A U.S. Army chaplain for the 25th Infantry Division recounts his experiences sharing the hardships and dangers that made up the daily routine of a combat soldier in Vietnam. Chaplain Falabella, decorated for his bravery under fire, offers eyewitness accounts of search-and-destroy missions, night ambushes, helicopter assaults, and a multi-hour fire fight during the first TET Offensive.
The chaplain's memoir persuasively captures the emotions of his men—the anxiety and loneliness—and the effect of the climate and terrain on the mind, body, and spirit. His descriptions of waiting for approaching attacks and visits to the field hospitals are particularly memorable. Running through the narrative are Falabella's observations on the conduct of the war and his efforts to make certain these combat soldiers are never forgotten.
J. Robert Falabella is a Roman Catholic priest in residence at Saint Mary Magdalene in Simpsonville, SC. He joined the U.S. Army in 1966 and served with the 3rd Corps, 25th Infantry Division in Cui Chi, Vietnam, from 1967 through 1968, earning Silver and Bronze Stars.
