Project Omega: Eye of the Beast (Hellgate Memories Vietnam War) [Paperback]

James E. Acre (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 1999 | Series: Hellgate Memories Vietnam War

Green Beret Sergeant James Acre's story is different than most. He chose to quit college and join the Army. After pushing his way through grueling Special Forces training, he eventually found himself reporting into the 5th Special Forces Group at Nha Trang, South Vietnam.

He was then assigned to one of the most elite behind-the-line strike forces --- the highly secret Special Operations Group, Command and Control South (CCS). This was a small, tightly knit group of men who hoped that they would be fortunate enough to defy death yet one more day.

This is not a diary, but instead a cathartic assemblage of the pieces to the story that has never left Ernie Acre's memory. With honesty that some may find politically incorrect and displeasing, Acre allows you to see inside the Recon Company --- a unit that few ever knew existed --- and walk among some of the finest soldiers ever to wear the Green Beret.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"CNN tried its level best to dishonor the reputation of the brave men of Special Operations Group... Ernie Acre's beautifully written and accurate portrayal of some of the actions that noble unit will allow the reader to see how these daring young men made accomplishing the impossible routine and to also set the record straight." - -- David Hackworth, Author of About Face and Hazardous Duty

About the Author

James E. (Ernie) Acre attended Wichita State University as an honors student. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968, where he trained in Special Operations and Intelligence. He served in Viet Nam with a reconnaissance unit, Command and Control South, MACV Studies and Observations Group, 5th Special Forces (Airborne). He was one of the first of the few soldiers to make a night infiltration combat parachute jump into enemy controlled territory inside Cambodia. Mr. Acre was awarded Vietnamese Jump Wings, Combat Infantryman's Badge, two Bronze Stars, and Vietnamese Crosses of Gallantry with Silver Star and with Palm. He worked in the construction industry for over twenty years afterward, and now resides in a small town in western Kansas.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: Hellgate Press (August 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1555715117
• ISBN-13: 978-1555715113
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #330,950 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #81 in Books > History > Military > Regiments

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put it Down, September 14, 2002

By 

Kathleen Shea (New London, CT United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Project Omega: Eye of the Beast (Hellgate Memories Vietnam War) (Paperback)

This book was so honest and straight forward. It helped me so much to understand the thoughts, emotions and actions of the "Recon Man". John Plaster's book "SOG" was good too, as it helped me understand the more technical aspects of their military life but Mr. Acre's book was able to put a more "human face" to these incredibly heroic and dangerous missions. I really liked his stark and unassuming portrayal of life as a soldier in and out of the field.

Having had a relationship with a decorated MACSOG veteran I can only say this book was able to shed a sliver of light into his 30 plus years of tightly guarded and assume painful and suppressed memories. It is of great interest to me how some men can share the same or similar traumatic experiences and come back to live productive and fulfilling lives while others follow a self destructive path and turn to alcohol and drugs to medicate and suppress their memories.

Mr. Acre I hope you will write more accounts of your experiences in Nam. It is about time Americans come to appreciate all veterans for their sacrifices and and heroism in the line of duty but particularly to those men of MACSOG because they were never recognized or honored and so little is known about who they are and what they did for our country.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars AS IT WAS, July 13, 2001

By 

Kenneth R. Quackenbush (Vicksburg, Mississippi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Project Omega: Eye of the Beast (Hellgate Memories Vietnam War) (Paperback)

I had the privilage to serve with Ernie at CCS 69/70, as a medic. The book he has written is honest and sincere, as well as accurate, while time blurs some memories, and erases names from ones memory, Ernie has done a respectable job. His depiction is based at the ground level and is what Viet Nam was to him running recon not just deep in enemy territory, but in their back yard. While Ernie had frogetten my name, he did me the honor of devoting almost one whole chapter to an action the we were both involved in. I was the medic that went in to recover the crew of the downed gunship, and the body of the dead door gunner. As I stated this book is accurate. The reason his recon team was not able to reach the downed bird, was there were just to many NVA in the base camp he had located. Based on my perception the camp was battalion size or larger. The only error that I found is that I did not carry the dead door gunner up a rope ladder, I was not quite that strong.

It should also be fully understood that it seems as each individual fought in a some what different war. Those of us that served in Viet Nam in special operations fought a far different war that those who served in conventional line units, just as flying as a chase medic was far different than being on the ground as a team member. Yet each produced its own set of bone chilling terrors and nightmares. If you chose to read this book you will see a very real depiction of some of what it was like to run recon in Cambodia, and understand that when the FAC, the slicks and gunships, and me a chase medic went home for a beer, (not to denigrate the FAC's air crews, they kept us alive). The recon teams in CCS were on there own, and the next morning too many very brave friends never were heard from again.

If there are any errors in this book the cause is time, misunderstanding, of events at the time of particular events. The officers and men of CCS did the jobs they were called upon to do at the time. If you want to read a book about cross border recon, written by a man that has not written a war story, then you should read this book, Ernie did not sugar coat the rough edges, or add to the events to make for a better WAR STORY.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Project Omega: Eye of the Beast, by James E. Acre, November 20, 2002

By 

James W. Burns (Navarre, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Project Omega: Eye of the Beast (Hellgate Memories Vietnam War) (Paperback)

I have just finished reading Ernie's book and found it fascinating. I flew "Green Hornet" slick, right gun and inserted and extracted teams in 67-68 from FOB II (CCC) and Ban Me Thuot (CCS). Jerry Shriver led one of the teams I supported, and I had many exciting and terrifying times extracting him and his team. While I was there before Ernie, his descriptions of his experiences run parallel to the experiences of teams I supported. Through the words in his book, I could again feel the experiences I had while supporting men like Ernie. I have always had the utmost respect for the SOG teams and the unbelievable missions they undertook. In this war, these teams were the ultimate definition of the word "Warriors". There is a saying between the men who have been there, which is-"would you go to the woods with this man". I would go to the woods with Ernie!