A Hundred Miles of Bad Road: An Armored Calvaryman in Vietnam, 1967-68

Ordered by his parents to leave home after graduating from high school in 1966, Birdwell--a part-Cherokee honor student who was something of a teenage hellion--joined the Army and volunteered for Vietnam. He was assigned to a tank unit north of Saigon, and eventually was caught in the Tet Offensive of 1968. Now, 20 years later and with the help of Nolan (Battle for Hue, etc.), he presents an illuminating, intimately nuanced view of life as a common soldier in Vietnam. The battle scenes here are riveting. In one episode set during the Battle of Tan Son Nhut, a hysterical crewman gets hold of a battlefield intercom microphone and begins screaming orders that would further endanger the imperiled squadron. Frantic, Birdwell forces the man to silence by holding a pistol to his head. The lulls between the combat are no less interesting. In another startling scene, Birdwell overhears some cynical officers discussing how they will help one another's careers by recommending each other for prestigious--and undeserved--decorations. Elsewhere, Birdwell's unit is tracked down in the field by moped-riding prostitutes who set up shop in foxholes. Reflecting on his wartime experiences and their aftermath, Birdwell, who became a lawyer and, for a time, Chief Justice of the Cherokee Nation, says: ""When I die, if there's anyone around who remembers me, the only thing I want them to say is that I was a soldier."" With this fine work, he has guaranteed himself that honor, and more. Photos. (Sept.)