Of Their Own Accord

Based on real incidents, this is a quintessential Vietnam war novel about the role Army Ranger units played conducting raids by small teams on the ground and directed and supported by their officers in the air. This book tracks the experiences of a young West Point graduate who volunteers for a Ranger unit in-country, learns his trade, takes care of his men, accomplishes his missions, and deals with a macho posturing, cowardly martinet of a company commander. The young officer’s thoughts and emotions while coping with these challenges and his longings for the young wife left behind in the States are aptly represented.

The author presents a setting in which the reader can easily experience the jungle, understand the challenges of accurate map reading over a sea of green jungle canopy, while directing troops on the ground, calling in artillery strikes, and air-to-ground fire support.