Overview

"""In Vietnam today, you will hold only the ground you stand upon."" Step into the depths of the deepest dark forest and see this war through my dad's eyes in this award-winning true story of his experience in Vietnam's deadly Central Highlands. Twenty-year-old Will Bowe is living on his family's farm when he's drafted in 1965. He and his impossibly young friends will become ""skytroopers"" in the 1st Air Cavalry Division's new airmobile infantry. Flying into the jungle battlefield by helicopter, they soon learn what ""search and destroy"" means and face the reality of this new war. Based on once-classified staff journals, situation reports, and military maps, we follow Alpha Company, 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry as they march through rice fields, search villages, climb jungle-covered mountains, and endure many harrowing battles. From the war zone, Will sends home many of the photographs and letters now featured in this book, often scribbled in haste before another mission, or by flashlight under a poncho in the rain. They will travel over eight thousand miles across the ocean to be placed in a mailbox that stands across from a farmhouse along a dusty county road in Wisconsin. Many fellow soldiers are interviewed for this story, as are family members and friends of the fallen. Recalling the humor and friendship they shared, along with the sadness and tragedy of a tour of duty in Vietnam, their memories are now woven together, along with the letters, photos, and reports, to tell of one infantry company's war story: From their training at Fort Carson to their historic voyage across the sea, their first steps into the dark highland jungles, their many battles fought together, and eventually... their final patrol."

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Reviews

"Military Writers Society of America (MWSA): The father/son energy of the co-authors works very well within the pages of this book. Joshua and Wilbur Bowe take the reader on a journey with visual words and muted emotions through a tour of duty during the war in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. The reader can well picture what had happened there. Shared with a well-written narrative, historic background notes, and commentary aided by the addition of old letters sent home from that war. The personal letters add a very human element to the retelling of that life experience. Emotionally well done! The authors hit the target! As a Vietnam veteran myself during the same time frame of the war, I found the book both credible and historically factual. I enjoyed it. I think there is a more broad appeal beyond just readers of war genre--a good history book told from the point of view of those who were there and well worth having on my bookshelf. Bill McDonald, MWSA Midwest Book Review: The Ground You Stand Upon: Life of a Skytrooper in Vietnam differs from many Vietnam memoirs in that it includes not just Wilbur Bowe's perspective, but supplements his experience with interviews of former skytroopers who also served in Alpha Company. It uses their letters, journals, and memories to recreate the daily experience of very young men who became pivot points in many major battles. From navigating forests and mountain passes to becoming acclimated to the relentless sounds of battle, the authors capture the experience of Vietnam's sights, sounds, and people as few other memoirs can achieve. This feel is due, in part, to The Ground You Stand Upon's strong attention to detail and approach to juxtaposing the atmospheric descriptions of those who, if they survived, often distinguished themselves during battle. Letters, black and white photos (many in color, but in the hardcover edition only), and intimate portraits of those who survived (and others who did not) create a warmly involving account that brings the Vietnam War to life. Readers of Vietnam history accounts looking for a ""you are there"" feel will find no better pick than The Ground You Stand Upon, which brings to life a combat tour in Vietnam and the courage of officers and infantrymen alike. The letters add further connections between soldiers in the field and loved ones at home, expanding the story's scope, approach, and coverage. D. Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review Independent Book Review: An amazing true story of a father's war seen through the eyes of his son. The Ground You Stand Upon: Life of a Skytrooper in Vietnam narrates his father's time in the war with thoughtful research, letters, and first-hand accounts in a way that makes you feel like you were there. The truth of this book will linger long after reading it. A tale of humanity, duty, and some of the strongest bonds you can create, The Ground You Stand Upon is an American story that everyone could benefit from reading. Jaylynn Korrell, Independent Book Review"

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