Customer Reviews

Ghosts of Thua Thien: An American Soldier's Memoir of Vietnam

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

 

 

I am a Board Member of the Military Writers Society of America, and author of The Angel From Vietnam.

I spent four years in Vietnam and hope I know more about the war, the troops, the Vietnamese, than the average person who was there for a one year tour of duty and just wanted out. I've read many books on the war and must truthfully say that I was not really looking forward to reviewing another "war book". Too many of them, to me, have been repetitive, predictable, and full of clichés.

The cover of the book features a photo of a combat assault somewhere near the DMZ (demilitarized zone). I thought to myself, `here we go again'.

I was blown away by this book. Finally something noticeably different. John Nesser was no hero in his eyes, but did heroic things. He was absolutely able to capture the truth about this most understood of wars. John had reservations about the war, but conducted himself as a true patriot and soldier of the highest commendation; and he did so humbly, and with compassion. Too many books portray endless day-to-day combat, and that was just not what happened. The author skillfully details the boredom, the day-to-day drudgery, the missteps and the Peter Principle that, if we could reach a certain level of incompetence, Vietnam was no different.

The American soldier is portrayed as he was, the good, bad, and the ugly, but certainly soldiers who redeemed themselves when they needed to be counted on. Certainly far more commendable soldiers who were so much different than portrayed in today's movies and stereotypes.

There are personal photos and a few maps, but the glory of this read is in the author's wonderful writing. I will be submitting this wonderful book for top honors in its category for 2008.

I served in another battalion of the 101st Airborne at the same time and area as John Nesser, and I can testify to the realistic picture he describes of the daily life of a grunt. The A Shau Valley and DMZ were particularly rough and dangerous areas, and John captures the feeling of these places. His description of the day-to-day details of a grunt's life is one of the best I've read.

I have known John for over 30 years, as a good friend and neighbor. After reading this excellent book i realized that i didn't really know John and what he went through in Vietnam. Once i started reading The Ghosts of Thua Thien i found it hard to put down. It is one of the best written books about a soldier's experience from growing up in Central Wisconsin,college,a new family man and being drafted in the Army. His experiences in basic training,to combat in Vietnam and his returning home to live a normal life. John is a very quiet person I know it must have been difficult to relive these good and bad experiences. He brings them to life in this book for you to relive with him. Thanks John for writing this book! Terry

John Nessser takes the reader on a journey through hell as he tells of his personal experience as a soldier in the infamous 101st Airborne Division which suffered the 3rd highest mortality rates during the Vietnam War. Nesser brings his mid-Western upbringing to Vietnam... duty, Country and values that were instilled in him as a young boy growing up in Wisconisn. He loses part of himself in Vietnam as he faces the harsh realities of this War. This is a remarkable journey to hell and back told with honesty and great courage. Nesser is a hero but probably would not look at himself this way. This is a struggle for the soul of the Author and is a must read if you want to experience daily life in Vietnam during that terrible war. I could not put this book down.