Official Review: In the Company of Heros

Erin Dydek · Post by **Erin Dydek** » 10 Apr 2020, 13:28

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "In the Company of Heros" by Harvey D. Watson.]

3 out of 4 stars

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In the Company of Heroes, by Harvey D. Watson, is a detailed account of his experiences as an infantry officer in Vietnam. Watson shares about the months leading up to his deployment before diving right into the sights and smells that greeted him on his landing in a foreign country. The book is a testament to the complexities of war and reads like a report of Watson’s tour of duty. As the narrative proceeds through his months in Vietnam sequentially, Watson includes his reactions and emotional responses to each significant event he witnessed.

The thing I loved most about this memoir was the personal and honest tone of the author throughout his reflections. Reading this book was a lot like sitting down to listen to Watson share his thoughts and reactions on the highs and lows of his tour of duty. Watson doesn’t go into the politics of war but focuses on the heroes he served with, and we get to meet some of his well-respected friends and fellow officers. I also enjoyed the fact that Watson kept the gory details and swearing to a minimum. Although he uses mild profanities, unlike typical war memoirs, there were very few instances of the f-word, and those few were censored.

Watson outlined the details of the tactics and formations that served his company well as they completed their missions. He also included sketches to depict the configurations of the maneuvers and ambushes. The personal photos woven throughout the pages was one of my favorite things because they gave faces to several of the names mentioned in his stories. I also appreciated the tribute to the men who continued to serve and fight in the battle of Hamburger Hill after his tour ended, and the list at the end of the book that shared the current whereabouts of the key players who served with the author.

Acronyms and abbreviations were used prevalently throughout the narrative. Watson included explanations and reminders about what each one meant, but it might be easier for someone more familiar with military terms to remember them as they read. The thing I liked least was the inconsistencies with these shortened forms. Sometimes fort would be abbreviated “Ft” and sometimes “Ft.” Another example would be the switching between “LT” and “Lt.” for lieutenant.

I counted numerous editing errors, and while they did not make the book unreadable, it would be nice to see this memoir have another round with an editor. These errors, along with a couple of formatting issues with the photos, reduced my rating to 3 out of 4. Although Watson’s account carries a serious tone, he brought along some humor and shared his experiences with good taste. Still, the nature of the content included friendly fire incidents, mentions of various wounds, and violent combat, which make this book better suited to an adult audience.

******
In the Company of Heros
View: on Bookshelves

Laura Lee · Post by **Laura Lee** » 13 Apr 2020, 07:51

I love the title of the book! That's what first grabbed my interest. It's too bad there are so many editing issues. These are things that can so easily be taken care of by a thorough editing process. It sounds very interesting, though. Thanks for your review. I enjoyed reading it.

Damis Seres Rodriguez · Post by **Damis Seres Rodriguez** » 13 Apr 2020, 09:23

It sounds like a quite interesting book. The idea of being able to look at pictures that complement the scenes described is always appealing. Seems like it is worth giving it a shot. Thanks for your review!

fadjei · Post by **fadjei** » 13 Apr 2020, 20:09

The grammatical errors definitely need to be fixed. However, this sounds like a great story otherwise. I like how the author added photos to the story. It makes it more personal.
Thanks for the review!

Juliet+1 · Post by **Juliet+1** » 13 Apr 2020, 23:03

If ever I could read a book about Vietnam, this would be the one. The inclusion of pictures and of information on the current whereabouts of the author's fellow soldiers is very appealing. Thanks for a great review; I enjoyed reading it.

NetMassimo · Post by **NetMassimo** » 14 Apr 2020, 01:47

An interesting memoir about a war that now seems so far away in time, but is still in the memories of a lot of people who fought it. The information about some of the author's fellow soldiers adds to the book. Thank you for your great review!

Maria Esposito · Post by **Maria Esposito** » 14 Apr 2020, 05:45

I'm not into military and war stories, so I appreciate it when people with military background focus on the more "human" part of their experiences. Thank you for your great review!

Caribqueen16 · Post by **Caribqueen16** » 14 Apr 2020, 09:24

Everydayadventure15 wrote: ↑10 Apr 2020, 13:28 [Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "In the Company of Heros" by Harvey D. Watson.]

3 out of 4 stars
Share This Review

In the Company of Heroes, by Harvey D. Watson, is a detailed account of his experiences as an infantry officer in Vietnam. Watson shares about the months leading up to his deployment before diving right into the sights and smells that greeted him on his landing in a foreign country. The book is a testament to the complexities of war and reads like a report of Watson’s tour of duty. As the narrative proceeds through his months in Vietnam sequentially, Watson includes his reactions and emotional responses to each significant event he witnessed.

The thing I loved most about this memoir was the personal and honest tone of the author throughout his reflections. Reading this book was a lot like sitting down to listen to Watson share his thoughts and reactions on the highs and lows of his tour of duty. Watson doesn’t go into the politics of war but focuses on the heroes he served with, and we get to meet some of his well-respected friends and fellow officers. I also enjoyed the fact that Watson kept the gory details and swearing to a minimum. Although he uses mild profanities, unlike typical war memoirs, there were very few instances of the f-word, and those few were censored.

Watson outlined the details of the tactics and formations that served his company well as they completed their missions. He also included sketches to depict the configurations of the maneuvers and ambushes. The personal photos woven throughout the pages was one of my favorite things because they gave faces to several of the names mentioned in his stories. I also appreciated the tribute to the men who continued to serve and fight in the battle of Hamburger Hill after his tour ended, and the list at the end of the book that shared the current whereabouts of the key players who served with the author.

Acronyms and abbreviations were used prevalently throughout the narrative. Watson included explanations and reminders about what each one meant, but it might be easier for someone more familiar with military terms to remember them as they read. The thing I liked least was the inconsistencies with these shortened forms. Sometimes fort would be abbreviated “Ft” and sometimes “Ft.” Another example would be the switching between “LT” and “Lt.” for lieutenant.

I counted numerous editing errors, and while they did not make the book unreadable, it would be nice to see this memoir have another round with an editor. These errors, along with a couple of formatting issues with the photos, reduced my rating to 3 out of 4. Although Watson’s account carries a serious tone, he brought along some humor and shared his experiences with good taste. Still, the nature of the content included friendly fire incidents, mentions of various wounds, and violent combat, which make this book better suited to an adult audience.

******
In the Company of Heros
View: on Bookshelves
The author depicted that war is not glamorous. He paid tribute to his comrades who also served during the war, which is commendable. I am happy that the errors that you encountered in your review did not prevent you from enjoying the book.

Nzube Chizoba Okeke · Post by **Nzube Chizoba Okeke** » 14 Apr 2020, 17:40

espo wrote: ↑14 Apr 2020, 05:45 I'm not into military and war stories, so I appreciate it when people with military background focus on the more "human" part of their experiences. Thank you for your great review!

Same here. However, it was a lovely review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 14 Apr 2020, 19:14

I don't read many memoirs, but I do appreciate that the author shared his life story. It sounds like he had many great experiences. It's too bad about the errors, but it still would be worth reading if this is your thing. Thanks.

Charlyt · Post by **Charlyt** » 15 Apr 2020, 03:19

I like stories about war so this memoir sounds intersting to me. Too bad about the errors but it still seems like a good read. Thanks for the review!

rumik · Post by **rumik** » 15 Apr 2020, 09:30

I'm not very interested in military tales, but I do enjoy reading memoirs. This one does sound intriguing. Thanks for the great review as always!

Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 15 Apr 2020, 12:05

I'm not a huge fan of war stories, but the author does have a lot of interesting experiences. I think it's worth checking out. Your review is very comprehensive. Thanks!

Mbrooks2518 · Post by **Mbrooks2518** » 16 Apr 2020, 00:17

I'm not interested in war memoirs, but this sounds like a great book for people that are. Great review!

Shabram22 · Post by **Shabram22** » 16 Apr 2020, 01:07

Although I don't I usually like reading war stories, this book sounds like it might interest me. I like that there are no gory scenes and the profanity is minimal. After another round of editing, I would love to learn more about the thoughts and feelings of a soldier. Thanks for a great review!.