Combat Recon: My Year With the Avrn [Hardcover]

Robert D. Parrish (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1991

A firsthand account of a soldier in Vietnam describes the destruction of the country by American troops and the experience of war from the perspective of South Vietnamese soldiers. Reprint. AB. PW. K.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Parrish arrived in Vietnam in 1967 as a first lieutenant "eager to kill Viet Cong and participate in the great adventure." He spent the first half of an action-filled year as an adviser to an ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) infantry battalion and the second half performing simliar duties with an ARVN reconnaissance company. Both units were part of the 5th ARVN Division operating a few miles north of Saigon. Among the mayhem he caused, he threatened to decapitate a tank commander and to shoot down an uncooperative pilot, and he concocted a plan to assassinate a meddlesome colonel by means of a faked Viet Cong ambush. Parrish is not an easy fellow to admire, with all his bragging about "good kills" (which include the gratuituous zapping of water buffalo), but the retired lieutenant colonel's memoir is valuable for its rare descriptions of South Vietnamese "grunts" who fought with dedication and skill. Photos.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 291 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr; 1st edition (January 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312054033
• ISBN-13: 978-0312054038
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,928,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valorous American Advises Committed ARVN Troops, September 30, 2001

By 

RainyRamone (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Combat Recon: My Year With the Arvn (Paperback)

Robert Parrish has written an extraordinary book about his first tour in Vietnam advising first an ARVN Infantry unit, then hardcore Recon/Recondo soldiers. A perfect blend of humility and incredible valor, the story includes very well developed (real) characters and examples of the versatility and extracurricular endeavours of the author.

The book gathers steam and intensity with the onset of the Tet offensive and the engagement of increasingly tougher enemy units. I totally disagree with the above editorial review that says this story, amongst other things "describes the destruction of the country by American troops"; apparently whoever wrote this did not read the book and/or has "issues" he should not bring to bear in this forum.

The action takes place in an area Northwest of Saigon in and around the city of Phu Cuong, including the Iron Triangle and an area the author calls "The Hook". Throughout the book is the uncanny impulse of the author and the troops to charge forward and attack directly, which dashes any preconceptions of the ARVN as being anything less than a committed fighting force.

You will love this book. That is all.........

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Valorous American Advises Committed ARVN Troops, September 30, 2001

By 

RainyRamone (SF Bay Area) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Combat Recon: My Year With the Arvn (Paperback)

Robert Parrish has written an extraordinary book about his first tour in Vietnam advising first an ARVN Infrantry unit, then hardcore Recon/Recondo soldiers. A perfect blend of humility and incredible valor, the story includes very well developed (real) characters and examples of the versatility and extracurricular endeavours of the author.

The book gathers steam and intensity with the onset of the Tet offensive and the engagement of increasingly tougher enemy units. I totally disagree with the above editorial review that says this story, amongst other things "describes the destruction of the country by American troops"; apparently whoever wrote this did not read the book and/or has "issues" he should not bring to bear in this forum.

The action takes place in an area Northwest of Saigon in and around the city of Phu Cuong, including the Iron Triangle and an area the author calls "The Hook". Throughout the book is the uncanny impulse of the author and the troops to charge forward and attack directly, which dashes any preconceptions of the ARVN as being anything less than a committed fighting force.

You will love this book. That is all.........

5.0 out of 5 stars COMBAT RECON, August 19, 2011

By 

JAD - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Combat Recon: My Year With the Avrn (Hardcover)

This is a great book and a personal one as my friend, Sgt. Glynn Septer is a key player in it. Glynn had 3 tours of duty in Nam. He earned 5 Bronze Stars (3 with V device), 4 Silver Stars, 8 Purple Hearts and an Air Medal. He was a true war hero. Glynn rests in Arlington National Cemetery today and is missed by many. His son, Gregg, has carried on his tradition as he rose to the rank of Sgt. Major and has had many tours of duty in Iraq.