Don't Bunch Up: One Marine's Story and Some Notable Exceptions

From Publishers WeeklyInspired by Battle Cry, Leon Uris's novel about WW II Marines, Van Zanten joined the Corps in 1957, made it through San Diego boot camp and the even tougher officers' school at Quantico, then saw action in 1965-1966 as an executive officer and company commander in Vietnam. His sojourn there was for the most part a positive and rewarding one, though he had some frustrating experiences, such as getting lost on patrol and dealing with an officer whose quest for medals threatened to endanger his men. Van Zanten's upbeat memoir mostly reflects how impressed he was by the decency, courage and unselfishness displayed by his fellow Marines. Readers will find no brutality here, no bitterness, no drugs, no fraggings or racial confrontations. The memoir is a modest, well-written account of the author's coming-to-manhood during the earlier phase of the Vietnam era (i.e., pre-Tet) when life was simple. Marines will enjoy the book; others may find it naive and sentimental.Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.From Library JournalAny number of authors and filmmakers have glorified or mythologized the U.S. Marine Corps: Van Zanten's memoir of his military service details the processes by which the Marines took a young man, molded him into an infantry officer, and sent him to Vietnam to fight. Basic training, Officers' Candidate School, Basic Infantry Officers' School, and combat experiences are described and demythologized. Van Zanten's current nonmilitary life is only mentioned in passing; we are aware that he has a wife, for example, but she is not really part of the story. Macho, chauvinistic, ultrapatriotic: these are terms that might be applied to Van Zanten's story, but they are also characteristics deliberately sought and inculcated by the Marines. These are memoirs of Vietnam in 1965-66, while it was still a relatively "clean" war. Recommended for Vietnam War collections.-- Stanley Planton, Ohio Univ.Chillicothe Lib.Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Author: William Van Zanten

Publisher: Archon Books

Binding: Hardcover

Language: English

ISBN-10: 020802347X

ISBN-13: 9780208023476