A Marine's Journal: Feb '67 - Feb '68

by Mike Holiday

He had been given a break from work detail and was just finishing his smoke when he heard a loud explosion from third platoon’s area. As he ran up to see what was going on, several marines were already there standing around looking at a downed marine. Holiday rushed up to the scene and was stopped short in his tracks. There before him lay a man almost blown in half. He could see the man’s spine and little else. He looked into the man’s face, a young kid no older than he was himself. He saw the man look straight at him and then look away. Holiday watched the life leave the young man’s eyes. He knew the exact instant the man had died. It left him cold and numb—in shock. But Holiday found it fascinating to see life one second and then nothing the next. Holiday kept staring at the dead marine, pondering what he had just witnessed, vaguely aware of being given orders to remove the body. But Holiday was frozen—unable to move to obey that order.

218 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2013

Reviews

[Marina E. Cole]

Quick look at daily life of a grunt during the Vietnam War. I laughed and cried, was amazed and horrified, was saddened and felt joy all during this book. As the daughter of an Iwo Jima Marine, and a widow of a Vietnam veteran, I will never try to understand the war, only know that it happened. Thank you, one and all, for your sacrifices and service. Semper Fi Mike Holiday.

[KB]

Incredibly poorly written, making it very difficult to get through. Has more spelling and grammatical errors than any other published book I have ever encountered. A lot of it also seems made up, like killing two VC in hand-to-hand combat (yeah right), and constant disrespect shown toward higher-ranking officers.

[Jackie]

Review

Sorry sounds like a bunch of bull shit. This guy couldn't have done everything in here. Sorry but it doesn't read well.

[Keith Cofield]

Marine on Glory Trip

This was one of the most self-serving books I've ever read. He makes wild statements about events that could never happen! Ex. Inserted five brigades of Army troops in. There were not enough aircraft of all types to move five brigades in one move, nor even in a day! I only gave it one star because it wouldn't let me not give any.