Customer Reviews

Tank Sergeant

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

 

 

This is one of the better books about armor in Vietnam. If you want to know what it was like to ride one of these steel beasts in the heat of Vietnam, driving into the teeth of the enemy fire and destroy the enemy face to face, this is the book. He tells it like he saw it, with little or no embellishment. If you are a tanker, then this is a great book for you.

I would give it a 5 if it were better written, but some places his editor should have taken a hand in the final product.

Tank Sergeant is a very readable account of what it was like to be a tanker in Vietnam. If you are familiar with tank operations in previous wars, you'll be surprised by their use in Vietnam. Good coverage of AFV use as well. Highly recommended.

Great book. Fun read as well, not dark, not brooding, these guys fought hard, and had some fun as well.

Some highlights will have you rolling, like when a brand new M-48A3 is delivered the LST, puts the ramp down on a sand bar and the whole tank sinks as it drives in. Total loss.

Another interesting part is the story of the M-48 that runs of a 1000 pound bomb turned into a mine. They get it running and drive it home.

I would simply say that this book was written by a person who was there and pulled no punches in telling his story. Overall he tells it like it was in a simple honest and easy to read way. If you want to find out what it was like to fight from a M48A3 tank during the Vietnam war, this is the book to read. I highly recommend it for anybody interested in tank warfare, the Vietnam war or for the military history buff. Having been in an armor unit, although after the war I can tell this guy was there and talking about in the most honest way. I'm glad he left out some of the more gory details, it was not necessary to go into that much detail to get his point across. It was easy to fill-in the blanks on many things, he did it the right way, with discretion. If you want a little John Wayne it's there but in a truthful way, these men had courage.

Not only an excellent read for all AFV fans, but should serve as a guide on how commanders should treat their men ( especially read the part about the visiting engineer unit that worked on their defences )