Rating: 
Summary: Well written, could of been a 5 Star.
Review: A very good account of what happened in the Mekong Delta. Not something that I wanted to relive, but a story that needed telling. Hack did it well. You either love him or hate him.
The only reason it didn't get a 5 star is personal.
Rating: 
Summary: How we should have fought the Vietnam War
Review: Col. Hackworth is abrasive, arrogant, opinionated and most likely absolutely right in his views on how we should have fought the Vietnam War. His memoir is a riveting account of how he changed a unit from disorganized rabble to a razor-sharp instrument that struck fear in the hearts of its opponents. I'd read Hack's autobiography, "About Face," so I had a sense of what this book would be, but this is better than I expected. He did his homework, bringing in accounts from scores of his soldiers to add extra dimension to the engagements he details. You most likely will share his anger and outrage at the way the war was mismanaged and micro-managed by stupid and overly ambitious senior officers who were only there to get their combat tickets punched and who cared little or nothing for the grunts who did the bleeding and dying. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand what we might have accomplished in 'Nam.
Rating: 
Summary: Good War Story -- Could Have Been Better
Review: First and foremost, this book is about David Hackworth. As he describes himself through the book, David Hackworth embodies both the best and the worst of US Army officers. He is hard-charging, mission-oriented, and motivational. He demands excellence from the men under his command and suffers the same hardships as they do. As this book reveals, he is also quite egotistical and narcissistic.
All of this come through in Steel My Soldiers' Hearts: The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of the U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam. At its core, this book is about Hackworth's transformation of a combat-ineffective battalion of draftees into a solid American fighting unit. The story is a remarkable case study of leadership, motivation, and courage. The descriptions of combat operations contained in the book are some of the best I've read.
This book is also an effort to settle a score Hackworth has with another officer in the 9th Infantry Division at the time. It is one thing to point out and criticize the failings of superior officers. However, Hackworth's over-indulgent belittlement of this officer adds nothing to the book, and in many ways cheapens what is otherwise a very compelling war narrative.
While Hackworth is a very good story-teller, he leaves a great deal to be desired as a writer. His most obvious shortcoming is his criminal overuse of simile that only distracts the reader from the story. Hackworth was either not well-served by his editor in this regard or ignored the editor's suggested revisions. My hunch is that the latter is the truth.
Despite the book's shortcomings, I recommend it to those interested in military literature or Vietnam War history. I believe David Hackworth honestly relates a narrative about himself and his experiences exactly as he remembers them. I do not believe he stretched the truth about anything in this book. Additionally, the story of the men in the 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry deserves to be read. I honor them for their service.
Rating:
Summary: Universal Leadership Principles and Great War Stories
Review: Hackworth walked the walk, and you will be be inspired to do same when you read how he transformed the hopeless 4th Battalion of the 39th Infantry Regiment from the worst to the best unit in Viet Nam in a matter of months in early 1969. Hackworth is the ultimate warrior, and the reader accompanies the Colonel during terrifying night ambushes, hairy helicopter landings, heartbreaking firefights and constant meddling from glory-seeking and incompetent senior brass. For sheer excitement and pathos, the war stories in Steel My Soldier's Hearts far excel those in Hackworth's autobiography About Face. Steel My Soldier's Hearts is also a virtual manual of asymetrical warfare infantry tactics and counter-insurgency operations which, as the author allows in his epilogue, has very current application in the war on terror and the Iraqi insurgency. But most satisfying of all, Hackworth's hands on/lead from the front leadership style could be taught with equal profit to business leaders as well as combat commanders. The leadership principles would be worth the effort, even without the harrowing combat. But make no mistake: This is a book of graphic, gut-wrenching combat reports, and the absolute reality of the lives and deaths of American fighting men disturbed my sleep for many nights. Since we must continue to rely on soldiers like Hackworth to defend us, we damn well ought to honor such courage and give them the leadership they need to win. Steel My Soldier's Hearts shows that if we pay attention, our heros will teach us about the courage and leadership we all need to survive.
Rating:
Summary: A No BS View From The Front Seat
Review: I've heard several comments made about about 'Steel My Soldiers Hearts' saying that Hackworth deals a whole lot with self- aggrandization. My answer is that from my perspective, he deserves every bit of praise and honor possible for writing a very truthful book about how the fighting in Vietnam SHOULD have been conducted.As a combat veteran of Vietnam, I was most taken with his very truthful and accurate description of the many 'perfumed princes' whose goals were ultimately skewed and self-serving. Many commanders in Vietnam were more concerned about climbing the ladder and 'punching tickets' for future promotions than the welfare of the soldiers who served under them. Give Hackworth the highest of credit for two things: molding a tactically sound fighting force and caring enough about those serving under him that American lives lost were kept to a bare minimum as compared to lives lost by the enemy. For any conflicts that this country may face in the future, the tactical leadership of this country should take a page from Hackworth's accomplishments and study it hard. Sadly, it appears as though the lessons learned in Vietnam have not made an adequate enough impression upon our current leaders. A wonderful book written by perhaps one of America's last true warriors.
Rating:
Summary: True Hack at his best...Hardcore
Review: If you are looking to read about Vietnam, War, Hackworth, or just how badly things can get FUBAR when the wrong people are in the wrong places "leading"...and what can happen when the RIGHT people are in the right places, this is for you. Hackworth puts you there, next to him in his command chopper, and right next to him and the guys on the ground. If there was ever a person to look to for clarity at this time in our history, it's Hack. He is a no b.s. truth teller. And, he has lots of scars to show for it. This book is a good read...one I couldn't put down.
Rating:
Summary: Hardcore Battalion
Review: This book hits you harder than a 7.62 slug to the chest. Every page is full of action. Hack takes a unit that "couldn't fight its way out of a retirement home" and turns it into one of the most lethal battalions in Vietnam. Hack had to use his own tricks because our manuals were outdated and designed for fighting World War II. In fact he had to WRITE a manual (The Vietnam Primer)! Why a colonel, who is close to collecting his pension, would risk his career for a third tour of duty in Vietnam (with the worst performing battalion in the war no less) is beyond me. The only explanation is that Hack is absolutely passionate about the "enlisted swine". His lead-from-the-front style, his maverick attitude, and his outside-the-box tactics will amaze. A word of warning: the military won't let you do "radio patrols" and they sure as hell won't encourage you to steal the enemy's AK-47. Throughtout his career as a journalistic and soldier, Hackworth has somehow managed to piss off just about everyone in the Pentagon. This book is for those who are mature enough to handle "the ground truth" about Vietnam. If you like warrior leaders who won't put their troops through anything they wouldn't endure themselves, then you'll love this book. If you're an officer who's been trained to believe that war is a giant game of Pac Man, then you'll probably hate this book!
Rating:
Summary: Steel My Soldiers' Hearts
Review: This book is trully outstanding in its realism and honesty. It is a fantastic account of the workings of a U.S. division later in the war let alone a Battalion. This is my personnal favourite read because it has depth and the personnel accounts of the soldiers are hard and gritty. It is a trully unique account on all levels and would be a good read for both first time readers of the war and people who have a greater interest.
Rating:
Summary: Hack Tells It Like It Is
Review: Well written book.Good detailed accounts of Hack's experience with the Hardcore Recondos. He's not afraid to point out the shortcomings of his superiors and gives the reader insight to the problems and hardships his men faced during the Vietnam war.He shows us that by his own basic rules of soldier discipline , leadership skills , tactics, and common sense , he is able to take the fight to the enemy and turn around his unit.Hack gives us the truth and a better understanding of that war. Maybe it will prevent future military leaders from repeating the mistakes of the Vietnam War era. I have read several books about the Vietnam war and this book is the best one I've enjoyed reading. It is a hard one to put down after you have started reading it.
Rating:
Summary: Hack Tells It Like It Is
Review: When Donald Rumsfeld was named Secretary of Defense for the second time, one of his main objectives was transformation of the military. Thirty years before, in the Mekong Delta region of South Vietnam, a different yet equally important kind of military transformation was taking place. This book chronicles the transformation of the 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry and its warrior leader, David Hackworth. As an author, COL David Hackworth is known for his straight talking, "tell it how I see it" style. In keeping with previous efforts, this book is a first-hand, full-frontal assault by COL Hackworth. He gives you his complete and biased view of his tenure in command, the officers and men he fought with, and the battles waged against the enemy and against the state of warfighting by the US Army in Vietnam. The book opens with his being named to command a downtrodden infantry battalion who had been intimidated by the enemy and lost its will to fight. The Commanding General described it as the "worst" battalion in the Army. The opportunity to command is normally a coveted and prestigious honor in military circles, however this opportunity was more of a double-edged sword. The initial impression of his new unit was as bad as he imagined it would be. COL Hackworth uses the break in period to set the tone. He replaces ineffective soldiers with more capable men and changes the unit's standard operating practices. Initially his methods are met with great skepticism and some go so far as to place a bounty on his head. He thwarts the bounty and eventually the adaptation of new tactics for fighting counter insurgency warfare pay dividends. The continued success and uncompromising leader transforms the unit into battle-hardened fighting force that is using the enemy's own battle plan against itself. This book could be read from the standpoint of the specific firefights and skirmishes along the Mekong Delta, however it goes much deeper. COL Hackworth provides his thoughts regarding the US Army Officer Corps and our warfighting failures in Vietnam. He provides firsthand examples from the tactical level of warfare and relates these examples to much larger problems in the war effort. Throughout the book he castigates the inexperience of the officer corps, the lack of effective training, and the inappropriate strategy. As always, he continually gives credit where it is due and provides little quarter to the ineffective peers and superiors in his limited use of pseudonyms. COL Hackworth writes like a military warrior but includes a glossary to accurately describe military terms in common language. This is an outstanding addition and is beneficial for any reader. While this book is not a significant work in military history circles, it is appropriate for more than just the Hackworth-faithful. Members of the Armed Forces, Vietnam buffs, and persons interested in small unit leadership and group dynamics may find this book interesting, straightforward, and useful.
I recommend this book.
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