Customer Reviews

C.M.A.C.: The Saga of a Saigon Warrior

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Since I served in CMAC in 1969-70, I found Mr. Finnegan's book to be especially informative and amuzing. Eerily, some of my experiences mirrored those of his protagonist. Mr. Finnegan has an excellent eye for detail and a wonderfully wry sense of humor,which he puts to good use telling the story of a "Saigon Warrior's" trevails in Viet Nam. I believe both veterans and non-veterans would enjoy this book.

Author James Finnegan has followed his other great book " The Sage of a Student Warrior" with a continuation of his warrior's -James Callaghan - adventures. This time, we are taken to Vietnam where the young Lieutenant finds himself in the heart of South Vietnam - Saigon; and deep in war.

The story is only fiction - but you become involved with the story, just as if it were happening to yourself. Well told tale - and well worth reading.

I just finished Jim Finnegan's book and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recognized Gen Jack Girard as the real-life General in it, and was sorry to see Hallaghan/Callaghan die in the end. I think the exploits were thoroughly believable, and even remembered a few of them in reality from my time in CMAC. I used to flake out for a nap behind the radio room after Col Lew Ashley, Chief of Staff, (and Col P.B. Watson before him) had worked my butt for 3 days/nites straight without sleep on getting the weekend briefing ready for COMUSMACV. The bridge inspections were a flashback for me, too, as were the bunker and SKIF inspections. The money in the safe was also used for solatium payments...and I remember once when I was tabbed for this duty, I visited a cardboard hut in the rice paddies near 199th LIB to pay off a family that had had their house burned by a chopper dropping a smoke grenade on it. The interpretor told me the family had lost their china set, the presents to the bride, and cash envelopes that were gifts to the bride....all this for a family of 7 that lived in a cardboard shack. I gave them the equivalent of $50, and they almost broke my arm by shaking my hand in thanks. Anyway, a good book that took me back to that crazy time.

Jim Finnegan's book; "C.M.A.C, The Saga of a Saigon Warrior" brought back a lot of old memories of my six years in the Saigon area during the war, and he very accurately describes the scene there. Many people who were never there and up-country military will be surprised by the danger around many of the Saigon Warriors, and the enterprise that was required to get their jobs done. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be entertained and to learn about the Saigon area during the Vietnam War.