Customer Reviews

Death in the a Shau Valley: L Company LRRPs in Vietnam, 1969-1970

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a Vietnam infantry veteran and served with the 101st Airborne Div during this same time period. Chambers first book, Recondo, was much more interesting and far more accurate. This effort seems to have come from an author who never felt the heat of combat, just heard the stories, I know however, that is not true in this case. His recollections bounce around so much I kept getting lost in the stories. While I was "only a leg" my company employed most all of the super sneeky tactics you macho LRRPs seem to have invented. I bought this book based on the author, my mistake.

This is Larry Chambers second book. I have not yet read his first, but absolutely will. You shouldn't come to Larry Chambers' Death in the A Shau Valley expecting to find the writing style of an experienced literary man. You will not find it. Instead, you will read the accounts of life in Nam as Chambers lived it, as Chambers the American soldier lived it. The chapters are often disjointed from a true chronology of events, but they do single out for telling what are obviously high points of memory. Some chapters are very short, because there is nothing else to say about the experience, others a bit longer. Some end abruptly because that is the way the experience ends. Others play out. However, within the entire book, you get a true picture of Chambers' life in Viet Nam. His humor comes through, as does his occasional envy at the softer life of some, and as does his sarcasm about the ineptness of some, as does his irreverence borne from a year on the firing line. You even get the true feelings of how the American soldier (LLRP, rear echelon, or in between) viewed the Vietnamese people. I will always remember Chambers telling of an incident that happened on his week's leave at Waikiki Beach--a little girl threw an object, and Chambers hit the sand. We generally know what this is all about, and Chambers' reaction. Death in the A Shau Valley is important reading if you want to get the sense and sensibilities of one man in Nam. As for me, I'm beginning Chambers' other book tonight.

I am a vetnam vet and have read almost every book on the subject over the past 20 years. I feel this is must reading for anyone who wants to experience what Nam was like. I can imagine it must be difficult to write a book that uses real life stories of many different soliders and their perosonal experience but it creates exciting reading from page one, to the end. Airborne all the way!

This book stands alone on the merits of its content. It is characterized by excellent writing. I have read other books about LRRP's and Special Op's in Vietnam, and most have been characterized by poor writing and sketchy details. Not so here.
Mr. Chambers has written a truly superb book that never once lets up with the riveting suspense. It is simply one exciting tale after another, and this is one ex-soldier who knows how to vividly detail his experiences 'in-country'.

There are many missions in this book that will leave you leaning forward in anticipation. Nightime airmobile extractions under blackout conditions while NVC soldiers were taken by surprise, only yards away. Once Mr. Chambers had an NVC soldier grab him at the same moment he was extracted while holding the line, having to kick away his assailant. He paints an excellent picture of a silent life, using hand-signals and often traveling at night, avoiding any trails and utilizing complete stealth.
His recollections are not always positive,as he discovered another party who had their deception revealed and were left dead for their comrades to find. Another time while on leave in Vietnam he visits a friend at a training facility, and watches as an instructor is showing a class the proper way to handle a grenade and it explodes, causing him to lose his arm. Even using the radio while no enemy was near was hazardous, when 'miking' the transmitter on a mountaintop caused stray electricity at this high altitude to send an electrical strike to the transmitter, necessitating an Airmobile evacuation of the injured.

Mr. Chambers went on to earn a Masters Degree after his service. This was clear from the first chapter, as I found myself completely involved in this book, finding it hard to put it down. A riveting book that better describes life behind the lines than others of its genre.

WOW! Once again I am stumped at how someone could truely read this book, and find it Weak. I think Larry did an outstanding job in writting this book, my only belief is that the person that found this book weak was never in the NAM, or else he was a rear echelon person. I am not knocking him if he was,cause if it hadn't been for these guys, We RANGERS,could not have done our jobs as we did. Larry thank you for writting this book to let the people know what we really went through in VIET-NAM. Roadrunner 6 out

"I made this book mandatory reading for my Ranger team. I'd quiz my men about what they'd learned; to be bold, daring, tenacious, audacious, and don't be afraid to make a decision. We went from the worst platoon in the regiment to the best platoon in six months. In training we'd get to objective so fast they had to hold us back.

US Army Master Sergeant H. "Max" Mullen Ret.
75th Ranger Regiment

At first, I was disappointed with what I considered "filler"--hand signals, equipment carried etc. in the last 20% of the book. The reason, I cound not get enough of Mr. Chambers reveting accounts of LURP duty. My only alternative was to get my hands on another of his books. By the way. My wife uses the hand signals to try to get me to dry the dishes!

For anyone who wants to know what Ranger/LRRP missions were like in the I Corps region of Vietnam, this is the book for you. Chambers describes in detail the million and one things that can wipe out a Ranger team in a hurry. This book is informative for anyone who wants to understand a different side of the Vietnam War that has been sadly overlooked for so long. This is an admirable work from someone who's been there.

This is the second Larry Chambers book I have read. And I have enjoyed both of them. This is not a Pulitzer Prize book but it is a good book written by one guy who describes his personal experience in Vietnam in a humorous, matter of fact way. I have learned several field craft principles from Larry Chambers books. This is a very good light reading book for those who enjoy reading about the Vietnam War.

Larry Chambers is a very literate author, and a true veteran of the LRRPs in Vietnam. This book is very informative, and full of interesting facts about the patrols which were undertaken. also excellent glossary with hand signals amongst other things which really help!