The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

I read this book on Kindle and for a pleasant change the Kindle edition did not have many typos.Frederick wrote the book in order to give people an impression of what it felt like to serve in the Vietnam War. He says he wrote the book because some-one scoffed off at his being physically maimed in the Vietnam War. The negativity that ran through our society both during and after that war was intense. Frederick had been badly wounded and maimed in the Vietnam War and then went to university to complete some studies. It was some gutless little academic twit, that had no idea of the difference between a government ideological policy setting for war and a tragic personal human situation that had a go at him; a worm with no compassion.Frederick's writing is somewhat bland and there is a requirement to use your imagination when reading this book. The account is some-thing like an outline of events that happened to him in his time in Vietnam. Nonetheless, for those of us who have served in the army at about that time the account is quite gripping. This is not a pleasant Sunday in the Park story and if you're thinking that you might like to read something like that then don't read this book; go and read some Mills and Boon.The story starts rapidly as Frederick is posted to his unit in Vietnam and then off up to his divisional command where he is assigned a bridge on Highway 1 to guard from Vietcong, who are continually mining the highway. You get the impression that the troops in Vietnam although supported by a large military apparatus were in many respects really on their own, isolated, in enemy territory and living in a state of perpetual fear. But the guarding of the bridge is merely a prelude to actually walking around stalking the enemy in the hills and mountains behind the bridge. The physical circumstances of this situation are alluded to but not necessarily spelled out in detail and this is where your imagination needs to be used; the heat; the dampness; the bug life; the physical stress; the lack of sleep; the enemy; all come together in a setting of human against the elements and human against human. There is a brief interlude of R&R and then back to the jungle further north in an even more extreme situation. The ease with which someone could become lost and alone and under enemy assault is pretty amazing. The fact that an area could be cleared and then as the rest of the troops moved through, a booby-trap of some sort go off, ads to the tension in the book. The attrition rate, of the men in the platoon, in one way, shape or form is pretty high due to the extreme situations that they faced. It is important to remember that most of these men were only 19 to 23 years of age. In fact near the end of the book, Frederick mentions that the platoon he went in with, was not the one he went out with and of course, he didn't go out himself, rather, he was taken out in a medical dust off badly wounded and near death.If you want to read a history of the Vietnam War then there are plenty books that you can find to satisfy that desire, "A Ten Thousand Day War" comes to my mind. If however, you want to get an armchair feel for what it was like to actually experience life in that situation then Frederick's book is a five-star solution. For those interested in the Vietnam War I heartily recommend this title as part of your reading effort to understand what it was like to be on the front line in Vietnam.

Frederick Downs was a an infantry officer in Vietnam from late 1967 through early 1968 when he was severely wounded and ultimately lifted out the war.His story, written in 1978 is honest, gritty and full of inner thoughts. From the writing style, he comes across as smart, determined and a good soldier. There is no gung-ho, let me at em type of rhetoric but more of there's a job to do, let's do it and not be stupid. His concerns for the men in his command grow over his time in country and as more of his men are killed, wounded or rotated out of Vietnam he takes the pain more and more personally. It wears away at his inner soul.He's honest to a fault insomuch as he refers to all Vietnamese as "dinks" whether friend or foe. He castigates the ARVN soldiers as useless, afraid to fight and more than willing to let the Americans die in their place. He highlights many problems about the whole Vietnam episode but, even at his lowest point, there's a job to do and men to protect. More than likely, the welfare and protection of his men is what kept him sane and on task.I've read many, many Vietnam memoirs. All the writings are guttural and honest but, somehow, Downs' memoir goes a little further in exploring his inner thoughts. The tone of the book is one of someone who has a job to do and isn't too concerned with the politics that got him to where he is. His job is to make sure his men survive by employing sound, sensible and tested tactics against an enemy that is cunning, dirty and determined.Vietnam seemed to have a way of turning young boys into men quickly in that, spit, shine, patriotism and gung-ho are replaced by survival in a hurry.Down's was injured severely and the original book ended where his heart stopped on an operating table. In 2007 he added an afterword that goes on to detail his unit's missions after his untimely departure due to his injuries. He also brings us up to date on the whereabouts of his men since Vietnam. Also, the afterword details his many trips back to Vietnam as a U.S. envoy trying to open dialogue aimed at learning more about U.S. MIA, POW.It's a great story that, for me, is one of the better ones.Thank you for your service Mr. Downs and thank you so much for writing it all down for us.

Fantastic read if you’re into the war

This book certainly points out the fultility and indeed frustrations of fighting a war like that which took place in Vietnam. To fight the the enemy and the enviornment at the same time was horrendous. The author succeeds in relaying how he changed over time and also how the best in soldiers will come to the surface during times of extreme danger, terrible wounds and the ultimate sacrifice of dying for a cause. A good read for those who want to compare how the fighting in WW1, WW2, and Vietnam differed. Also it is commendable how the author went on after the war to deal with the anti-war sentiments of some people, and to help other wounded warriors.

I have been reading a few books on the Vietnam war lately and this is one of my favourites so far. Downs really does a good job showing the reader how hard and frustrating life was for American soldiers during the war. I highly recommend it.

ich habe in letzter Zeit einige Bücher von Vietnam-Veteranen gelesen. Der Autor hier schildert sein Erlebtes gut, geht aber wenig ins Detail über seine Kameraden und das fehlt mir hierbei ein bisschen. Es ist kein schlechtes Buch, aber es gibt weitaus bessere in diesem "Genre". "Dead Center", "Good to go" und "Matterhorn" sind meine absoluten Favoriten hierbei.

This book is a very good personal account of experiences in the jungle of Southeast Asia.