M.P., A Novel of Vietnam
by John R. Schembra
Reviewed by Nancy J. Bishaw
eBook Reviews Weekly
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John Schembra portrays a vivid picture of the Vietnam War. Vince Torelli is a student at San Francisco State University when he receives his draft notice. For some reason, his student deferment is no longer in effect and he is ordered to Fort Lewis, Washington for basic training. Once training is completed and the Military Police schooling finished, Vince finds himself assigned to the 557th MP Company, Long Binh, South Vietnam. I wonder if the powers-that-be are sane, sending these boys over to Vietnam after only twenty weeks of training: basic and AIT. How could they possibly be ready to fight the Viet Cong? But Vince ships out along with the other new recruits... and it will be a long journey home again.
Vince arrives in Bien Hoa, and one of the first things he's told is: "From here on out, you touch nothing that isn't government issue. You do not leave the friendly confines of the 90th Replacement Battalion until ordered to do so, and starting right now, consider every gook your enemy. You will be right most of the time. Trust no one who doesn't have round eyes, and be careful of some of them, too..."
Thus begins his tour of duty. Trust no one. In Vietnam, enemies are not clearly defined. A soldier can't tell who the enemy is by mere appearance. Orientation lasts two weeks, but Vince's real education begins after duty hours when he can talk with the other soldiers in the company. He learns what it takes to survive a war with hidden enemies and no rules, and to only trust the people you work with. Their lives, literally, depend on their fellow soldiers. They have to rely on each other, because that's all they have. They cover one another's backs, trying desperately to survive.
John describes many incidents in this war, and he doesn't pull any punches. He readily tells us of what some of our own men did over there. Things that weren't supposed to- or shouldn't have- happened. For instnace, there is the time a child steals a camera from one of the GIs and the soldier shoots him. Not your typical American response to such a situation, but then these GIs are under a lot of stress- and, I imagine, many of them were at the breaking point. During the Tet offensive, the author does a wonderful job of showing the fear and anxiety of the GIs as they fight the enemy despite their wounds. Through sheer will and determination, they struggle to live through it and reach safety. And to do that, they must rely on one another.
The author weaves a solid, interesting story that holds the reader's attention from start to end. Among the battles, he inserts some GI pranks that will make you grin for sure. It shows that even in the midst of the horrors of war the men need to left off steam.
All in all, "M.P., A Novel of Vietnam" is well worth reading. It gives an insight into the war that only someone who has been there can give. I highly recommend this action-packed book.
Nancy J. Bishaw
Author of: Angels Dare to Fly
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