Customer Reviews

On Point

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Roger Hayes staring out of the cover reminded me of another face I used to see in the mirror thirty years ago. Mine. His recollections vividly re-create the memories of all who passed under the arched sign "Welcome to Tigerland. Home of the Combat Infantryman for Vietnam" at North Fort Polk, Louisiana. His succinct writing style makes it easy for the younger generation to experience from a safe distance the FNG experience (not knowing where he is or where he's going), the slow maturation that only comes from combat experience (you always remember the first dead human being), and the inevitable sadness of losing companions (you never forget them). His experiences as a mechanized infantry soldier also demonstrate the reason that this war in particular posed such a unique problem to our commanders. Because the APCs made so much of a racket, hot food was helicoptered in since the commanders assumed that the VC already knew where they were laagered (one of the essential rules of combat being ignored . . . that of noise discipline and of concealment). Looking back on his experience, I am sure he wonders how any of them ever survived. This book also opens the reader's eyes to the daily highs and lows of life in a combat zone, where beautiful, peaceful days would instantly change into a furious hell when the APC you were riding on exploded. A timely, easy book to read as we remember our friends and loved ones who, twenty-five years after the fall of Saigon, still occupy so much of our memories.

I was in the Army during the Vietnam war but stationed in Germany where I spent a good deal of discretionary time eating schnitzels and drinking beer and wine. Having been trained (I thought), and mentally prepared to go to vietnam, then having an easy tour in Europe left me with the feeling that I was something of a "slacker". I found Mr. Hayes's presentation of his personal experience as an infantryman very informative in its level of detail and for me, something of an elixir for my own memories of this episode in the American experience. Notwithstanding what I got out of the book, I would recommend it highly for the broadest audience having even a casual interest in this page of history. The level of detail in the author's recounting of his battlefield experiences gives the reader clues as to what it took to not only survive but to deal with the ever present death, carnage, and travails of fellow soldiers and the Vietnamese populace. I believe the book's presentation to be an outstanding balance of information, observations, and emotional impacts that I've not found in other readings. Mr. Hayes reveals himself as an individual having a measure of wisdom well beyond his tender age during the year in which he was tossed into this horrible crucible which defined his character and that of so many of his fellow heroes. Have no doubt that this group of soldiers, somewhat maligned in the past by misguided critics, was made up of individuals such as Hayes and his comrades--each with his own story--and represents patriotism on an order to match that of any past conflict. Mr. Hayes is a worthy spokesman for his fellow Vietnam war participants and veterans. His reporting skills are tempered with an uncommon sensitivity toward the anguish of all those touched by the war and the insight and ability to capture it for the reader. I think the book is unique in its perspective and has much to recommend it whether it is your first venture into Vietnam chronicles or your thirst to know what it was really like over there has not yet been slaked. In conclusion, my thanks to Mr. Hayes for providing this record and to him and his silent partners for answering the call and acquitting themselves on a par with all those having gone off to war in the past. An outstanding book.

There's a lot to like about this book. It's honest and direct and the author doesn't seem to have a big ego or an interest in trying to impress anyone. He simply recounts his year in Vietnam as he lived it. It's an interesting and informative piece of work. I found myself really liking the author. He seems like the kind of person you'd like to have in your family or in your neighborhood. I wonder why he didn't stay in the military. It seemed like a good fit for him and he seemed to have an aptitude for it and seemed to thrive on the experience.

I didn't give the book 5 stars because, understandably, the writing is not of the quality of a top writer. Maybe if the publisher had helped the author with this they could have put out an even better book and one worthy of a top rating. I also didn't like the author's avoidance of using profanity in quotes or wherever - it just seemed to make the account a little less real. Probably that hurt the book a little, but maybe made me like the author a little more as a nice person. Overall, I'd heartily recommend this book. It's not the best one I've read in this area, but it's well worthwhile.

I've read a dozen or so wartime autobiographies or accounts over the last year. They've covered the Civil War, Korean, WW1, WW2, and Somalia. This book is up there with the best of them. I enjoyed the author's factual descriptions and "non-political" slant. He was simply telling a story of what it was like to be there. It's certainly worth reading.

Roger Hayes gives a good description of what his life was like as an infantryman in Vietnam: describing training, combat, life in Vietnam and some infrequent R+R. If you want over-the-top writing (e.g. "Dispatches") this book is not for you. I appreciated the workman-like way in which Hayes writes; emotional involvement in his story requires some thought, reflection and a willingness to see and feel the war through his eyes. This is a good book and I am glad that he has written it.

This book is a very personal account of one man's year in Vietnam. I bought it because the author was a former Bobcat (5th Infantry regiment), a unit which was across the quad from me in 1972 at Schofield Barracks. I found myself sincerely enjoying the simplicity and honesty of this book. Being an ex-11B, it is clear to me the author knows exactly of what he speaks, and his recollections brought back many memories of my grunt days. This may not be the most action packed book you will ever read, but I would bet that those guys who really have lived the life of action would read this book and tell you how real it is.

As a former Army draftee (Medic) who served late during the Era 1969-1971 I was taken by the humility with which Roger Hayes writes about his experiences. He does not portray himself as a hero but simply as a victim of circumstance who accepted the challenge of being drafted and like many other draftees made the most of it. The book is written in simplistic term with occasional bits of GI lingo of that time dispersed throughout which also appealed to me. It was my privelige to serve with many other GI's the majority much like Roger Hayes. He does a good job of telling the story.

This reviewer has read dozens of first-person accounts of infantry combat in Vietnam, and ON POINT ranks among the best of them. Especially impressive are the author's descriptions of the many small details inherent in the life of a typical 'grunt' - details not normally covered in most books on this subject. For instance, in addition to his excellent tales of infantry combat, author Hayes also provides us with information about the average infantryman's weaponry, uniforms, equipment, additional duties, medical treatment, rations, and a host of other interesting subjects. Another plus is Hughes' avoidance of lengthy discussions about the politics of the Vietnam War. This makes ON POINT a welcome departure from the clear anti-war, anti-military bias that is so apparent in such books as 'A Rumor of War' and 'About Face.' However, ON POINT does have a few glitches. Chief among these is Hayes' claim that the Russian-designed AK-47 assault rifle fires the same ammunition as the American M14 rifle and M60 machine gun. That's absolutely untrue because of the differences in cartridge case length and chamber headspace dimensions between the Communist and American weapons. There are also many minor errors, such as referring to the Combat Infantryman's Badge as a 'medal'; the use of 'air force' instead of Air Force; a reference to Eric 'Burton' (instead of Eric Burdon) of the rock group The Animals; the omission of the M1911A1 .45-caliber pistol from a list of standard infantry weapons; and the constant incorrect use of the word 'rounds' instead of 'bullets' (i.e., "we could hear the rounds zing past us..."). Quite a few other small mistakes appear throughout the text, but these are overshadowed by the book's assets. Anyone with an interest in the Vietnam War from the infantryman's point of view will probably enjoy ON POINT.

Congress should pass a law that requires everyone who has seen the movie "Platoon," to read this book, and those who had voted the movie best picture of the year, to read it twice. "On Point" is good at keeping it simple, and it is a realistic depiction of life in a combat unit during the height of the Vietnam War, 1968-69. Its attention to the details of daily life and the recollections of firefights and incidents are impressive, given the detrimental effect time has on memory. Hayes must have kept a good supply of paper and pens in his track to write all those letters to his mother. That's an advantage mechanized grunts had.
Though the book reads like a field manual in places, it goes deep into the action and portrays it factually. It is very apparent at the outset of the book that Hayes is not a professional writer, but his skills improve as the book progresses, just as his skills and prowess in the field progressed over the 12 months he was in Vietnam. This makes the book come alive and seem very honest.
The autobiography lacks emotional reactions to the tragedies of combat that the author and his friends must have felt. It doesn't hint at any religious inclinations--the no-atheist-in-foxhole syndrome. But Hayes didn't deny having any, so maybe he did. Surely, he did deny that he smoked pot, drank booze, and went whore hounding. Why not touch on the most poignant thing about combat--the emotional response to life and death itself? The only really human response in the book is Hayes' reactions to life in the "world" after his return. Granted, Vietnam was not the hell that the movies and novels pretend it was. It was not as intense as the endless shelling of positions in WWI, the massive invasions in WWII, or the human wave attacks of Korea. But it was a series of continuous and pervasive firefights that gradually ate up the men in infantry units. This is the book's strong point. Vietnam was a war against time--days, weeks, months, years. The enemy counted its victories one dead soldier at a time. And we tried to do the same but failed.
Having served in Delta Company, 2d/27th Wolfhounds, a fellow battalion to the 1/5 Mech., during a similar time period, 5/68-3/69, I have to comment on a few misrepresentations made by the author. First, his statement that the mechanized infantry could stay in the field longer than regular infantry, because it could carry its own supplies on tracks, is incorrect. Both battalions of Wolfhounds were airmobile and were resupplied by helicopters daily. We got a hot breakfast and dinner in the field daily, and a fresh supply of ammo. In addition, being airmobile, we were always taking "eagle flights" and could be on top of enemy positions within minutes. Delta Company was in the field all the time and we had only one stand-down in Cu Chi during the ten months I was there, and that was for only 24 hours.
Hayes' comment that the Cao Dai priests in Tay Ninh were all VC is incorrect. The Cao Dai religion was a communist target just as much as any other religion. In fact, Cao Daism was (and still is), a syncretism and included Catholics, Buddhists, and Taoists. During the invasion of Tay Ninh City in August 1968 (Hayes was in heavy combat in Dau Tieng during this offensive), the NVA/VC invaded the Cao Dai and Buddhist temples and paraded monks through the streets of the city, using them as human shields. Most Wolfhounds who were in this battle can confirm this fact.
The "elephant grass" firefight changes from being a line to column formation without explanation. Also, I just can't buy Sgt. Long's ability to spot where mortar rounds would explode. If this incident took place totally in elephant grass, he wouldn't have been able to direct anyone anywhere, and no one would have been able to outrun a mortar round, no matter the flight time. My experience with mortar attacks was that the NVA would quickly decide on one target range and lay down a barrage from right to left, covering as wide an area as possible. If this is what Sgt Long was predicting, then I buy it.
One last comment about the mechanized infantry and armor units in Vietnam: they were a curse to the Wolfhounds. They were easy targets for enemy RPG rounds. They would at times cause friendly fire because of the wild traversing fire and range of their 50-caliber machine gun. They always telegraphed our moves. They were constantly slipping their tracks in the mud and blocking roads. And, they would drop us off and retreat for fear of getting hit, just as they did in Tay Ninh City, 20-21 August 1968.
For those interested in reading what it was like to be a Wolfhound in Vietnam (a ground-huggin' grunt), see "Traces of a Lost War," a novel by Richard Barone, also available on Amazon.com.

Traces of a Lost War

I agree with the reader from oklahoma, the author does a good job of describing his experiences and im sure vets and readers new to the genre will appreciate his detail on certain things but for a reader like me who has read tons of other vietnam memoirs this one seemed very devoid of emotion. The experiences of being wounded and seeing friends die are probably very vivid still in the mind of the author but he doesnt do an exceptional job in describing his emotions in a way that seems compelling to a reader whose read other memoirs like Suicide Charlie or A Rumor of War. Overall a good read still and the author is to be comended for his heroic actions in that war.