Into The Green: A Reconnaissance By Fire

by Cherokee Paul McDonald

Into the Green is Cherokee Paul McDonald's stark and stirring account of his three years as an Artillery Forward Observer in Vietnam. Born out of memories and emotions, and the weight of conscience, it is an eloquent meditation on what it means to be a soldier.

McDonald tells his story "in the voice of memory; as a writer looking back." He wanted to capture the immediacy of war moment by moment-the tastes, the textures, the colors, smells, and emotions that have stayed with him forever. In a series of interlocking episodes he describes the daily grind of military life and the terror and brutality of active combat. He talks about the men who were his comrades and friends, and nights spent in the impenetrable darkness of steaming jungles beneath a triple canopy of green in the central highlands of Vietnam.

An indelible portrait of a soldier and of the physical and emotional destruction that is the legacy of all wars, Into the Green is a haunting chronicle of a place and a time that will never fade from memory.

Genres: Military Fiction

255 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2001

Reviews

[Martin Koenigsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cherokee Paul McDonald is still angry about Vietnam- and he wants to let us know about it- and why. And my god- he's fully entitled to that rage. He's one of those guys who was assaulted by AntiWar Protestors when he returned- and their actions were despicable. He was a Forward Observer for American Artillery, a good one- one of those "Lieutenants with a Radio" that ruined so many German, Japanese, North Korean, Chinese, and yes, North Vietnamese and VC days. Within minutes of incoming- he'd have your outgoing rocking and rolling, keeping the bad guys' heads down with lots of Explosives and lots of Flying shards of metal. A professional, who spent three years there in total- not the 12 months that most soldiers experienced. He wants to explain to you that the American Army was not incompetent, that it did not make a policy of killing civilians that way the VC did, and that it caused far more casualties to its enemies than they did in return. He does a pretty good job- although perhaps he missed some of the point.

The writing is good- the dialogue- as remembered - crackles with a dull reality. The stories are all interesting and engaging. It's a professional's war- and as such its was nice to read it evoking the memoirs of some British Officers from the same era. Until sickness comes calling, McDonald passes from one episode to the next and manages to keep a professional eye. As he gets weakened by the insidious jungle illness- one can feel the weakness reveal the jagged edges of inner feelings. I found it all compelling- and felt the visceral anger from the Return episode very intensely. It's a good book- but it can get under your skin.

With a LOT of adult themes, sex-talk, and really graphic injury descriptions, this is not for Children, - the Junior reader should be at least 12-13 to take this on. For the Gamer/Modeller/Military Enthusiast- this is a really interesting read. I think scenarios/dioramas will be created out of some of these stories- and the Enthusiast will find a lot of good information- both about tactics and the emotions that drove the men there. It's a demanding read- you will feel some emotions- but its well worth the time.

[Liam · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well, at least now I know why Mr. McDonald calls himself "Cherokee"- it's to excuse all the racist drivel that flows from his pen. Whatever his opinion of Bernard Fall is, McDonald wouldn't be fit to lick Professor Fall's combat boots even if he were not an ignoramus and a bigot. Not only that, it has been my experience that anyone who claims that the absence of verifiable facts in their "war memoir" is due solely to the artistic choice of the author is probably at least wildly exaggerating if not simply lying. Rarely does a book annoy me as much as this one did; I don't have the time to waste reading shit like this... What makes me really angry is that I didn't trust my first impression of the title, but instead eventually bought a copy anyway.

[Tom Sandefur · Rating 4 out of 5]

A raw and somewhat bitter remembrance (not really a memoir) of the author's time in Vietnam. Very good at communicating both what he was feeling at the time and hollow bitter feelings he had about the war when he was older. The conflicted emotions feel true and lend an credibility to a work even the author admits isn't straight truth.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, frightening, revealing, honest and true.