This page is dedicated to former 101st Airborne soldiers and the books they've written. If you have written and published a book and want to list it here, let us know.

HELL ON A HILL TOP—for four months in 1970, Hell raged on the hill tops of Ripcord, 805, 902, and 1000, all just east of the A Shau Valley.

Instead of backing away from the fight, the North Vietnamese mortar, recoilless rifle, heavy machine gun, sapper and regular infantry attacks increased. The last offensive around Ripcord was starting to look like the last stand. Unwilling to keep American soldiers at high risk at this stage of the war; Ripcord was evacuated on 23 July. The battle went unnoticed for 30 years until Keith Nolan’s book, RIPCORD, was published. As powerful and gripping as was the story of great leadership and courageous fighting by our soldiers, the magnitude of the enemy force still remained unknown. The author, the 3^rd Brigade commander during the siege and evacuation, made trips to Vietnam in 2001 and 2004 and interviewed the 324B Division commander whose first-ever division sole mission, was to destroy Firebase Ripcord. The full story is now told.

“All Viet Nam-related books and manuscripts that I have read—novels, histories, short stories and poems—have had some merit. Some were superb—well written, enlightening, touching mind, heart and soul. Ben Harrison’s Hell On A Hill Top falls into this category. It is truly an impressive and epic work of historical significance.” John M. Del Vecchio, Author of The 13^th Valley

“Considering all that has been written about the Vietnam War in the last thirty years it would seem that the subject has been covered completely. Not so. Benjamin Harrison’s Hell on a Hill Top breaks new ground—and does it in an unusual way. Ben Harrison tells the story of the prolonged struggle in clear, crisp prose, giving full credit to the heroism of the men and the professionalism of the units engaged there. For a ripping good read, don’t miss this riveting account of the fight for ‘Ripcord.’” Dave R. Palmer, Lieutenant General (retired), U S Army, Author of Summons of the Trumpet

“MG Ben Harrison has written the most interesting book about combat in Viet Nam that I have read. His extraordinary efforts to learn what the PAVN enemy consisted of, planned and did, make this book unique. His descriptions of dealing with Vietnamese officials and the Vietnamese government’s approach to documenting combat actions could make a separate, interesting, book. I read every word in a very few settings and am sending a copy to my son who is a retired infantry officer.” Ivan Worrell, Editor and Publisher, The First Screaming
Eagles in Viet Nam.

“Harrison’s distinguished career as Army Aviator enables him to highlight with rare understanding the vital role of Army Aviation and Aviation Crews during the Ripcord campaign. ***** Ben Harrison’s HELL ON A HILL TOP rounds off our understanding of the battle for Ripcord during March-July 1970, America’s Last Major Battle in Vietnam. The author’s drive, determination, and tenacity in acquiring access to Communist North Vietnamese records and in gaining interviews with opposing commanders are the same qualities that made him an effective brigade commander during the last stage of the battle for Ripcord. Most of all, Harrison’s dedication to telling the full story of Ripcord reflects his rare understanding of and enduring love for the soldiers he commanded and with whom he will serve as long as he lives.” Sidney B. Berry, Lieutenant General, US Army, Acting Commanding General, 101^st Airborne Division during the Ripcord siege.

“Through his many research travels, trials and tribulations, Harrison finally captured and published answers to the questions many veterans have had in the back of their mind for years. I was surprised he got as much out of that ‘secret’ society as he did, but not so surprised at their exaggerations and ‘spin.’" Marty Heuer, Author of Pioneers Of Ahnapee

“I've read Hell On A Hill Top twice. It is a revelation to get the other side's viewpoint on a major battle. Balance is critical to understanding. Harrison succinctly portrayed force upon force. Congratulations for a masterful book that will withstand the tide of time and document accurately what Harrison and his brave soldiers weathered in that stormy battle henceforth known as Ripcord. Harrison has made an indelible contribution to history. Air Assault!” Teddy Allen, Lieutenant General (Ret.) U.S. Army

“The included accounts from several helicopter crewmen were among the most arresting I have read.” Lewis Sorley, Author of A Better War

“I reviewed Keith Nolan's Ripcord: Screaming Eagles Under Siege, Vietnam 1970, calling it ‘a searing narrative of soldiers and small units in battle.’ In this new book, the commander of the 101st Airborne Division's 3d Brigade that endured the Ripcord fight, has written a gripping and more complete account of how both sides fought. It is a classic. General Harrison's story is replete with examples of leadership, tactical skill, the fighting heart, and soldierly heroism from brigade down to squad and trooper level. An experienced aviator himself, he relates stirring accounts of the 101st's aviators who flew with daring the heavy lifting Chinooks, troop carrying Hueys, and rocket firing Cobras on which the survival of the troops of Ripcord dozens of miles from their bases depended.” Lieutenant General John H. Cushman, US Army, Retired, former Commanding General, 101^st Airborne Division and I Corps Group, Korea.

“Harrison has done a commendable job of painstakingly researching Vietnamese records and interviewing various North Vietnamese commanders to get one of the most accurate depictions of enemy actions in the Vietnam War.” Kevin M. Hymel, Associate Editor, ARMY Magazine.

“I have just finished Hell On A Hill Top. It was by far the best book on Vietnam that I have read. Harrison did a superb job of explaining both sides of the battle.” Col James Franklin, Inf, US Army, Ret.

“Captivating, illuminating and exceptionally well documented. This is a true story of combat at its toughest and tensest, known only to those who lived it and fought it, during those final years of the Vietnam War. The end was near and the world knew it, but these soldiers fought on to accomplish a mission in the face of great odds. This book is about such a mission under the toughest of circumstances.” MG Carl H. McNair, Jr., USA (Ret), Army Aviation magazine.

Profit goes to the soldiers of the Ripcord Association. Full reviews may be read at www.ripcordassocation.com

Specify how many paperbacks @ $19.95 and how many hardcover @ $29.95 are desired and send the check made out to "Ripcord Association" to:

For more info, please e-mail Lee Widjeskog Include your name and address where to ship the books, your phone number and allow 10 days for delivery.

(the 1st edition hardbound book is sold out - The book is now available under the title "Behind Hitler's Lines")

The True Story of the Only Soldier to Fight for Both America and the Soviet Union in World War II

The wartime story of Paratrooper and Past President of the 101st Assn. Joseph Beyrle I (506th PIR)

This book is the true personal recollections of an ordinary guy that had very little interest in anything military. It starts with a family background that saw two uncles killed in WW2. It then leads into the passive evasion of a guy that really doesn’t care what is going on in Vietnam. Subconsciously he wants to see what the Vietnam War is all about. At the last minute he decides to enlist for two years as regular army which eventually leads to the elite Recon platoon in the 101^st Airborne Division’s Strike Force Battalion. Shortly after entering the Army he finds out one of his closest friends is missing in action. This was going to be no Oriental holiday. Soon he is involved in brutal combat that leaves many of his comrades dead or wounded. Although not a gung ho type he soon faces bunkers and machine guns and sees the enemy face to face and ends up within touching distance of regular NVA soldiers. The year was 1970. The war was supposed to be winding down. All eyes were on the Cambodian invasion. The big battles were going on west of Hue in the area of operations of the Screaming Eagles.

He then finds out that going home was harder than going to Nam. The world just doesn’t care just like he didn’t care a few years earlier. In the spring of 1971 veterans were dirt and Vietnam veterans subsoil. Great efforts are made to bury the trauma of Vietnam by putting all thoughts into a box in the back of his mind just like the photos in his closet. After 30 years of again evading, he finally has to confront who he is. This is a story of a military veteran’s reconciliation with life, and triumph over the painful memories from the hills west of Hue.

“A compelling story of one man’s hellish war, set in one of the most dangerous areas of Vietnam: West of Hue. Brinker’s vivid descriptions…will leave an ineffaceable impression that the reader will never forget…A heart-rending tale of innocence lost, courage tested, and hopes challenged. West of Hue is a sterling example of the indomitable spirit of America’s elite warriors.”

Peter S. Griffin, 502^nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101^st Airborne Division, Author Thoughts, Memories and Tears

“A terrific read and ‘Dog face Soldiers’ the grunts who keep this nation free, will appreciate this rendition of the ‘Yellow Brick road.’’’

“West of Hue describes a year tour with the soldiers of the ‘Oh Deuce’… It evokes strong remembrances of the time, the places, the actions, the individuals. I could not put it down.

To Order an Autographed copy of “West of Hue- Down the Yellow Brick Road” Send $19.95 plus $4.00 Shipping and Handling Payable to:

Terry Willman (B Co. 158th Avn Bn. VN) is the author of a recently published book "An Eagle's Eye View". This book is the combat history of Army Helicopter Tail #67-17658, "658" crashed on Fire Support Base Eagle's Nest on May 31, 1969. To order a copy of this book visit http://www.aneagleseyeview.net

Send cashier's check, money order or check to:

Terry Willman
P.O. Box 54895
Phoenix, AZ 85078-4895

Through the eyes of 530 soldiers of the U.S. 101^st Airborne Division- the Screaming Eagles- The Battered Bastards of Bastogne tells the story of the land and air war around Bastogne during the crucial days of the infamous Battle of the Bulge. Through these firsthand accounts the time comes alive, the fear is real, the bravery inspiring, the tragedies gut wrenching, for this is battle as viewed by the soldier and not the historian.

George Koskimaki weaves the memoirs of each of these brave men into a cohesive whole and the Battle of the Bulge comes to life before us. Pieces of the sixty-year-old jigsaw puzzle come together as the memories of one soldier fit with those of another unit or group in another nearby piece of terrain.

Hell’s Highway- Chronicle of the 101^st Airborne Division in the Holland Campaign, September-November 1944.

1n 1944 members of the U.S. 101^st Airborne Division- the Screaming Eagles- took part in Operation Market Garden in an attempt to liberate the Netherlands. Hell’s Highway is a never before told personal account of 612 members of this renowned force who risked their lives for the freedom of this small country and the world.

George Koskimaki is an expert at weaving together individual recollections and making them into a cohesive whole. He gives us a compelling and uniquely firsthand account of the bravery and deprivations endured by these troops- their hopes, fears, triumphs and tragedies as well as those of the Dutch civilians who tried to assist them in their efforts. Hell’s Highway gets to the heart of the action giving us a picture of the true war as seen through the eyes of the men who fought it.

Awed by the incredible heroism, courage, and sheer guts of the soldiers who took part in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, many of us have wondered what it must have been like to know the terrible odds and yet be willing- even eager- to fly in the face of those odds. Now in D-Day with the Screaming Eagles we hear the story of that incredible event in the words of some of the men who survived it- amny by the skin of their teeth.

Most of the soldiers of the 101^st U.S. Airborne Division- the Screaming Eagles- did not go in on the beaches of Normandy but dropped in onto the dark fields of France dangling from parachutes or strapped into gliders. And many watched as their comrades were gunned down as they floated in midair or dangled from trees and could do nothing to save them. These eyewitness accounts are given by the commanders, the platoon sergeants, the medics, the chaplains, and the lowly privates.

Many of their accounts honor those who died in the fields of Normandy and those who worked unselfishly to make sure many others survived. George Koskimaki has put together a narrative that deftly takes us through some of the most well-known days in American history and adds considerably to the readers grasp of those times and the men who lived them.

This book is about the battle that combat soldiers have with themselves. If they do not win the battle with themselves they cannot win the war- sharing the experience with soldiers, natives, and as hospital patients that changes their lives forever.

“This is a book you will want to read! How can one adequately express his feelings about our first leader, Edward Mehosky, and the role he played in turning me and the men in our platoon, from clueless recruits into combat survivors? He was as much an architect of attitude as he was a teacher of tactics and if the 1^st Platoon “H” Company, 506^th became an effective fighting unit from Normandy onward, it is to his credit that he made us so…”

Some things in the army should never change, such as the leadership qualities and emphasis on the preparedness embodied in Col. Mehosky. They are what will carry over into the next conflict and will sustain us. Military men and history buffs alike will not want to miss reading this book!

The poems contained in this book are an odyssey of heart and mind. They were written solely for enlightenment, not for recognition or profit. All were written in a therapeutic attempt to better understand life, death, war, and surviving.

It would be foolish not to take this inexpensive shortcut around mountains of misery, deep valleys of despair and rivers of tears! Just toss your token in the basket... watch for the warning signs, acknowledge the caution lights and avoid any sneaky creatures that may dart across your path! Don't drive too fast, there are some soft, muddy shoulders but you will stay right of them just fine. Remember, you do not want to get stuck anywhere along the route! Stop frequently at overlooks to rest and check your road map to find sustenance and refreshment, as needed.
Keep the following prayer over your visor and its message in your mind and on your lips. It promises God speed, clear vision and fair weather for your journey. Buckle up, stay alert and I'll look forward to meeting you at our final destination. All the way!

Visit Griffin’s Lair at http://www.grifslair.com for more information and to place order. Thank you for serving our outfit and nation with the courage and dedication That humbles the undertakings of most men.

The story of a medic serving with 2nd Platoon, B Co. 1st/501st Airmobile, July 1969-July 1970, out of LZ Sally.

This book is currently out on CD format only right now and being final edited by Gary Linderer. You can order the book by contacting Dave Pfeifer at PO Box 129, Tustin, CA. 92781 or directly from crymedic@pcmagic.net . He calls this story a "docudrama" about his one year tour in Vietnam (69-70).

This book is an attempt to explain what the combat veteran of this country has endured and to help people understand how it has affected and changed us. I have listed events or situations that we encountered and how we coped and dealt with them and how they affected us; both then and now.

I wrote the book without obscenities and vulgarity because I wanted teenagers to be able to read and understand what their father or grandfather has gone through and the price we are paying for serving our country.

This book is the combat story of a most respected United States Infantryman. But don’t be deceived when you read his call sign was “Lambchops”. It was supposed to be “Lam-Baste”, which Webster’s dictionary describes as; “To assault violently”.

His intelligence, determination, courage and leadership were well-developed character traits when his country called. He was trained for services as a rifleman, sent to the Division of “Screaming Eagles” and assigned to a clique of equally gifted riflemen respectfully known as Strike Force Recon.

This is also their story and when you read of their torment, it may help you understand the enduring loyalty combat soldiers have for one another.

Learn what it is to be hardcore, the state of mind and body of a combat grunt, and how a rational being deals with the rest of his life. Better than any ivory tower study.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone that really wants to know the price one pays being a warrior for democracy and freedom.

James P. Brinker; Recon 2/502, Vietnam 1970: author “West of Hue; Down the Yellow Brick Road.”

To order a copy, contact Booksurge.com or e-mail reconman@co-isp.com . For an autographed copy, send $15+$4 S&H to:

Written between the Gulf Wars and set in Iraq, Behind the Green Water
foretell many of the events in a local all too familiar to many 101st
Airborne troopers.

US Army Major Nash Devon, a Carolinian claiming ancestry back to the Croatan
Indians and Sir Walter Raleigh's Lost Colony, was a hero and a murderer in
the Gulf War, but haunted over the years by his actions. Assigned back to
Saudi in enroute to the UN weapons inspection team in Iraq, Devon is
shanghaied by US military intelligence and sent to the Northern Iraq
Sanctuary Zone for duty with the UN High Commission for Refugees before the
launch of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. Devon's real
mission is to locate a hidden Iraqi nuclear research facility. In his search
Devon discovers more than he bargained for: a nuclear conspiracy and an
opportunity to have the family he thought he had lost forever. What he
really finds will make your faith soar as he follows Renee Granwin behind
the green water and together they solve the mystery of the Image of Christ.

Behind the Green Water is available at many Exchanges or can be ordered
directly from Amazon.com (link -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0759942994/johnmtaylojrauth/002-72593
65-0823234

The award-winning thriller, Flash of Emerald, begins with Corporal Harry
Stoner as a young Special Forces soldier thrust into the middle of the
disastrous and short-lived Cuban counter-revolution, then takes you with a
far older and, perhaps wiser, Stoner when he is summoned from his Washington
DIA office to revisit the seamy side of Tampa's Ybor City where he is drawn
into the middle of a drugs-for-arms transaction. Not just guns, this time
the stakes are higher - a nuclear weapon stolen by fanatical terrorists -
the beginning of a wild ride across today's South Florida and the Florida
Keys where romance with a member of the Conch Republic threatens to
sidetrack his mission.

Flash of Emerald is available at many Exchanges or can be ordered directly
from Amazon.com (link -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0759942889/johnmtaylojrauth/002-72593
65-0823234

NAM-SENSE is about my experiences as an Instant NCO, a.k.a. Shake-n-Bake
infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War. Beginning with my day of arrival
to the day of departure one year later, I was drawn into a wide range of
misadventures where the bizarre was often the norm. From the battle for
Hamburger Hill, to the A Shau Valley floor and on to the DMZ, I found myself
fighting three wars; one against the Communist enemy, a second against the
natural elements, and a third against gung-ho Army superiors.

NAM-SENSE is not a story about heroism or glory, mental breakdowns, haunting
flashbacks or wallowing in self-pity. In NAM-SENSE, GIs did not rape,
murder, or burn villages. They were not strung out on drugs and did not
enjoy killing. While brutality, violence and offensive activities are the
main ingredients of any war; they were not the only ingredients of this war.
Most GIs demonstrated courage, principle, kindness and friendship; all the
elements found in other wars Americans have proudly fought in.

Author: Arthur Wiknik, Jr. (Co. A 2/506th Infantry)

To order a copy of this book visit http://www.namsense.com

General William C. Lee, Father of the American Airborne, is the dramatic story of the birth of the American paratrooper movement, centered on the heroic life and experiences of Bill Lee. The book is peppered with historical pictures and original letters from most of the heroes of World War II: Eisenhower, Churchill, Ridgway, Taylor, McAuliffe and more. The author’s access to General Lee’s personal papers makes this an intimate, thorough recounting of the formation of the first airborne divisions.

William C. “Bill” Lee, a genteel southerner, almost single-handedly wrestled, cajoled and stroked the divergent personalities of his day to establish the American airborne. Serving in a backwater post in upstate New York and preparing to retire from the military, this non-West Pointer was plucked from obscurity to formulate, develop and bring American paratroopers to reality.

In 1940, Bill Lee was assigned the airborne project with nothing to go on but his own ideas and determination; his long-standing interest in paratroopers made him the perfect choice for a seemingly impossible task. Today, all of the elite forces in the American arsenal (Rangers, Navy Seals, Green Berets, Air Force Special Ops, Delta Force) begin as paratroopers. Bill Lee started it all; nothing deterred him from his mission, including devastating personal injuries suffered in a jump with his men.

Lee took his troops to Europe as the first commander of the 101^st Airborne Division. He personally wrote the airborne doctrine and invasion plans for all of the Allied paratrooper forces for D-Day. A massive heart attack felled him before he could lead his troops into battle but many of his paratroopers honored him by changing their war cry from “Geronimo” to “Bill Lee” as they jumped over Normandy. This book tells the story of the true American hero who engendered such devotion and who, literally, “wore himself out for his country.”

The author, Jerry Autry, served 29 years in the military, including tours in Vietnam; he served in all the Army’s airborne units and is a master parachutist. He and his wife live in San Francisco, California. General William C. Lee, Father of the American Airborne, is available on Amazon.com, in paperback. Questions may be addressed to Chaplain Autry at airbornepress@aol.com.

It is not often that a military chaplain publicly voices concern over a way, either past of present, but in his latest book, Gun-Totin' Chaplain, retired Army chaplain Jerry Autry does just that. With insight sharpened by experience, and compassion kindled in the horror of battle, Chaplain Autry details the challenges, anguish and even the joys of a wartime pastorate.

During his year in Vietnam, Chaplain Autry spent more time in the field with the troops than in rear areas, a choice that vexed his superiors. His wartime experiences propelled him through a lifetime of comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable. Assigned to the fabled 101st Airborne Division in 1968, the author served as pastor to men of all faiths and in any unit that needed him. He is one of the most highly decorated chaplains from the Vietnam era and was dubbed "the gun-totin' chaplain" in a Time magazine article during the war years. Chaplain Autry chose to carry a weapon in order to ease the concerns of the men around him. The author's memoir is followed by a sharply-written epilogue containing his commentaries on the current war in the Middle East and its painful similarities to Vietnam. This book is as timely as it is enlightening, and a real "must have" for anyone interested in the 101st, Vietnam, or military history.

This is a history based on original documents gathered from several
archives and the personal narratives of men who served in the 3d
Battalion (Airborne) 187th Infantry Regiment from December 1967 to
December 1968. It is dedicated to those men and in particular, those
130 plus men of the battalion who were killed in action in 1968.
I wanted to get something on paper in some organized way so that the
history of our battalion, from the time of deployment to Vietnam in
December 1967 to December 1968 would not be lost. I felt this was
important because during most of 1968 our battalion and the rest of
the 3d Brigade were under that operational control of II Field
Force, 1st and 25th Infantry Divisions in III Corps and 4th ID in II
Corps. That being the case there is little mention of 3d Brigade or
of it’s battalions in the histories of the 101st Airborne Division
during this period.

The basic work follows a chronological format using data abstracted
from battalion and brigade operational journals and other operational
data. Personal narratives of events are tied into the chronological
text. Photographs are also included throughout the book. There are a
number of annexes with a significant amount of data, Several include
the names, dates and locations where men of the battalion were
killed. There is also an annex of where each man is buried.

The above books are listed to honor our former soldiers and as a service to our visitors for their reference. This does not mean, in any way, that these books are endorsed by the 101st Airborne Division Association.

You must have served with the 101st Airborne Division and be a member of our Assn. to have your book listed here. Please include a scanned .jpg file of the book cover, a brief narrative or comments, and instructions on how to get the book if you want. Thanks!