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Rites of Passage: Odyssey of a Grunt Mass Market Paperback – August 28, 2001

by Robert Peterson (Author)

17 customer reviews

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A raw, powerful account of an infantryman’s life during wartime– complete with all the horrors and the heroism . . .

Robert Peterson arrived in Vietnam in the fall of 1966, a young American ready to serve his country and seize his destiny. What happened in that jungle war would change his life forever. Peterson vividly relives the tense patrols in the Viet Cong-infested Central Highlands, the fierce firefights along the Cambodian border, the ambushes and enemy charges. Daily he and his fellow grunts put their lives on the line, forced to follow orders blindly from higher-ups solely interested in reaping their personal glory.

Yet out of the deadly hell of Vietnam came a brotherhood–forged in blood and courage, sacrifice and survival–of men who continuously risked their lives for one another, whatever the odds. Rites of Passage is a shining testament to their valor.

Rites of Passage: Odyssey of a Grunt

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Editorial Reviews

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A raw, powerful account of an infantryman?s life during wartime? complete with all the horrors and the heroism . . .

Robert Peterson arrived in Vietnam in the fall of 1966, a young American ready to serve his country and seize his destiny. What happened in that jungle war would change his life forever. Peterson vividly relives the tense patrols in the Viet Cong-infested Central Highlands, the fierce firefights along the Cambodian border, the ambushes and enemy charges. Daily he and his fellow grunts put their lives on the line, forced to follow orders blindly from higher-ups solely interested in reaping their personal glory.

Yet out of the deadly hell of Vietnam came a brotherhood?forged in blood and courage, sacrifice and survival?of men who continuously risked their lives for one another, whatever the odds. Rites of Passage is a shining testament to their valor.

About the Author

Robert Peterson grew up near the town of Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. In the fall of 1966 he joined the army and was sent to Vietnam where he saw combat as an infantryman. A series of promotions saw Peterson rise to the rank of staff sergeant. In August 1967, he was seriously wounded by friendly fire from American gunships, leaving him a paraplegic. Robert Peterson passed away in 1994.

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Product details

Mass Market Paperback: 576 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books; 1st Ballantine Books ed edition (August 28, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0345446941
ISBN-13: 978-0345446947
Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 1.2 x 6.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.8 ounces
Average Customer Review: 17 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,212,993 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1170 in Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Leaders & Notable People > Military > Vietnam War
- #1713 in Books > History > Military > United States > Veterans
- #3514 in Books > History > Military > United States > Vietnam War

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

5 star		76%
4 star		12%
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Top customer reviews

I'll never smile again

ByP. Kelleyon December 21, 2002

Format: Audio CassetteVerified Purchase

An incredibly detailed, truthful, moving, and painful personal account of war as experienced by a front line soldier in the Vietnam War.
This book was obviously written from extensive notes taken by the author when he had the time in the field to write down his feelings and experiences. For reasons of his own, the book was not published until after his death in April 1994.
This book will have immense meaning to anyone who has experienced the hell of war, as well as, anyone who wishes to understand the sacrifices our fighting men and women in battle must endure. President Bush and his top advisors should read this book before they send our treasured youth to fight another war. If those in positions of highest political authority, after reading Sgt. Peterson's war memoir, still decide we must go to war then they will understand we must fight the war to the finish with the best military tactics and strategies available not hindered and defined by vague political considerations.
I recommend this book to all. I sincerely thank Mr. and Mrs. Peterson for their service to our country.

22 comments 13 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Good book.

ByThomas Lyons Pratt Books Art Photographyon May 3, 2014

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

Good book. I am researching stories about the "grunt's" in the Vietnam. My youngest Carey, brother was a Staff Sergeant, and squad leader there. The helicopter in which he was a passenger was shot down and he died in a field hospital near Da Nang two days later.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Rites of Passage

ByStephanieon November 29, 2012

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I am only reading this book because it tells my brother's story while there in Viet Nam (he is in the book), and he wanted me to read it. I struggle with war stories of any kind, but need to know what he experienced. He has suffered with very bad health these past ten years, not to mention the PTSD once he returned home.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

ByJerry H Stephenson July 15, 2017

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Outstanding book on Vietnam.

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Five Stars

ByErnest Lariviereon December 20, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Great honest and truthful experience of an Infantry grunt in Vietnam.

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Five Stars

Bydean hansenon March 20, 2016

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

Great book, since Bullet Bob is from my hometown.

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Five Stars

Bybill edmonon November 21, 2014

Format: Mass Market PaperbackVerified Purchase

perfect!

0Comment One person found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

EXCELLENT Read!

ByR. Nelsonon December 27, 2013

Format: Hardcover

I have read many, many books on the soldier's experience of Viet Nam trying to gain a perspective of what others experienced there. My one year tour in the support of Air Force operations was far different from soldiers in the other services. Most of the books are written based on Army and Marine Corps special operations personnel. I chose to read this one because it looked like it reflected the experiences of an Army draftee who chose to spend his time as a line company Army soldier, the core of our military combat operations in Viet Nam. I was not disappointed with my choice! It gave me a view of the Viet Nam war I had not truly understood in depth before. As other reviewers have stated and restated the positive aspects of reading Pete's story I can only heartily agree and state that yes, it should have been a best seller, yes, it should be required reading for political hawks who have wasted lives for little reason, and yes, it is a book that will reward the reader with insight.

"... the war was lost - not by the man in the field, but by the men behind the desks. America's young men never fought more valiantly with less support than the men that fought and died in Vietnam." S. Robert Peterson, November 11, 1993