Customer Reviews

Casting Alpha: Amtracs in Vietnam

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I served in that unit about during the same time period in both Chu Lai and Danang. The one thing that struck me about the book was the way Jim dealt with the everyday realities and boredam of life coupled with the moments of danger and insanity. I was taken back to the days of my youth and really was moved by the book. There is a section about burning the latrines which is classic and brought back some funny memories. I am buying two copies and sending them to my children so they can understand in some small way what their dad did during the war.

Amtracs are big armored vehicles that float (sort off) and were used in Nam to do many different things. His portrayal refreshed memories that have been long surpressed and hidden in my own mind. It covers the life as we lived it every day. It was 37 years ago but it seems like yesterday when I read this book.

I highly recommend it for those children of us "old vets" to better understand us.

Having served in the same unit (3rd Amtrac Bn) two years after James Kelly, Casting Alpha brought back many forgotten memories of Hill 190 and Namo Bridge from 40 years ago. It is very well written book.