 25), captured by compassionless Vietnamese (p. 35), imprisoned, tortured and finally released seven years later on March 4, 1973. The ful range of emotions shine through this book and I shall write a review by focusing on the emotions.

LOVE was felt by McDaniel and his family after his release from the Hanoi Hilton; "All the black hours [in prison]... were gone and we had the sweet reality of faith rewarded, of enduring love fulfilled" (p. 170). His DESIRE was to forgive "Spot", his jailor/torturer; "Looking at him... I felt only a desire to share with him the innter, deeper secrets of God and His never-ending care" (p. 167). And JOY filled the soul of McDaniel when he entered his warm house after leaving the cold prison in 1973; "When I walked into the house with my family... I suddenly was too overwhelmed to absorb it" (p. 170).

His HATRED for the Vietnamese guards was dissolved by prayers; "I had once hated them for what they were doing to me in torture... yet I felt the need to pray for them" (p. 132). DISGUST was felt daily in the camp since the bodily injuries were gross; "My eardrum had ruptured when they struck me across the head with my shoe and it too was oozing blood" (p. 124). SADNESS was always present in camp for the guards were regularly cruel; "Each time I would drop my arms after hours of holding them up, they would beat me around the shoulders with a bamboo stick" (p. 109).

HOPE came to McDaniel one day when, "at the height of my three-day torture, I heard church bells coming from somwhere in downtown Hanoi... It had given me hope" (p. 120). DESPAIR filled the camps since the guards could care less about the American prisoners; "One of them told me, 'I am here to give you rations and bury you when you die'" (p. 49).

There was plenty to FEAR at the Hanoi Hilton; the guards "would take a dog and torture it to death for the sheer pleasure of inflicting pain. It got to us, because we did not know how far that streak in them would carry over to us in the torture room" (p. 54). COURAGE was demanded of McDaniel every day;"I felt that Christ was able to do more in methan if I had counted only on my strength and courage" (p. 172). Finally, the reader cannot help but become ANGRY due to the inconsistencies and unreasonableness of the Vietnamese guards; "The guards kept inflicting wounds- but at the same time they made sure I had medicine so I would not die" (p. 131).

Understanding the story of McDaniel and the full range of emotions triggered by his traumatic prison experience will possibly bring a person to an appreciation of his own emotional life, of the brave military men and women and of the federal republic of the USA.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 10 stars not listed, February 10, 2000

By 

"hostageman" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Scars and Stripes (Mass Market Paperback)

Wonderfull book! It tells the story of my friend "Red" McDaniel of him being in the infamous HANOI HILTON were he was beaten severely. In the book, he tells how he got through those years of pure Hell with the help of God. If you are religous, POW-MIA reader, or someone who just likes a good book, I recommend that you read this book, it will truely move you.