Into the Mouth of the Cat: The Story of Lance Sijan, Hero of Vietnam

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Summary: This book is very educational
Review: This book is very personal and gives war a face

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Summary: Courage Beyond Belief
Review: This story of Medal of Honor winner 1Lt Lance Sijan's November 1967 shoot down, escape and evasion and ultimate death in a North Vietnamese prison, as related through two of his companions during much of the ordeal, is compelling and inspirational, yet disquieting. The relating of the nighttime shoot down of Lance's F-4C over Laos and subsequent Search and Recovery effort make for riveting reading and the ultimate failure of the rescue reveals the character of Lance. He refuses to allow a Pararescue Jumper to come down the jungle penetrator to assist him because the enemy is too close, but he is unable to crawl the necessary 20 feet or so to safety due to horrible injuries to his leg and arm. In the subsequent 46 days Lance crawls over sharp rocks and through jungle in an attempt to escape, along the way debilitating his body to the point he was near death. When finally captured, he later overpowers a guard, despite being unable to stand or walk, and escapes yet again, only to be recaptured in a few hours. United with two exceptionally brave fellow POWs, Guy Gruters and Bob Craner, F-100 Misty FACs who were shot down earlier, Lance is able to relay what had happened to him during his ordeal, a story validated by the very North Vietnamese captors from whom Lance had escaped. His ultimate death is almost a relief, given the magnitude of his suffering from injuries and torture. The author traces Lance's early life, particularly his molding into a warrior at the Air Force Academy, and he closes the text with insights he gains from friends, family and more contemporary Cadets at the Academy in his attempt to discover what made Lance so brave and resolute. This book will make a wonderful companion on the book shelf beside Rob Risner's "The Passing of the Night" and Bud Day's "Return With Honor."

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Summary: Outstanding a True Vietnam Hero
Review: This was an outstanding book about a man I only wish I could have known. He has helped me to become more self motivated. It should be mandatory reading for all military personnel. Especially for all Air Force personnel.

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Summary: Conflicted:
Review: While I am inclined to agree with the title of a previous review "great story, terrible book", I would not go so far as to say it was a "terrible" book. However, for some reason (I am just a reader) McConnells writing did not pull me in and hold me.
Further, while Sijan's story is incredible and moving, (crawling on his back in a severely injured condition for 45 days and some 5-6 miles to reach an enemy transport road) I still have not justified in my own mind why he persisted in tactics that ensured his death.
I did not want him to escape, I wanted him to survive (as did his fellow prisoners.) I can only consider that in his condition he was unable to think clearly/rationally. Which lends itself not so much to bravery as it does to insanity. i.e. he considered allowing capture by the enemy while still in the jungle in order to procure life sustaining food and water but decided against it for surely he would be killed. Yet, once captured (the first time) and given some care, he persisted in escaping before he was in any condition to do so with a reasonable chance of survival, even if he wasn't recaptured.

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Summary: Great story, terrible book
Review: While Lance Sijan's actions are heroic, this book is poorly written. You'd do better just to read his Medal of Honor citation. McConnell writes in a cloying style that borders on jingoism. He's another guy who never served, like Tom Clancy, but gushes about the military, and believes anything someone in a uniform tells him. His primary role as a writer has been to curry favor with those who actually have the guts to put their lives on the line. I am in the military, and if this book was made mandatory reading, as one reviewer suggested, I'd get out. It's bad enough we all have to wear berets now. If I was forced to read this again, I'd pray for another deployment just to get out of it. Someone should write a better memorial to Lance Sijan.