Last Man Out : A Personal Account of the Vietnam War

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Summary: Essential Reading
Review: From the humorous to the horrific...from tragedy to triumph...and a somber assessment of what really happened in Southeast Asia, this short and powerful book is essential reading for those considering work in the patriotic service.

Rating:
Summary: Superior
Review: I borrowed this book from a friend at Airborne School this past May, and tore through it in about three days. What a great read! It's so entertaining and gripping, I kept checking the inside flap of the book to make sure it wasn't fiction.

More than just a war story, this is more or less a biography of James Parker. Since the Vietnam conflict was so lengthy and controversial, it's worthwhile to see how it affected his life after James left combat. This is a guy who saw it all: he hit the beach in knee deep water in the early years, and was one of the last CIA guys to leave the island nation years after the U.S. had abandoned the country militarily.

The best features of this book are James' crystal clear recollections of his war buddies and his involvment in the CIA effort. What other book out there has a detailed personal account of the positively heroic efforts of the secret combat operations after the Army left? Also excellent is James' tense telling of a huge operation to lure the VC into attacking a dummy convoy.

This is a man who has done it all. If you're interested in the Vietnam War, this is requred reading.

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Summary: [e-mail]
Review: I was especialy interested in this Book, because I was one of the people working in the Big Red One replacement Company when most of the young men who went to Nam with the Division came through Ft Riley. A very good book. Very well written very Informative. Anyone reading this Book who remembers a SSG Collins with the replacement company, and knows how to get in touch with him please E-Mail me. Roadrunner 6 Out

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Personal Vietnam War Account
Review: If my son were to enter the service, I would require him to read Mr Parker's book. The details of how to survive Army life are staight forward and important. I found the book easy and enjoyable to read. Could not put it down. As with any super book, I often found myself looking at the number of pages left to read-the more the merrier. Mr. Parker has truely made something of himself and the people of the United States have reaped the benefits. Thank you Mr. Parker.

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Summary: Amazing account
Review: In his book Mr. Parker tell us how hard was the war in Vietnam through his owm tenure in the US Army. It?s a so interesting book that reflects the experiences of a man proud of his country but with a clear idea about the things which went wrong there. For me the most interesting part in this book is when he write about his CIA tour in Laos and Vietnam.

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Summary: Personal
Review: In this book Jim Parker tells his story from such a personal point of view that anyone who served in that ten-year period from 1965 to 1975 will certainly be able to relate to his reflections. I was fortunate enough to be a classmate of Mr. Parker in 1964-65 at Infantry OCS in Ft. Benning. I also served with the 1st Infantry Division as a Platoon Leader in Phuoc Vinh, South Viet Nam. His stories about OCS and the "Big Red One" are really well done and every page hits home. I have read many books on the war in Viet Nam and this one ranks with the best. If you are interested in a rare look at a man and his family during that time, this is a must read.

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Summary: A true accounting of his time in the military!
Review: Last Man Out: A Personal Account of the Vietnam War by James E. Parker, Jr. is the best book I've read in a long time. If this author didn't have a tape recorder or a diary that he wrote in everyday then I have to say he has a most remarkable memory. James takes the reader back to his home in North Carolina and introduces his family and friends. He continues as he makes the decision to enlist in the Army at a time when others were already doing everything they could to avoid serving their country. The reader goes through Basic Training with James and his buddies at Fort Gordon, Georgia in February 1964. Two months later after being named "Outstanding Trainee" James reiterates some of his time while at his Advanced Infantry Training. You are there when he signs up for Officer Candidate School and while he waited to be selected. You go through that six-month course with him too beginning in November at Fort Benning, Georgia. Upon graduation James goes to Jump School. From there the book gets even better. James first Permanent Party duty station was at Fort Riley, Kansas with the 1st Infantry Division. Then through his Tour of Duty in Vietnam. James told about an encounter with General William Westmoreland following a mission. The general flew in to review the troops, present medals and then was gone. It was a mere media event. When the general departed, another officer walked the line and took back the medals. After Nam James next assignment took him to Fort Ord in Monterey, California. He became the Officer-in-Charge of the 6th Army Area Drill Sergeant School. It was a great assignment. BUT James was thinking about leaving the Army but he "felt guilty about forsaking my duty, abandoning my obligation to country at a time of war." Unable to find a job that suited him he applied for and was accepted as a member of the Central Intelligence Agency. By September 1971 James was headed back to Southeast Asia "as a case officer in the Lao program, the CIA's largest covert operation." James was involved with several operations before heading stateside in 1973. He spoke openly about them. By January 1975 James was the only American left in Vi Thanh province. At that point he secured himself a "bodyguard." James wrote of the fall of Ban Me Thout, Hue, Da Nang, and Saigon. He took part in the evacuation of the Vietnamese who worked as agents for the CIA. He spoke of the problems encountered onboard the USS Vancouver and the transfer to the USNS Pioneer Contender. James Parker Jr. wrote an incredible account of his military and civilian service to our country and the people of South Vietnam. It is a book well worth reading. I'm glad I had the opportunity to meet the author in person in 1998. AND I'm glad I took the time to read his book. You will be also.

Rating:
Summary: Last Man Out
Review: Parker captures rivetting chronicles of gore and glory in cinemascopic detail. In his battle to survive, he uses wits, guts, luck, and courage to surmount the curse of war.

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Summary: Personal
Review: The subtitle "A personal Account of the Vietnam War," turned out to represent the contents of the book. This book was very different from superhero soldier book.

The author began with his experiences being recruited and trained. He recounted what it felt to first arive in Vietnam, and what his thoughts were during his first encounters with the enemy. Mr. Parker takes us through his experiences until at the end of the book when tells us about the confusion surrounding the end of the war.

In reality, Mr. Parker could be considered a superhero, not for his ability to handle weapons, but for fighting in what he believed was best for Vietnam and for the people.