Coyote Jack: Drawing Meaning from Life and Vietnam--A Memoir

When I first started reading this “Memoir” I thought “On no! Not another autobiography about Vietnam.” I was wrong. Jack goes into great detail to give you the unvarnished account of his service as an Infantry Officer in Vietnam.

 

Jack attended OCS and Infantry schools, but he actually leaned his skills in leadership early in life. His father, a strong willed man had told his sons, "You would be surprised how much you can get other folks to do for you IF they admire you and love you.." In OCS his conduct is so outstanding that they keep him there for awhile after graduation to help train the next group of OCS candidates..  

In Vietnam, he listens, observes and gets to know his men before going on combat missions. Through his ability to listen to those more experienced in combat than himself and an ability to quickly analysis a situation, he doesn't; lead his men into traps like officers do and get their men killed. He takes the path less traveled.-- but through his efforts they escape many ambushes. The troops want him as a leader because his units have the least causalities. One day while on point (leading the troops) he is asked by one of his men to move to the middle of the line because his men doesn't want to die. Usually the "Point Man" is the first to take a round in a combat situation. He receives two Bronze Star medals for his leadership in combat. He refused the Purple Heart medal because he was embarrassed that a shell fragment hit him in his groin. 

 

Jack was one of those rare officers who could tolerate combat under the most trying of conditions. He was not afraid to lead his men to dangerous situation because he had learned his craft well...He said that had he missed seeing war “I would have missed an incredible journey.”