Force Recon Diary, 1969: The Riveting, True-to-Life Account of Survival and Death in One of the Most Highly Skilled Units in Vietnam

Good book, well written. Lots of facts to go along with what was happening. It was hard to put it down, and stop reading. Very interesting.

Excellent book.

I wanted to love this book but it starts kinda slow. I’ve read half and he’s just now getting to Vietnam. So I hope the second half includes what happened in country. But I respect his service and his writing about his experiences.

Absolutely excellent Read. Succinct and technical accuracy throughout. First hand experiences shared unvarnished and full disclosure. Combat accounts were all striking and refreshing in the stark reality they portrayed. I enjoyed this very much and will certainly read it once more.

This book kept me engaged straight thru the end. I will look to see if he wrote a second book.

The experiences shared by Mr. Norton here are both heartbreaking and uplifting. His extensive training by the US Navy and US Marine Corps gave him the skill to survive the most dangerous of situations, being vastly outnumbered with unseen numerous pitfall. I've read about the Army's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols and this book s very similar only from a Marine perspective. Thank you for your dedicated service Mr. Norton.

Every page worth the time spent reading and thinking about the Vietnam war! May God protect and bless our military

Awesome book about this topic, well written excellent book

As I read through this very well written book, both interesting and informative. I could not help but get to like the author, he certainly gives no 'bullsh...t,, there is no talk of heroics, though it is plain that they were heroic, they were also well trained and disciplined. Norton simply tells it as it was in those terrifying and difficult but exciting times. As a British infantry soldier, I met with the 3rd Marine Div of which Norton belonged. They were in Subic Bay on the way to Vietnam as we were moving from Borneo back to the Far East on British warships, we called in at Subic and drank beer with these boys in the town of Alogapo. Our Borneo and Malaya wars were over, but how we wished we could have joined with the Marines and gone to Vietnam, alas it was not to be, I add this just to show that I fully understand and admire the task of the Recon Marines and how important and essential their task was. I also found the book informative in US Marine and Vietcong and Army of North Vietnam tactics, their battle drills and movement methods and the weapons used by both sides. The training and the employment of the Corpsman; ( the medic) is also very well explained, and how the corpsman becomes another rifleman in the patrol until someone gets hit. The end of the book is very sad to read and tells of the loss of Norton's close comrades. Good men that America could ill afford to lose. I congratulate Norton for producing a very interesting and well a written book, also on his eventual fine military career. I regret that I cannot meet him, shake his hand and buy him a cold beer. I recommend this book most highly: Buy it and enjoy it!

I’m an avid reader of Vietnam recon books through SOG Green Beret, Army and Marine recon teams. This has been such an informative and exciting read! Ordering his next book right now!

great read

I normally steer clear of books by officers this officer was once a grunt with life experience so I read this book I would recommend it I really like it, and he seems like a great guy too

very good