Customer Reviews

Diary of an Airborne Ranger: A LRRP's Year in the Combat Zone

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have to admit that I'm prejudice because I wrote the book. I bought the copy for a friend. But let me take this time to clear up a matter I wrote about in my book. I wrote a about Herman Brown's team getting into a fire fight where SSG Salters, the TL, and Sgt Jones, the ATL, were killed. I said in my diary that I didn't think Herman should have gotten the DSC for his actions in the fight. Even though Heman was a friend of mine, and I really liked him alot, I didn't think he deserved the DSC. What I didn't get a chance to say in my book because it was published before I knew it, was what really happened during Herman's fire fight. So let me take the time now. I talked with our 1st Sgt, Gilbert, years later and Top asked me why I said what I did about Herman. I said because it was the way the fight was explained to me. But Top said that about three days after the contact, the Loach pilot that pulled the team out came by the company area and asked if anyone had gotten medals for the contact. Top said no. The Loach pilot than began to tell Top what he had observed. It was very socked in, meaning it was raining and the clouds were ground level. But the pilot was able to fly up a draw and reach the team. When the pilot got there the team was in a shooting match with the bad guys and Herman was standing up and firing in all directions. The pilot got as close to the ground as he could but was unable to touch down. Herman, firing his weapon the whole time, grabbed Salters body and one handed Salters to the gunner. Herman then grabbed Jones' body and again one handed the body to the gunner, the whole time firing in all directions at the bad guys with his free hand. The pilot flew off and dropped the bodies off at a safe place and returned. The pilot again observed Herman going around the small perimeter and firing in all directions like a one man army. The pilot again got as close to the ground as he could and said he could only take two out. The other two members of the team got onto the Loach and Herman stayed back by himself, still firing in all directions. The pilot said he really didn't expect to find Herman alive upon his return, but when he returned, there was Herman still holding off the bad guys. It seemed like to the pilot that Herman had been the only one firing at the bad guys and each of the times the pilot flew in, there was Herman, going around the small perimeter and doing all the firing like a one man army! There was no hesitation of Herman being the last guy out, but the other two rushed on board the Loach. So...that is the real story about Herman Brown. As far as I'm concerned Herman should have gotten the Medal of Honor, and I'm not just saying that because he was my friend. I slammed him in my diary and he was my friend, and I'm now saying he should have earned the CMH because of what he actually did. Top did not want Herman to go out to the field anymore after that fight and that is why. Top said that anyone who goes through a fight and fought like Herman did, he doesn't have to go out. But Herman did go out one more time and that was with me when we had a fobar mission in the Ashau Valley to blow up some bridges. Anyway, I wanted to set the record straight. I know this a little long and alot of years have passed, and I don't know who will actually read this, but I pray for only the best for Herman and that he gets the credit he deserved.

It was my privilege to have known Frank Johnson while serving with him in Vietnam. There were many times we set across from each other on our bunks and thanked God we were still alive. Frank indeed was a warrior and a man of great courage but there was also another side that was warm kind and gentle. A man that would take the time to listen to your problems, to help you when you were down and to support you when you needed a friend. This book is an accurate accountant of places and events that took place as seen through the eyes of Frank Johnson.With great pleasure I recommend you read this book. It is a supreme insight into what it was like for a 19 your old to have been exposed to the horrors of war. Burgess Wetta

This book really gives you the first hand account on what happen day by day to this soldier. What a great history lesson. It isn't soften down by someones memories of the Vietnam War but gives you the actual feelings that happen on that day. I find that when I am reading I get lost in the moment and feel like I am right in the jungle with this soldier. I was only 10 yrs old little girl when this was taking place. I looked up my birthday because I wanted to see what this guy was doing on that day when I was celebrating my birthday. Gave me a strange feeling. Thank you to ALL the war veterans who have fought for our freedom.

There's no fluff or hot air because Johnson basically wrote this while in-country, which makes trusting his word a no-brainer. He spares nothing, especially those whom he served with; he's not afraid to say what he thinks. All too often, time changes the perception of the author from how they thought and felt during war, into what they now think and feel.

I must also commend Johnson for coming forward with a review that set the record straight about Herman Brown and the events that unfolded on 11 January 1970 - that takes character.

Otherwise, it was a fast read, but if you're not familiar with how the LRRPs operated, you may want to start with a book that provides more explaination.

A LRRP'S YEAR IN A COMBAT ZONE...This was an excellent book. I just bought the book 2 days ago, and just finished it tonight. I had to read it every chance I got. The hell these guys went through, detailed explicitly in this book, is amazing. The honor and courage that these men showed, went above and beyond the call of duty. Definitely a must read, especially for those who have been in the military, and especially for those who have seen combat...it has certainly brought back memories for me.....

I found the book to be very informative to what Frank Johnson witnessed, felt , and recorded for possible furture use. After thirty-one and a half years, he has given use the opportunity to share those memories on an almost day to day account of his life with the Rangers in Vietnam. Along with all the other LRRP books, this is another one for those that like to read about LRRPs during the Vietnam Era. It will be difficult to lay this book down, like most that I have read.

This book is what it says it is- a diary. In some of the early passages the information was so sparse I was wondering how this became a major publication. But, that is what makes it a time capsule and historical. Mr. Johnson could have used this book as a basis for a memoir or novel but he published it as he lived it, and no sugar coating or after thought editing. I've read a number of Vietnam recon/ranger type books and I think this the best and most important. In the 1980's I was an army Paratrooper and we held the Vietnam War LRRP/Rangers in awe, although what exactly they did was kind of murky to us. The novel "Tiger The Lurp Dog" changed that and this book validates what we, than young troopers, felt we knew.

As a former recon soldier under the rather more peaceful setting of an European conscript army, though also with experience of military service in a somewhat "hotter" setting though not in a reccie capacity, I find any sort of documentation relating to "the art of reconaissance interesting.

Be it the Reconaissance corps of the WW-2 British army, Finnish army LRRP of WW-2, the role of recce forces in the Israeli/Arab wars of post WW-2 or the rolle of recce forces during the Vietnam war.

This book is unique in that it's based on a diary written from fresh impressions and memory of the described events, during the authors service with 101st abd. L coy. rangers LRRP-unit.

It is also, indirectly perhaps, gives a good insight to what I suspect was the still not fully matured mindset of a young soldier in his early 20's, in that most expressions in the book appears to have been left as they were originaly put on paper by the author in his Vietnam war diary. With no sort of post-polishing.

This leaving of expressions as they were once written, is "the thing" about this book that gives it that little "extra" when compared with other Vietnam LRRP memoires.

I was wanting to hear more about personal experience of combat in Vietnam.

I wanted to compare my own experiences and found what I was looking for!

I would perhaps have liked the Author to elaborate more on Practices and Procedures and lessons learnt!

Could you guys please get the name of the book listed correctly, at the top of your listing for it? The subtitle is not "A Lurp's Year in the Combat Zone", it is "A LRRP's Year in the Combat Zone".

Please do not post my review; I have not read the book, so my guess of four stars is just a guess. This was just the easiest way I could think of to notify you that you need to correct the name of the book on your site.