Customer Reviews

The Walking Dead: A Marine's Story of Vietnam

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This book, although interesting reading, is replete with historical inaccuracies. The writers, both Tulsa Police Officers, "borrowed" a title belonging to another unit - that of the FIRST BATTALION, NINTH MARINES. Roberts writes of his service with the Second Battalion and Third Battalion, and even talks of those unit's nicknames, "Hell in a Helmet" (2/9) and "Shadow Warriors" (3/9). There are very few Vietnam Marines living who do not know that "The Walking Dead" was indeed 1/9.

The books title gives a false impression that he served in one of the most famous infantry battalions in the Marine Corps. His book is fiction and self-flattering.

Roberts & Sasser's accounting of the Morley Safer incident at Cam Ne don't match up with the actual incident either. Although 2/9 did operate in that area, it was Delta Company of 1/9 (not 2/9 as Roberts states) that entered the village on the day described in his book. I would know because I was there at the time.

When reserching Roberts claims of being a Marine Sniper I found a website with a photo of his "donated" uniform to an alma mater of his. The uniform had a Rifle "Sharpshooter" marksmanship badge on it along with Vietnam Service Ribbons. I never heard of a "Sharpshooter", or anyone less than a qualified Marine Rifle "Expert" qualifyer ever being selected to be a Marine Sniper either.

I don't recommend this book to ANYONE interested in an accurate war novel. This book is not about the famed "Walking Dead" as it's title implies. I am throwing away my copy.

Throughout the history of the United States Marine Corps, officers and enlisted alike have consistently distinguished themselves, through altruistic and heroic acts of courage on the battlefield. During America's involvement in the Vietnem War, 1st Battalion 9th Marines, Third Marine Division, nicknamed The Walking Dead, was no exception to this tradition. One Nine's roster is replete with names of men who earned numerous senior personal decorations for bravery and valor, often at the cost of their lives. Unfortunately, costs were high during the War in RVN, as evidenced by more than 440 of the Walking Dead killed in action and over 2500 wounded in action.

In their book, The Walking Dead: A Marines Story of Vietnam, Major Craig Roberts, USA ret. and former Green Beret medic, Charles W. Sasser, advance a story of the heroic exploits of Pfc. Craig Roberts. The story takes place in 1965 when Roberts was serving a tour with 3rd Battalion 9th Marines and 2nd Battalion 9th Marines, Third Marine Division. This book was written to appeal to non-Marine, non-Vietnam veterans, who are not concerned with historical accuracy and are not offended by Roberts disingenuous self aggrandizement.

Roberts betrays his lack of affiliation with The Walking Dead by refering to it as 2nd Battalion 9th Marines. One would be hard pressed to find a Marine Vietnam veteran who doesn't know that The Walking Dead is the First Battalion of the Ninth Marines and not the Second Battalion. This might seem trivial to non-Marine readers, but it would be equivalent, in the sports world, to Joe Montana, writing a book about his career and insisting that he played for the San Francisco Raiders. Roberts and Sasser also advance the non sequitor bovine scat that during his tour, Pfc. Roberts was not only a marine rifleman, but also a sniper, and recon team leader. Other than these representations, it's an interesting read that should be in the fiction section at Amazon.com.

Amazon.com has some exemplary books on the various unit participation in the Vietnam War at great prices. I would recommend to readers interested in the factual history of that war, to save their money on The Walking Dead and instead buy some of the following selections: SOG by John L. Plaster, Marine Sniper by Charles Henderson, Inside Force Recon:Recon Marines in Vietnam by Michael Lee Lanning and Ray William Stubee, and Never Without Heroes: Marine Third Reconnaissance Battalion in Vietnam 1965-70 by Lawrence C. Vetter.

Mr. Roberts attempts to capture the essence of the Vietnam combat experience for the noncombatant reader, which can't be done. One has to live it to really understand it. Simply ask any Vietnam Vet and they will tell you...Only those who've "been there" can understand. I find it extrememly difficult to believe that Mr. Roberts lead a recon team, served as a sniper, advised a CAC team of ARVN Rangers, and was shot down and rescued... all in one tour, and as only a PFC. I would rate the book as a work based on limited historical fact, mixed with large doses of personal fictional embellishments designed to entice the reader to purchase more of the author's works. By the way, it was 1/9 who were "The Walking Dead".

Robert J. Syler
Master Chief Petty Officer, USNR RETIRED
Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines
Combat Corpsman 1966-'67

This book is fiction and probably, as Pittaway says, "Entertaining". It is not historically accurate and should be listed with other works of fiction.

Five people reviewed the book ahead of me: Pittaway is a professional reviewer and found the book entertaining but could not be expected to know anything about the subject. He is unqualified to argue the historical accuracy of it.

Bill Weidenbacher titled his review "Too much hype" and expressed serious doubts as to the accuracy of it. Bill was there. He would know.

"Reader" is unwilling to stand behind his/her opinions so cannot be taken seriously.

David Anderson labeled his review "The Walking Dead: Misrepresented". Anderson got it right. The book may be a good read as fiction but should be labeled as such.

"Reader" again posting something he/she is unwilling to take credit for. Disregard it.

Five reviews - one (Pittaway) from a reviewer who, admittedly, knows nothing of the facts surrounding the controversy:

Two (Reader & Reader) which seem to be someone from the publisher's office writing unsubstantiated hype to boost sales.

Two from men of Honor and Integrity who know what they are talking about - they both label it as interesting fiction. I add my voice to theirs.

My criteria for any book is simple. The writing must be excellent. The story must be plausible. And the subject has to be absorbing. This book satisfies my requirements and gets 5 stars.

I was in the military and served in Vietnam. The information in this book is consistent with my experiences and the experiences depicted in similar books about Vietnam. I cant argue if Roberts wuz or wuznt in the Walking Dead Battalion. I dont know. I do know that me and my friends from Vietnam argue about events we experienced together. I served several weeks with one outfit in Vietnam, but was never formally assigned to that unit. Consequently, I dont get invited to their reunions. I spent exactly two weeks in still another outfit, was formally assigned to it, and can tell you almost nothing about it. Some of my friends had similar experiences. They were volunteered for temporary duty elsewhere, and there is no formal record of it. So the issue of "assignment" is irrelevant to me.

These guys stole a proud name belonging to the First Battalion Ninth Marines and used it for their own greed to make money.... this book is a bunch of made up things and or stories they heard from others..... don't buy

The Vietnam war had many faces: boredom, chaos, naked fear -- and many things no man should see or do. However, some of us are chosen anyway, and the author takes us on his journey with the 1st Bn. 9th Marines early in the war when much of the American effort was focused on "Vietnamization" and the Marine Combined Action Company (CAC) effort.
Roberts style is gritty, earthy, and personal -- a narrative style that fits the actions and people he worked with on operations, and living day to day in what Marines kindly referred to as the "armpit of the world" (and sometimes other body parts).
This reviewer served with Delta Company of the Walking Dead in 1967 when the action had moved to the DMZ area where we fought regular NVA and the 90th VC regiment integrated within the NVA command structure. Therefore, much of the VC related activity that Roberts reveals were non-existent in I Corps area. However, war is the same since fear and death are the same, no matter the conflict. Roberts was able to paint the reality of living and dying in war so effectively that the reviewer felt as though he we there again.
There seems to be one nit in the book. Professional historians have pegged the term "The Walking Dead" as originating with General Vo Nyugen Giap when referring to the Marines "trapped" at Khe Sahn, much later than Roberts relates. The author was at Khe Sahn several times, and while he was often scared, he nor any of his fellow Marines felt that it would be another Dien Bien Phu.
Bravo for The Walking Dead -- both the book, and the men who served in "1/9".

I'll not take issue with some of the designated units, locations and operations - I was not there and apparently many of the reviewers are familiar with some of the facts discussed by the authors and there is an area for dispute. However, I viewed the writing as accurate regarding emotions, procedures, C-Rats, and the 'brotherhood' of the Corps. I always enjoy and appreciate that the Marines do battle not for ribbons and medals, but for each other. To me, it is the purest of feelings/concepts that warriors can go into battle knowing their backs are covered, and no one is going to bug out when the heat turns up. It was a war of attrition in many ways, and if the enemy didn't get you, the parasites and leeches would take a toll - I can just imagine how hungry and terrible the mosquitoes would have been in the swamps and rice paddies, and scary to know that they carry malaria. Did I mention all the one-step poisonous vipers? There was no routine eight-hour day - 40-hours week. It was non-stop. One minute you were living a boring existence in camp, and an hour later, wondering if a sniper would take you out as your tranvassed a hill. These young men fought hard and well, and were a credit to America. Semper fi...

There is more embellishment in this tall tale of a book. Like was said in one of the other reviews....to do all that was said and done in one tour as a Pfc is more fictional than truth. Don't waste your time and more important don't waste the 97 cents for a used one. I personally was in Vietnam in 1965-66 starting with Fox Company 2/9 for a little over two months and was transferred to Bravo 1/9 as a Pfc.
Again, there are Marines that served in 2/9 and 3/9 lay claim to the (WALKING DEAD). A few years ago in a buisness in Phoenix there in the office was a Walking Dead sticker. I asked the owner who he was with and he said 2/9. So you will always have the wanabees and I informed him that 2/9 has no connection with the Walking Dead. Nuff said. Get a life and if you write another book maybe it should be fiction??

Liam Jones
USMC

ACTA NON VERBA

I liked this story about Vietnam. The author spent some time in Vietnam during the early phase of the war (1965-66). What struck me was the comradely focus of his experience. He depended upon his buddies. The Vietnam population was pro-Communist in his sector. Sasser was enraged when the civilian population watched the progress of Marines through their villages and waited for the booby traps to spring. It is no wonder that certain soldiers held grudges against the population when the time came. He was in one village where Cronkite was broadcasting as Marines fired the town. What one didn't see in this village was the weapons cache found in the tunnels and bunkers under the town.

This is one man's experience of the war in its early phases. I liked this very much even though some of the stories are not for some people. This is an interesting read.