Click Here to Purchase From Amazon Vietnam No Regrets

Author: J. Richard Watkins

ISBN: 0-9793629-0-3

How would you feel if you had to board a plane and go to fight in a war, knowing you might never see your friends or family again? This is the question young twenty-something J. Richard Watkins had wondered as he boarded a plane to fly to South Vietnam. I’m sure there will be some readers who pick up this book and can completely relate to Watkins because they were alive when the war between America and Vietnam was going on. I think for those of us, like myself, who fortunately did not fight in that war, we can read this gem and through Watkin’s personal story, understand why he did what he did and really get a sense of what he went through.

This is a story of a man’s inner strength and how he coped with the pressure in Vietnam, for there was always the forbidding possibility that one or more of his men could die a bloody and unpleasant death. Would they regret being a solider and having to fight with the enemy, even with blooded wounds and sometimes full of the deepest sorrow? No. They had no regrets, Richard certainly learnt not to have any during his time in Vietnam. To care for the enemy if he was injured or in great pain, was not encouraged for this could lead you to great danger. Always have your wits about you, never start to have compassion towards these enemies for they are, after all, there to kill you and your companions. Never build up a close friendship with one or more of your men. If one of you were to die, the other would be heart-broken and you can’t afford to be emotionally damaged when out on such dangerous missions.

These wise words of advice were the things new soldier, Watkins, had to deal with.  As harsh as all of it seemed at the time, he learnt that this kind of advice would serve him well. After all, if you were to fight in this war you had to learn to be a man, not a boy.

When Watkins receives a letter from his girl, he treasures it very dearly, as if  it is made of gold. Yet on opening his letter, his heart breaks for this letter is a “Dear John”. One that Watkins spends a lot of time pondering over during the rest of his time fighting.

Watkins was tested, many times, by the sheer brutality the war had to offer. Praying to live another day was always there as was grief and fear.

Watkins, a RTO (radio transmission operator) was usually placed in the front line, his duties as commander were dangerous but thankfully no harm came to him.

I feel Watkins suffered a lot of mental grief throughout the time he spent defending his country. We have an insight of this, when his men, mistake two farmers and a little girl for the enemy and gun them down. Remembering their carefree chatter the night before, Watkins and his men face the reality of their actions when they look upon the civilian’s  lifeless bodies wrapped in white sheets. How could they have mistaken these harmless people? Trying his best Watkins tries to forget the scene he sees but he knows that isn’t always possible and is sure his men feel exactly the same. How could they forget something as horrific and heart-rending as that?

These men who fought in Vietnam will never be forgotten, certainly not the account of J. Richard Watkins who relates this in such a wonderful way. He captures the many scenes he was witness to in a raw narrative with many descriptions.

There are also pictures which he took during his time in the war, toward the middle of this book which I’m sure will interest people.

J. Richard Watkins tells us his personal tale in a way that makes you feel you are there with him, right in the heart of the battles with all the daily struggles he faced. A wonderful, remarkable and must-have read.

The above revue was contributed by:  Jessica Roberts: Jessica has been a book reviewer for a newspaper and a national women's magazine and is working on a novel. To read more of Jessica's reviews CLICK HERE 

Click Here to Purchase From Amazon Vietnam No Regrets