Customer Reviews

Vietnam 1968-1969

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This book by Dr. Byron E. Holley is a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning about the soldier's personal experiences in Vietnam. His personal accounts of nearly everyday ocourances while on his Tour Of Duty is so insightful. When I read this book it was like being there or being the relative who received the letters home from Vietnam. This book and its account of daily events on Dr. Holley's Tour freezes ones mind in time. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

This awe-inspiring book reminds us of a war that some of us may have forgotten and other would like to. The words that Dr. Holley uses to describe his fears,concerns, and disgust with the war is a chilling reminder to us all. Dr. Holley tells his story in 1968-69 real-time by incorporating letters to his sweetheart and his parents. The book begins with Dr. Holley receiving that wonderful letter from Uncle Sam stating that his medical services are needed so that his country maybe served, through his one year tour-of-duty including his experiences with Col. Hackworth. You will hear this story from a man, a true man, who has saved countless lives and lives to tell about it. Dr. Holley captures his audience in this must-read for any person that survived his or her nightmares. This is simply a must-read.

I much enjoyed Holley's "A Battle Surgeon's Journal". Holley gives you a feel for the chaos of the "patch-'em-up-and-dust-'em-off" that was his job with the 4/39th of the 9th Infantry Division. Taken from the letters to his wife and to his parents, Holley doesn't pull any punches telling it like it was. However, when he transferred to the 218th Medical Dispensary near Saigon, Holley glosses over the day-to-day happenings which occurred there. Perhaps, after being in the field and working with people the likes of Col. David Hackworth, Holley thought that the "REMF" life at the 218th wouldn't interest his readers. Up until he transferred to the 218th, Holley's book is lively and full of incident; after the transfer, Holley complains of the personnel he has to work with and the "REMF" attitude that flourishes in the rear areas. A natural reaction when being spared from the meatgrinder that was the field in 'Nam, I would suppose. I would have liked to have learned more of the operations at the dispensary and what the REMFs (no offence, Byron) did with all their free time. Other than that, I thought it was an excellent book and recommend it to those seeking the medico's story of Vietnam

This awe-inspiring book reminds us of a war that some of us may have forgotten and others would like to. The words that Dr. Holley uses to describe his fears, concerns, and disgust with the war is a chilling reminder to us all. Dr. Holley tells his story in 1968-69 real-time by incorporating letters to his sweetheart and his parents. The book begins with Doc Holley receiving that wonderful letter from Uncle Sam stating that his medical services are needed so that his country may be served, through his one year tour-of-duty including his experiences with Col. Hackworth. You will hear this story from a man, a true man, who has saved countless lives and lives to tell about it. Dr. Holley captures his audience in this must-read for any person that survived his or her worst nightmare. This is simply a must read.

This book is on the "Recommended Reading List" of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 295, Indianapolis, Indiana

Doc Holley creates a vivid and detailed picture of Army Medicine in the Vietnam Era. Training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio to surgical proceedures in the middle of the Vietnamese rainforest you will follow Holley's journey as he performs some truly extraordinary tasks.

His commentary on the military in general are vivid depictions of what some of the conditions endured to provide medicine to Soldiers. While the times have changed if you want a depiction of what a doctor does in the Army this is a great read.

I would highly recommend that anyone interested in the Army, medicine, or history pick up the novel. Although Holley slows down in the latter half of the text due to his assignments the information he provides would benifit anyone that reads this book.

I'm a Vietnam Veteran. The book would be much better if the good doctor didnt whine so much. He's whines about everything. And when he isnt whining he's kissing David Hackworth's butt. I mean, I wanted to cry when the poor-baby doctor was compelled by the evil army to treat grunts rather than continue his medical education in a rear-area hospital. And when Doc Poor-Baby finally became a REMF, he whined about that, too.

Poor-Baby, MD whines about the endless hours of work yet has the time to write long, detailed letters to his girl-friend every day. This makes me suspicious of his veracity.

Officers of every stripe had lives of comparative ease and comfort in Vietnam. And they pulled 6 months in combat zones, not 12 like the grunts.