Honoring the warrior: historical and cultural perspectives

¶ … Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam written by William L. Myers an ex-United States Marine. The book follows the experiences of the young men of the third corps of the third battalion U.S. Marine Corps, known as the 3-3 discussing the medals and honors the unit won during the campaign and also how they felt during the battles.

The Way of the Warrior: A veterans U.S. Marines View of the Experiences of the Soldiers of the Vietnam War

They every warriors nightmare is to remember the battles and deaths of his friends yet there are many war heroes who enjoy the rapid rise to fame as they produce their memoirs of battles they have fought in and their experiences on the parade ground and the jungle or desert.

However William L. Myers, himself a four-year veteran of the Marine Corps, has taken a step away from that oath and used the collective influence of men in combat to bring forth a collection of stories that indeed Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam, published by Redoubt Press Myers interviewed men of the Third Battalion of the Third Marines of the United States Marine Corp, a regiment that played a major role in the Vietnam War, being one of the most decorated units that took part within that theatre of war.

With such interviews he has written a strong moving and heartfelt account that salutes the men of the United States Marine Corps, this book of first person accounts by those marines that survived brings forth a no holds barred into the minds and hearts of these men as they talk through their experiences of the major battles they fought in for the corps during the policing action of the Vietnam campaign.

Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam is not just a book about the flaws and problems of the strategic blunders or victories nor is it a mixture of the political and military campaign of the Vietnam War rather it is a book about the ordinary General Infantry men the G.I.s his raw emotions and experiences of those young men aged at a minimum of nineteen as they struggled for life and liberty not of people from their own country but of a people they never knew yet struggling against a foe they named Victor Charlie after the shortening of the name Viet Cong, to many marines "Charlie" as they affectionately became was a faceless nameless man in either black pajamas or Chinese and Russian fatigues, either way he was the enemy rarely seen.

Myers' states that his "intention was to present a coherent and accurate account of the experiences of combat Marines through the eyes of those who experienced it," (Myers PG).

With his book he has successfully succeeded in making a brilliant a self imposed mission and statement that has brought to light the strength and courage of these noble young men drafted to fight a war in a foreign land, Myers also adds to his book a full fifty two page appendix that gives the names of all those marines who served in Vietnam along with the Sailors who served with the Fleet Marine Force that were awarded the Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, or Silver Star.

Myers has left very little from his book Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam for along side the appendix he also adds in the names with a list and evidence of why the Marine corps suffered more casualties, including men killed in Action, Missing in Action and those Wounded in Action than any other unit during the Vietnam War

Honor the Warrior The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam includes a chapter that is concerned with the ambush of K-3-3 by the NVA on February 7, 1968. The main contributor to the story is Jeff "T.J." Kelly. Kelly was with M-3-3. Others contributors include Bob Richards, a squad leader with the first platoon of K-3-3 and Carl "Tank" Elliot, a member of the third platoon of M-3-3. The names of many Marines from all companies of 3-3 are in the text and on the medals lists. Among those are Ta'Aloga Alo, John Bogart, Henry Broadtman, Dwayne Bruinekool, Andres Cantu, Edward Caple, Tony Cisneros, Harold Croft, Ernest Detora, Frank Drone, John Eron, James Ferguson, Ray Findley, Donald Frank, Mike Granberry, Richard Hoffman, Robert Jensen, John Kelly, Roger Maki, Donald Mara, James Marsh, Bob Manter, Terrence Meier, Stephen Munson, Dale Myers, Oliver North, Robert Quick, Donald Rion, Allan Sams, John Shelton, Lee Veteto, Billy Watson and many others.

It can be clearly seen that this book was written by a Marine not just for those who have an avid interest in the Vietnam War but also for those who are Marines either during the War and even now, it is a book written by a Marine for Marines

Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam is an anthology of what Myers himself believes is the best literature on the subject of the Marines experience during the Vietnam War, it certainly is an impressive book as Myers' brings out the true story of the ordinary Marine and not what the Political machinations wanted people to know.

Myers' has crammed his book full of splendid reading material that adds to the interest of the Marines life, many of the older generation will be able to relate to this book with many of the younger generation wanting to read more and understand what life was like in that hot country for many young men.

In his book Honor the Warrior, The United States Marine Corps in Vietnam Myer's has given the reader a new insight into seventeen easily readable accounts in their own words with his own personal account and additional material that is seldom seen or explored by any non-military personnel.

Comparing Myers work to other similar books it can be seen that he, Myers uses less intensification upon the rates of units and their problems and more on the people. For those of the opinion that only facts and figures and that reporting on the history of war is all about research then this book moves away form those opinions.