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Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War

Doug Chamberlain (Goodreads Author)

4.21 · Rating details · 411 ratings · 27 reviews

In this frank, engaging memoir, Captain Chamberlain chronicles the missions, personal courage and sacrifice of the Marines he was privileged to command; painfully recalls the unspeakable order he and his Marines were forced to obey; and the cover-up which followed. Nearly four decades later, Captain Chamberlain makes right what was wrong; brings closure to the family of a ...more

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Kindle Edition, 340 pages

Published October 28th 2019 by Love the West Publications LLC

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Apr 17, 2020 Jypsy rated it really liked it

Thank you Iread and the author for a complimentary copy. I voluntarily reviewed this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War
By: Doug Chamberlain

REVIEW ☆☆☆☆
Bury him. Two little words. Because of these words, Chamberlain suffered a lifetime of guilt, grief and regret. As a young man serving in the Marines in the Viet Nam War, Chamberlain followed orders that would haunt him. This book is Chamberlain's account of his time in the Viet Nam War and his efforts ...more

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Apr 13, 2020 Carla rated it it was amazing

Bury Him is a journey through the struggles, pains and missions through the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of Captain Chamberlain.

As a Canadian, we do not learn about the Vietnam War in school so most of what I knew about this war was from reading online and media. Reading through this book, it gave me time to look up events and some of the history during this time period to get a better understanding of what is told to us in this autiobiography.

While all conflict is full of pain and suffe Bury Him is a journey through the struggles, pains and missions through the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of Captain Chamberlain.

As a Canadian, we do not learn about the Vietnam War in school so most of what I knew about this war was from reading online and media. Reading through this book, it gave me time to look up events and some of the history during this time period to get a better understanding of what is told to us in this autiobiography.

While all conflict is full of pain and suffering, my heart goes out to Captain Chamberlain and those who served during this time period. They were young men who were asked to serve their country, they did so without argument and faced horrors, found themselves caught up in politics and faced hate from their own countrymen (which we were exposed to several times through the story). I can’t even begin to be able to understand or relate on how this has impacted their lives, but this book gives us some insight into this.

Captain Chamberlain gives us a good history of how he found himself serving as a Marine. I really enjoyed learning about the training and the build up to the war. He has a quiet, determined personality with a sense of responsibility and strong morals that shines throughout his book. He cares for others and is determined to do what is right. He is determined to protect those who have been assigned to him and does everything he can to ensure their safety and well being. He is strict with his men but it all has a greater purpose, to ensure the safety of each Marine so that they could go home. He is strict but fair – he stretches the rules to ensure that each of his men are taken care of.

The chapters flow together well and the background that he gives us serves to help us understand that moment when he was given the orders to bury a fellow Marine instead of bringing the body home. It is this moment and orders that is the centre of his book and the investigations that lead from it. This event leads to a great deal of anxiety, anger and desire to make things right for that Marine’s family members.

This is an incredible autobiography, it is honest, raw and gives us a deeper look at the lives of those who served during the Vietnam War. We gain first hand knowledge of their struggles, pains, losses and how this impacted each of them differently. Captain Chamberlain is a man of honour and responsibility. We see this through his actions during the war and the dedication he had ensuring closure for the family of an abandoned Marine. This is a well written book and I wish him all the best, thank you for your service and the work you have done after. ...more

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Apr 17, 2020 LAWonder10 rated it it was amazing

Many avoid past events because many are unpleasant. History repeats itself! If we are to avoid making the same destructive mistakes of others, we must learn from historical events.

The Viet Nam War was a regrettable mistake, created and prolonged by greedy, corrupt leaders in politics. It is why today so many are striving to "clear out the swamp" of politicians and special interest groups who have lost integrity and the meaning of "serving the people" .

This book is a remarkable account of one ma ...more

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Apr 22, 2020 Marilyn Wilson rated it it was amazing

I don't even know how to begin reviewing this book. This hit a personal note for me. While the war in Vietnam was ebbing by the time I hit high school in the US, I still remember watching the last drafts on TV and wondering which of my older school mates would have to head to war. Then I remember in my 20's talking to Viet Nam vets and hearing how difficult it was coming home and the unforgivable discrimination they faced. But they NEVER spoke of their time there.

To read this book finally answer I don't even know how to begin reviewing this book. This hit a personal note for me. While the war in Vietnam was ebbing by the time I hit high school in the US, I still remember watching the last drafts on TV and wondering which of my older school mates would have to head to war. Then I remember in my 20's talking to Viet Nam vets and hearing how difficult it was coming home and the unforgivable discrimination they faced. But they NEVER spoke of their time there.

To read this book finally answers so many of the questions I had. There was so much misinformation in the media and most vets did not want to talk about what they experienced, especially with someone who hadn't been there and couldn't understand. I knew so many who were drafted. My heart went out to them and I wanted to better understand what they went through and what they were now dealing with because of it.

I was worried at first Bury Him would be just a chronological story of the author's time in Viet Nam, but quickly learned that was not the case. His story is told from the heart - with pride for the courage of the men he led and served with, and gratitude for the lives that were saved. But it also offers truth about the dark side of this war - honesty about the politics, the lack of proper equipment (one time they were told there would be no ammunition coming for awhile so they had to make what they had last - WHAT?), the bad decisions made by people in field offices who had never seen the terrain, the orders that were unsafe to follow, the cover-up of a marine left behind (absolutely against all policy), the medals never received or downgraded, and more.

And lastly it talks about how doing what you are ordered to do, and what is necessary to survive your tour, didn't mean you walked away unscathed. The author openly shares how his experiences and what was asked of him at times conflicted with his deep held beliefs, and how this internal conflict never left him once he was back home. It is a burden he has carried all his life and continues to impact his relationships with family and friends. Then there is his life long battle to control his PTSD episodes. He might have learned how to manage them, but the next episode is always lurking in the background.

I feel these stories by real people sharing their real life experiences are so very important. I highly recommend this book whether you want to know more about the Viet Nam War specifically or more importantly, to get an inside look at what a soldier faces. It is a rare and honest look at the enormous toll war takes on the men at the front lines. You will be changed. ...more

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Feb 03, 2020 Chuck rated it really liked it

Interesting read

This book is very well written. The author knows the proper usage of the English language. But I feel the author has some real issues that he is dealing with. While the story of the abandoned Marine is appalling, Captain Chamberlain made it right and got the boy home. It seems like he has wasted 50 years of his life trying to make someone accountable. In war, stuff happens. And it's not always good. Unfortunately, this travesty has apparently been an all-consuming project of the ...more

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Mar 23, 2020 Denis Lenihan rated it it was amazing

Integrity

What stands out in this book is. Truth. I was an infantryman with the 1st infantry division in Vietnam 1965to 1966. Somebody once said that the first victim in war is the truth and that was certainly true about Vietnam. Vietnam was an economic war and the people who sent us there were part of the military industrial complex. Jack Kennedy lost his life because he said he would not commit ground troops . Jack Kennedy was naive. It still goes on today. Obama was given the message, and so ...more

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Oct 08, 2020 Sherry Beth Preston rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2020, books-that-made-me-think, non-fiction, wyoming

“Bury Him: a memoir of the Viet Nam War,” by La Grange, Wyoming author, Doug Chamberlain tells the story of his experiences during the war in 1967 and 1968, including the Tet Offensive and Da Nang. I like a book with maps in the front, and this book didn’t disappoint.

This is the second first-person war memoir I have read this year. Both of them had similar themes concerning the author's frustration at the larger aspects of war. Each highlighted failures of the highest commanders being cavalier w “Bury Him: a memoir of the Viet Nam War,” by La Grange, Wyoming author, Doug Chamberlain tells the story of his experiences during the war in 1967 and 1968, including the Tet Offensive and Da Nang. I like a book with maps in the front, and this book didn’t disappoint.

This is the second first-person war memoir I have read this year. Both of them had similar themes concerning the author's frustration at the larger aspects of war. Each highlighted failures of the highest commanders being cavalier with the lives of their soldiers and how those further down in command worked to cover up their mistakes and laid blame on others. Chamberlain also addressed how veterans were treated when they came back from war. I don’t remember reading war memoirs in the past that addressed the shortcomings of the government in the way that these two books did.

I don’t think I have read a Viet Nam book before, but I learned a lot from Captain Chamberlain’s earnest account of his stint in Viet Nam. He did a good job of balancing the troubling aspects of war with his innovative ways to support and protect his men.

Chamberlain wrote about the multiple shortcomings of the Viet Nam-era Marine issued M-16 guns and then noted that the Marines were supplied a limited number of rounds each month. Frustrated by this, Captain Chamberlain, with his men’s safety in mind, allowed them to use the more reliable guns (AK-47s, M-1 and M-2s among others) they captured from the enemy. Two Lieutenant Colonels saw one of his men carrying an illicit gun and Chamberlain was called to headquarters to explain why his Marine was carrying the gun to his Colonel.

“I told him as long as I had a mission to accomplish, I was going to carry it out to the best of my ability by providing for the safety of my men. I told him we were using weapons that were reliable and functional, and for which we could obtain our own ammunition. He paused for a few seconds, and then said, ‘Alright you dumb S.O.B, but don’t get caught at it again!’”

I don’t know how the VA treated WWII vets, but they utterly failed Chamberlain and other Viet Nam vets. Our country asked these men to sacrifice their young adulthood and then provided them with sub-standard health care, specifically in the mental health field. It left me lamenting the paucity of mental health care for our veterans, but also the lack of accountability the government exhibits towards the aftermath of veteran’s experience.

I listened to this book. The reader did an excellent job, keeping the narrative engaging while navigating the author’s very formal writing style. Chamberlain went to great effort to provide documentation for his claims. Even without the documentation I believed him. ...more

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Apr 26, 2020 Grace Ann rated it it was amazing

I thought this is a very poignant true-to-life narration of a military man's experience of the Vietnam War and its after effects in the lives of those who fought in it.

'Bury him,' that command from many years ago still resonates in his mind even after the war. Chamberlain has written a vivid personal story of his encounters in the battlefields of the Vietnam War. Every veteran soldier has his story to tell and Chamberlain's memory of this particular event is seared deep in his conscience, a reas I thought this is a very poignant true-to-life narration of a military man's experience of the Vietnam War and its after effects in the lives of those who fought in it.

'Bury him,' that command from many years ago still resonates in his mind even after the war. Chamberlain has written a vivid personal story of his encounters in the battlefields of the Vietnam War. Every veteran soldier has his story to tell and Chamberlain's memory of this particular event is seared deep in his conscience, a reason why it emotionally and mentally troubled him for a long time. For a fact, all soldiers who go to war are motivated by their ideals and appetite for heroism with confidence that the 'ultimate honor they will be given is the return of their remains to their families and their country no matter what and as they hold on to the military principle that no one will be left behind' . But to witness a country's betrayal point blank in the middle of the battlefield is 'most devastating and unthinkable not only for him but also for his fellow marines. Chamberlain makes us understand that horrific situations in war which soldiers have no control or jurisdiction whatsoever leave them helpless and broken. Such is the sad truth about war and the challenges that soldiers must face. These traumatic situations when left unforgiven and untreated can be what Chamberlain referred to as 'psychologically damaging' becoming the so called Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that many soldiers have come to experience.

One can't help help feel empathy towards his situation where it is true that only a few can understand the disorder as he admitted that he attempted to confide in one of his daughters but only to be dismissed. Even 'spiritual leaders who helped shaped his religious beliefs shunned him. It made him choose to believe that they did not understand the scope of what he was dealing with.'

He narrates that his 'feelings of inadequacy, sense of failure, and the intense shame that he felt constantly made him struggle with thoughts of how meaningless his life has been because of the burial.' His personal struggle with PTSD and its effects in his life, I believe would be something many veterans can relate to and find some light. As Chamberlain shares that his years of public service helped him deal with PTSD and gave him the courage to continue saying, “It was what it was, and it is what it is.” Tomorrow is yet another day to continue on.

Doug Chamberlain gives us a profound insight into his life experiences so much affected by the memories of war. It also allows us to better understand their humanity in view of their own personal struggles as they come to terms with themselves and the people around them. ...more

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Apr 23, 2020 Angela Thompson rated it it was amazing

Captain Chamberlain Opens His Viet Nam Story To Readers. Personally, looking back, I know that my stepfather rarely talked about his experiences in Viet Nam--and I can still remember him saying once when my Mom tried to open a conversation about it-- "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to talk about any of it. End of subject." Aside from telling my husband a couple of stories and talking about a dog that hung out on base--he never spoke about it. To read the author's personal story--fro ...more

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Apr 29, 2020 Leila rated it really liked it

How do you a review such as this?

This was hands down, unlike anything I have read before. I have read a memoir or two before, but none such as this.

The book wasn’t quite a story, but I felt more of a recounting of events and memories in a chronological order. It was more of a personal experience going through a journey that unless you have ever been on yourself; would not and could not imagine what goes on.

While the book and contents itself intrigued me and I enjoyed reading it; it definitely pr ...more

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Apr 24, 2020 Amy rated it really liked it

Bury Him: A Memoir of the Viet Nam War by Captain Doug Chamberlain was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading about the Captain’s life and his time serving in the Vietnam War. It is not an easy book to read. I had to put it down from time to time to think about what I had just read. It was kind of difficult to get through sometimes. The reason being the book dealt with some of the heavy issues within the pages. It deals with quite a bit of some events that I could never understand or imagine. O ...more

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Mar 31, 2020 bookish tanna rated it it was amazing

I don’t think I’ll ever be as brave and as forthright like Chamberlain.
This autobiography is honest, memorable and interesting, to say the least.
As we dive into the first few chapters, we view Chamberlain’s early life, before the big moments, before the suffering, into innocence and normality. Chamberlain’s story is a part of our history, something that will be remembered for years to come. He speaks of his family, his friends, his fellow soldiers on the battlefield, and even of strangers, who ...more

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Apr 20, 2020 Cheryl rated it really liked it

I am a fan of military books. Yet, I have read more books about WWI and WWII than most of the other wars. Therefore, my knowledge of the Viet Nam war is one that I am not familiar with. Captain Doug Chamberlain gives readers like me a good wealth of knowledge and insight into this war.

The chapters are short and thus makes this a fast read. Although, the other reason that I read this book so fast was because I did find this an interesting read. I did not feel like there was any political motives ...more

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Feb 23, 2020 jim bowen rated it liked it

“ Obcession” is a better title for this yarn.

The author lets the reader hanging time after time when describing incidents that happened on his watch without telling us the outcome. Such as when his company s amushec on Go Noi island at the railroad track area and he calls in artillery and close air support by the ton on the close by enemy. But does not explain the results very well, or f any patrols were sent in to ascertain BDA... Plus he is overly obsessed with PFC Kelly and what happened to h ...more

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Jan 07, 2021 Rose Aitken rated it liked it

the best in the world are they?

This book is more an explanation of why things were done than an account of actions. Not the most vivid book about the Vietnamese war but not too bad. The one thing I don’t understand is that, in the introduction we’re told that the American marine corps is the best in the world but then, don’t they all say that about their military? Anyway, the book then goes on to talk about the stupidity of this elite fighting force unrivalled in any military campaign and its hi ...more

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Sep 02, 2020 Joe Keefhaver rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Doug Chamberlain's memoir of his time as a Marine in Vietnam is compelling reading. He gives a first-hand account of his tour as a captain on the front lines of this confusing war. I was impressed that he and his comrades seemed in constant peril with few friendly encounters with the local population or even forces allied with the U.S. The experience of combat, and especially the coverup of a dead Marine being left on the battlefield, had a profound impact on Chamberlain. Although a success in s ...more

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Aug 21, 2020 Nick Ueber rated it really liked it

I have read many books by authors who served as either officers or enlisted men in Viet Nam. For the most part this is a middle of the road narrative when it relates Captain Chamberlains war experiences. Where it is really gripping and must read is his after war struggles with PTSD and even more interesting and compelling is his honorable crusade relative to PFC Kelly, the subject his book title is based on. Any more review depth would definitely contain spoilers so will just say that part of th ...more

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Jun 18, 2020 Timothy Turner rated it it was amazing

The Hardest Assignment as a Company Commander

Of all the books I have read about people's lives in Vietnam, THIS BOOK HAS TO BE THE BEST ONE I HAVE EVER READ. Being a Vietnam veteran in the Navy. This book opened my eyes to things I never knew happened.
It was well written and it brought out a lot of my emotions from the 2 tours I had made to Vietnam. I think this book should be read by any Vietnam veteran and have them compare their tour or tours that Captain Chamberlain's 13 month tour was lik ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 a.t.m. rated it it was amazing

Realistic painful read about Marines in Vietnam

The author has written a compelling book in which he reveals his intelligence, his experiences, and his pain. In reading his book, I couldn’t help but think of his pain and the pain suffered by so many other veterans and their families, as a result of this conflict. He brought out so many issues about what went dreadfully wrong 52 years ago that I am sure he will carry his burdens for the rest of his life, with honor. I highly recommend this book.

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Jul 11, 2020 Joe Brown rated it it was amazing

Emotional Rollercoaster

The author/victim tells the accounts of a war. His time in Vietnam clearly took its toll on him. Well written and shocking information revealed . Thought about this book for days.

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Sep 06, 2020 Rudinski rated it it was amazing

Well written account of how the political biases can reach into the lives of service men during periods of conflict. Almost unbelievable, but then again one only needs to look at our current administration and see the true faces of our own 'UGLY' Americans. ...more

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Jan 11, 2020 John E. Wilson rated it it was amazing

Courage

This is a book that took great effort to compose due to the trama of all that surrounds those involved. It is hard to imagine the pain that accompanied the actions that were taken and those that were to follow throughout the years .

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Apr 02, 2020 jan thompson rated it it was amazing

Interesting

A very informative read. I can see where he had a lot of. Questions. Very sad that he was put down for doing the right thing. Bless you Mr Chamberlain. A job well done Sir.

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Jun 13, 2020 Ricky E Daughtry rated it it was amazing

Good book

A very well written book and very interesting. Enjoyed it very much. I was in the army 70 73 . 25 infantry division 1 27 infantry regiment . Wolfhounds

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Mar 03, 2020 William Napier rated it it was amazing

Outstanding!

This manuscript portrays the due diligence and love this marine has for his men and country. His dedication brought to light the travesty that occurred.

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Feb 19, 2021 Thomas Jones rated it liked it

Ok read.

Ok read, however for my taste it delved too much into the horrendous cover up
Of the marine left behind.

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Oct 01, 2020 Diane rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Wonderful look into Vietnam war that most people who went through it wouldnt talk about. Helped in understanding how awful it was for them.

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Feb 15, 2020

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About Doug Chamberlain

Doug Chamberlain

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Doug Chamberlain, the grandson of homesteaders in eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska, grew up with the "country values" instilled in him in the rural environment of a very small community. Even though there were only 10 students in his high school graduating class, several of his classmates pursued careers, public service, and military service that took them to various locations around the world ...more