About Face: The Odyssey of An American Soldier by Col David H. Hackworth and Julie Sherman. It was released in hardcover in March 1989. This 875 page book chronicles the 25 year career of David Hackworth. The writing is excellent and interesting. In one section of the book, Colonel Hackworth proceeds to describe his effort to turn the 4/39th into an effective fighting force. Casualties went down and morale went up. The 60 pages he devotes to the 4/39 and 9th Infantry Division provide valuable insight on how political influences and personal ambitions affected the lives of soldiers who served their country. This part of the book was expanded into the book Steel My Soldiers’ Hearts: The Hopeless to Hardcore Transformation of the U.S. Army, 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry, Vietnam (released in 2002) by Col. (Retired) David H. Hackworth and his wife Eilhys England. Read in May 2005.
About Face: The Odyssey of An American Soldier by Col David H. Hackworth and Julie Sherman
