Tiger Force: A True Story of Men and War

Undoubtedly one of the most powerful books I have ever read about the Vietnam War -- not from a political or historical perspective, but a truly human one. This is not going to be a popular book among right-wing military types, and I can already see that in some of the reactions. Unfortunately, the book has served as a forum for those who support what our nation did in Vietnam -- and those who opposed it. The authors describe the once celebrated platoon, Tiger Force, part of the 101st Airborne, and its descent into madness in 1967 in the upper areas of South Vietnam. The soldiers, in their frustration, began torturing and killing civilians. It didn't stop with one event. It went on for months and months, until the men began cutting off the ears of the dead and weaving them into necklaces. Interestingly, the authors write with great care about the soldiers -- never condemning them, but trying to show why the soldiers lost control. This book should serve as a lesson for all the reasons why we should think twice about going into wars and who -- in the end, really suffers. The Tiger Force platoon was eventually investigated for four years by the Army, but the findings were covered up by the top leaders in Washington -- until these authors broke the case wide open. The authors even reaced the original investigators. This book is a tribute to journalism -- and the authors should be commended for their efforts.