Eagle Days: A Marine Legal/Infantry Officer in Vietnam [Hardcover]

Mr. Donald W. Griffis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 28, 2007

Much has been written about America’s war in Vietnam, and an enduring and troubling subtext is the composition of the body of soldiers that made up the U.S. troop deployment: from the initially well-trained and disciplined group of largely elite units that served in the mid-sixties to what has been termed an “armed mob” by the end of that decade and into the early 1970s. Drug use, insubordination, racial antagonism that often became violent, theft and black market dealing, and even “fragging” (murder of officers and senior noncoms by disgruntled troops) marred the record of the U.S. military presence. Don Griffis served in the twin roles of legal officer charged at various times with the task of both defending and prosecuting servicemen, while at the same time leading combat patrols in “search and destroy” missions against the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese enemy. Eagle Days is a remarkable account of Griffis’ personal record of experiencing what the military should do best—meet, engage, and defeat the enemy—and what it becomes when esprit de corps, discipline, and a sense of purpose decay.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“As a former Marine officer who served a tour in Vietnam from 1967–68 with the 3rd Marine Division below the DMZ, I found the manuscript extremely interesting. At times, I found it hard to put down. The author is an excellent writer and storyteller. His writing style is crystal clear, interspersed with subtle witticisms that had me chuckling out loud. I got a good feel for the kind of Marine officer that he was—a wise decent sort with lots of common sense.”

—James P. Coan, author of Con Thien: Hill of Angels.

“The book is written with verve, humor, and poignancy and provides wonderful insight into a number of significant aspects of the Vietnam War.”

—Peter Maslowski, coauthor of For the Common Defense: A Military History of the United States of America.

About the Author

Don W. Griffis served in Vietnam as a U.S. Marine Corps legal officer and platoon leader in 1968–69, when that conflict was at its height, primarily in the heavily populated coastal Da Nang region. He is now a practicing attorney in San Angelo, Texas.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: University Alabama Press; 1 edition (September 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0817315780
• ISBN-13: 978-0817315788
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,877,398 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Eagle Days, February 28, 2011

By 

Kenny Lane (NC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Eagle Days: A Marine Legal/Infantry Officer in Vietnam (Hardcover)

Eagle Days was an interesting look at the Vietnam war from a Marine officer with primary duties 'behind the line' and additional dutys organizing local patrols. The book focused less on actual combat than other memoirs but the insight into the attempt to maintain discpline through the military legal system was an area I enjoyed learning about.

5.0 out of 5 stars Eagle Days is great account of a young Marine's war experience, September 20, 2007

By 

Circle C (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Eagle Days: A Marine Legal/Infantry Officer in Vietnam (Hardcover)

Very interesting book about a young Marine's experiences in Viet Nam. Written as a journal it gives a unique perspective on a soldier's daily challenges during war. Author Griffis's role as both a defense counsel and a prosecuter exposes us to some of the lesser known trials and tribulations that soldiers encounter during war time. It also does a good job of showing the sacrifices that soldiers are more than willing to make when called upon to do so by their country.

4.0 out of 5 stars An Intriguing Look, September 18, 2007

By 

S. Pare - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Eagle Days: A Marine Legal/Infantry Officer in Vietnam (Hardcover)

Written in journal entries, "Eagle Days" is an interesting look at the day-to-day life of a man at war. One would expect that such a book might be dry as West Texas land, but Mr. Griffis has written with wry humor that lets one see the young man behind the uniform. Overall, I recommend the book not only for those who have been to war, but for those who have not. The name of war has changed, but not the pride and bravery of the soldier who fights it.