15 Months In Sog: A Warrior's Tour

Rating:
Summary: A good read for those interested in Viet Nam.
Review: I read all the "Sniper" books first, so this one lacked a lot of the combat action that they had. But it held my interest well and gave me insight to a different angle of the war.

Rating:
Summary: It's Okay.
Review: Interesting. Well-written. Some of it reads like blarney, though. As a general observation, I have yet to read one of these books where the author writes about the mind-numbing stretches of boredom, chicken-manure, and sanitation nightmares characteristic of the coastal bases. But cowboys & indians is what sells.

Rating:
Summary: powerful, yet enjoyable reading
Review: One of those rare books which I did not want to end. Very effective and powerful, yet I enjoyed the author's tongue-in-cheek jabs at the military's dogmatic approach to things. I look forward to more books by Mr. Nicholson.

Rating:
Summary: a gripping true account of a real American hero
Review: Read this true story of one of Americas real heroes from the Vietnam war. The author served in the Studies & Observation Group, or SOG. It was one of the most secretive units and performed the hairiest missions all over Southeast Asia. A great read telling the tales of a few men in the enemies backyard. I collect special operations books and I highly recommend this story of courage, honor and duty to our country.

Rating:
Summary: a gripping true account of a real American hero
Review: Read this true story of one of Americas real heroes from the Vietnam war. The author served in the Studies & Observation Group, or SOG. It was one of the most secretive units and performed the hairiest missions all over Southeast Asia. A great read telling the tales of a few men in the enemies backyard. I collect special operations books and I highly recommend this story of courage, honor and duty to our country.

Rating:
Summary: A Fictional Account of Duty in Vietnam
Review: The author of this book served in MACVSOG in a support role. His account of having served with the recon troops has many inaccuracies -- and he has acknowledged some exaggeration to those of us who led MACVSOG recon teams. This is an enjoyable work of fiction, but John Plaster and Richard Shultz have written excellent historical accounts of MACVSOG.

Rating:
Summary: A good docudrama...
Review: The book is entertaining, but as an historical work is disappointing. I was a NCO on a recon team during the period referenced in the book, but sorry, I just don't remember this guy. I know from other sources he was there, but there are many factual discrepancies that cast doubt on the rest of his recollections. Anyone who remembers the C-Team being "south" of the CCN compound, or Marble Mtn. being to the "north" must be related to the director of the John Wayne movie "The Green Berets" in which John Wayne watches the sun set in the South China Sea. (For those of you who are geographically challenged, get a map. Col. Nicholson, get a clue.) Nevertheless, the book did evoke some memories, and for that, I'm thankful.

Rating:
Summary: A good docudrama...
Review: The book is entertaining, but as an historical work is disappointing. I was a NCO on a recon team during the period referenced in the book, but sorry, I just don't remember this guy. I know from other sources he was there, but there are many factual discrepancies that cast doubt on the rest of his recollections. Anyone who remembers the C-Team being "south" of the CCN compound, or Marble Mtn. being to the "north" must be related to the director of the John Wayne movie "The Green Berets" in which John Wayne watches the sun set in the South China Sea. (For those of you who are geographically challenged, get a map. Col. Nicholson, get a clue.) Nevertheless, the book did evoke some memories, and for that, I'm thankful.

Rating:
Summary: Book appears to be fiction
Review: The source; 15 MONTHS IN SOG, A WARRIOR'S TOUR, by Cpt Thom Nicholson written as non-fiction, but appears to be fiction, has many wrong dates, wrong assignments, various individuals involved in missions that were killed, events, and descriptions, etc., that do not match actual, verifiable data. The only individuals mentioned in this book who were killed and their names verified was Paul Potter, KIA 23 Aug 68; Maj Samuel Toomey killed 30 Nov 68; and 1Lt Peter McMurray died 27 Aug 69 instead of 22 Jun 69 as reported in the book. All other individuals recorded as killed by Cpt Nicholson appears to be fictitious.

Rating:
Summary: Hard hitting, wrench your gut realism from one who knows.
Review: Thom Nicholson is telling it how it was. Tough,gripping narrative that gives the outsider a glimpse of what being in the bush was really like. Powerful emotional rollercoaster,strong, personal identifications in sharing the joys of victory and the despair of tragic loss........