Year of the Horse: Vietnam-1st Air Cavalry in the Highlands 1965-1967 [Hardcover]

Kenneth D. Mertel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1997

This book is the day-by-day story of the Jumping Mustangs - 1st Ballalion, Airborne, 8th Cavalry, of the 1st Air Cavalry Division, written by the man who knows them best. 1st Air Cav Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Mertel. On 1 July 1965, at Fort Benning, Geo

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. (1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764301381
• ISBN-13: 978-0764301384
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #430,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Waste Your Time, March 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Year of the Horse: Vietnam-1st Air Cavalry in the Highlands 1965-1967 (Hardcover)

I was very disappointed with this book. I served with the First Cavalry during Desert Storm so when I saw this in my book store, I was immediately interested in it so I bought it.

There isn't any creative writing in this book and the author does not share with the reader his thoughts or opinions of his experiences. This is a simple rehashing of his daily diary that he kept while in Vietnam.

This makes for rather boring reading. I found this book to be very tedious reading and I forced myself to finish it as I spent $35 on it. I recently donated it to my local library as I knew that I wouldn't be picking it up again.

As a former member of the "First Team", I was very disappointed and recommend to any reader that he or she would be wise to spend their money elsewhere.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Some superb "Air Cav'" reading..., March 28, 2010

By 

flagday1960 (St.Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Year of the Horse: Vietnam-1st Air Cavalry in the Highlands 1965-1967 (Hardcover)

I won't begrudge the previous reviewer his opinion, but I did not find the book dry, in fact even if you flip through it, you see all manner of assessment, adaptations, etc. -- after all, the subtite is: "Air Cavalry: A New Kind of War--You Learned as You Fought".

I found the author's telling of his story to be descriptive & illustrative.

I don't believe the author ever did intend to produce a grand sweeping socio-political analysis of the war or the era, so if he set out instead to convey what he experienced as a participant in fledgling heliborne air assault warfare.

4.0 out of 5 stars Year of the Horse, September 21, 2011

By 

artymedic - See all my reviews

This review is from: Year of the Horse: Vietnam-1st Air Cavalry in the Highlands 1965-1967 (Hardcover)

I read this book twenty years ago and loved it. I was a combat medic during the late sixties, serving only in Europe and stateside; however, I truly enjoyed reading about the "new warfare" as exhibited by the air cav in Viet Nam. I was engaged by Col. Mertel's combat intelligence, and put-in-the-moment when he talked about the "mad-minute" at the perimeter of the base camp; or the hot huey landings at an lz; or the seemingly senseless combat that would result in taking certain ground, only to pull back at the end of the battle and allow the VC or RVN's to come back in. I am reminded of Gen. Patton's comment (in the movie) when asked if he shouldn't pull back and regroup. He replied, "I don't like paying for the same real estate twice."

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the history of warfare, the emergence of tactical air combat troops, or the Viet Nam era (especially those who thought our presence there was worthless).

I found this book to be much better story than the movies "Full Metal Jacket," "Apocalypse Now," or "Platoon." Better in the sense that it does not sensationalize war nor dwell on the violence or the negative aspects of war. War is hell - that is true - and the world would be a much better place without it, but when push comes to shove, thank God for the dedicated troopers who put their lives on the line for us back home.