Humping Heavy: A Vietnam Memoir

by Philip Duncan Hoffmann

After serving a cushy nine months in the Army as an accomplished radio instructor in Arizona, Phil Hoffmann suddenly finds himself humping heavy in the jungles of Vietnam. Out of shape, and lugging more than eighty pounds of radio and other gear on his back, he soon falls to failure, ridicule and demotion. Skytroopers in his 1st Cav rifle company look upon him with disdain. Exhausted of energy and emotionally beaten, he somehow finds the strength to fight back…and this just dealing with the good guys. Add a foreign enemy he must face halfway around the world and a unique, humor-laced wartime memoir unfolds.

230 pages, Paperback

First published January 5, 2012

Reviews

[Carlton Phelps · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr Hoffman's narrative about his time in Vietnam and his time in service brought to mind what I found while in the Army. Never believe anything the Army says.
Mr Hoffman started his time in the service as an instructor at a radio training school. He was assigned there because of his outstanding accomplishments in the Advanced Individual Training school.
He assumed that he would serve out of his enlistment in the States.
That is, until the Army told him he could do better in Vietnam, so off he went.
Now, he assumed, because of his background, he would be assigned to a Headquarters company.
As it turned out, he was wrong again.
After service, he, like many veterans, struggled to adjust to civilian life.
The story is a look into someone's life in and out of the Army.

[Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant and straightforward, a short and honest, heartfelt account. It doesn't seem to embellish, but I kept interest on every page, and immediately wanted to pass it to my next friend to read. The author seems to get in touch with himself and the perils of his (and others') past hardships in this work, and it comes out well on paper. Highly recommended.

[matthew w gardner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honest

A very honest account of. One mans tour in Vietnsm. It brought Mr back to my time in the Army. Well done.

[Chandra Boulden · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another time when half stars would be nice. I can't say I "liked" a war book, however it was more than ok. It was very insightful and interesting, I think most people can agree the life of a soilder is less than appealing. Everyone, well some want to be a hero and then when you are cold and wet in the trenches you are changing your mind- especially if you got drafted or aren't doing your ideal job. The first 1/3 of the book was very slow, but then it got better when he got stationed somewhere and a lot of the logistics were over. I would like a solider book that didn't have all the military logistics in it.