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The 13th Valley
Back in print after many years! A work that has served as a literary cornerstone for the Vietnam generation, The 13th Valley follows the strange and terrifying Vietnam combat experiences of James Chelini, a telephone-systems installer who finds himself an infantryman in territory controlled by the North Vietnamese Army. Spiraling deeper and deeper into a world of conflict and darkness, this harrowing account of Chelini's plunge and immersion into jungle warfare traces his evolution from a semipacifist to an all-out warmonger. The seminal novel on the Vietnam experience, The 13th Valley is a classic that illuminates the war in Southeast Asia like no other book.
608 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
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About the author
John M. Del Vecchio
11 books30 followersJohn M. Del Vecchio graduated from Lafeyette College in 1969. He was drafted and sent to Vietnam in 1970, where he served as combat correspondent in the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile). In 1971 he was awarded a Bronze Star for Heroism in Ground Combat. He is author of The 13th Valley, Darkness Falls, Carry Me Home, For the Sake of All Living Things, and other works.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
March 29, 2025
“The Khe Ta Laou river valley is difficult to enter, hard to traverse. For a very long time it had remained isolated. Life in the valley is highly organized and each plant and animal form aids and is dependent upon the entire system. The equilibrium is sharply constructed – a state, perhaps, which invited disruption…”
- John M. Del Vecchio, The 13th Valley
By the time I was born, the Vietnam War had ended, but its shadow remained. I grew up amid veterans of the war, who were still young men at the time. Popular culture was littered with the war’s iconography, especially in movie theaters, where America’s tragic involvement in Southeast Asia was relitigated through fictional characters as different as First Blood’s John Rambo, Platoon’s Chris Taylor, and Full Metal Jacket’s Joker.
Meanwhile, entire shelves at bookstores were filled with mass market paperbacks about the conflict, many written by men who had been there. With little to no understanding about the causes of the war, or its actual course, I purchased these by the dozen. Context was not necessary, for almost all of them were focused on small units, and on the bonds between warriors. Their basic story beats could have been transplanted to any war in history.
John M. Del Vecchio’s The 13th Valley is a bit different. Perhaps that is the reason I did not get around to reading it until thirty or so years after it first came into my possession.
Like many of the Vietnam novels I mentioned above, The 13th Valley is a tale of grunts, told by a grunt. It even refuses to name anyone above the rank of “captain,” giving higher-ups nicknames instead. But in other ways, it is rather unique. Specifically, the war without is often subordinate to the war within, as the men of the fictional 7th Battalion of the 402nd Infantry (Airmobile) grapple with all the larger questions that animate discussions of the Vietnamese-American War to this very day.
***
The plot here is simple. We follow a single company as it heads into the Khe Ta Laou valley to interdict North Vietnamese supplies flowing across the Laotian border. In the course of almost 650 pages, we get to know the American soldiers as they search for the enemy. Eventually, of course, the enemy is met.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this standard war story is the year in which it is set: 1971. At this point, “Vietnamization” is in full swing, and President Nixon is drawing down troop levels while cynically maneuvering for “peace with honor.” In other words, the men in this novel – which is based on real operations in the A Shau Valley – are risking their lives in a war that is already decided.
***
The most fascinating thing about The 13th Valley is not what happens, but how Del Vecchio tells it. He is an author brimming with talent that often overflows its channels. There are lyrical descriptions of nature, as well as profane, acronym-peppered dialogues between soldiers. There are intense character studies, as well as painfully stilted dialectical exchanges that sound a lot like freshman-year philosophy. There are hundreds of pages in which nothing happens, interspersed with a handful of pages detailing the visceral, kinetic, time-warp of battle. At times, Del Vecchio seems to want nothing more than to convey the tactility of the Vietnam War, so he relies on incredibly detailed descriptions of leeches, jungle rot, and – during combat scenes – onomatomania. On other occasions, though, he will dip into the surreal, with numerous dream sequences and flashbacks to the home front. If that’s not enough, Del Vecchio utilizes the third-person omniscient, meaning that he can slip into the hearts and minds of any character at any time, so you end up viewing things from dozens of perspectives.
If this sounds like a lot, it is. Had Del Vecchio matriculated through a creative writing program, he probably would’ve been told to pare it down, tighten it up, and pick a lane. Instead, he was a combat correspondent who came home from Vietnam and poured out his experiences on paper, a catharsis he later shaped into a novel.
***
The upshot of Del Vecchio’s throw-everything-at-the-page approach is a book that reaches great heights and descends to deep valleys. The aspects that work, work really well. His sense of place is extraordinary, with beautiful landscapes and a punishing climate. He also has a deliberate way of drawing tension, and during much of The 13th Valley, all of the “excitement” is happening elsewhere. While the men we’re following tramp fruitlessly around the jungle, we keep hearing reports of attacks on other units. Oftentimes, Del Vecchio is describing boredom and discomfort, and he does it well. Some of my favorite parts were the quietest, such as a soldier carefully utilizing his C-rations to form a decent meal. When it all hits the fan – and it does – Del Vecchio pays it off grippingly.
The problem, however, is that the things that don’t work – the crowded interior lives, the dreams, the bad sex scenes, the “situation reports” that end each chapter – throw the pacing all off. In unintentional mimicry of the reality Del Vecchio is detailing, segments of The 13th Valley resemble an aimless slog.
***
The men form the foundation of The 13th Valley, and Del Vecchio takes his time to develop them. Having read a good deal of Vietnam War fiction, I was prepared for the archetypes I’d encountered before: the grizzled sergeant; the wide-eyed newbie; the caring commander. One of the joys of The 13th Valley is how Del Vecchio upends those stereotypes, sometimes enriching them, sometimes dispensing with them entirely. For example, there is Chelini, nicknamed Cherry, who seems very familiar on first presentation: white, college educated, and a volunteer, poised to travel an arc from bumbling innocence to accomplished veteran. In Del Vecchio’s hands, Chelini takes a Kubrickian detour that is rather chilling.
Overall, there are dozens of featured players here, of all races and religious backgrounds, and all of them get their say, often at enormous length. This crowd has a lot on its mind, and in the interstices between marching, sleeping, and fighting, they discuss racism, class, the nature of war in general, and America’s Vietnamese war in particular. This probably could have been reduced, but I appreciated it. None of these characters are disposable, and so there is real heft to their ultimate fates.
***
It’s worth noting that for all its attempts to capture a wide sampling of American voices, Del Vecchio does not entirely ignore the North Vietnamese. To be sure, this is not evenly balanced, and there are no scenes set among the North Vietnamese Army. That said, he does include a scout named Minh, who defected from the NVA, and now serves with the United States Army. His character is burdened with having to singlehandedly present the views of both North and South Vietnam, and so comes across more as symbol than human being. Still, whether Del Vecchio intended it or not, Minh’s views are the most rational, and have best stood the test of time.
***
In a forward to The 13th Valley, Del Vecchio asserts his belief that the United States could have won in Vietnam. He’s earned his opinion, and I’ll say nothing more about it. The important thing – from a literary standpoint, at least – is that this assuredness does not overwhelm his writing. There is no single argument threaded into the narrative. To the contrary, given the panoply of viewpoints, The 13th Valley is susceptible to many meanings. With this violent ambiguity, Del Vecchio profoundly captures the essence of the Vietnam War.
- John M. Del Vecchio, The 13th Valley
By the time I was born, the Vietnam War had ended, but its shadow remained. I grew up amid veterans of the war, who were still young men at the time. Popular culture was littered with the war’s iconography, especially in movie theaters, where America’s tragic involvement in Southeast Asia was relitigated through fictional characters as different as First Blood’s John Rambo, Platoon’s Chris Taylor, and Full Metal Jacket’s Joker.
Meanwhile, entire shelves at bookstores were filled with mass market paperbacks about the conflict, many written by men who had been there. With little to no understanding about the causes of the war, or its actual course, I purchased these by the dozen. Context was not necessary, for almost all of them were focused on small units, and on the bonds between warriors. Their basic story beats could have been transplanted to any war in history.
John M. Del Vecchio’s The 13th Valley is a bit different. Perhaps that is the reason I did not get around to reading it until thirty or so years after it first came into my possession.
Like many of the Vietnam novels I mentioned above, The 13th Valley is a tale of grunts, told by a grunt. It even refuses to name anyone above the rank of “captain,” giving higher-ups nicknames instead. But in other ways, it is rather unique. Specifically, the war without is often subordinate to the war within, as the men of the fictional 7th Battalion of the 402nd Infantry (Airmobile) grapple with all the larger questions that animate discussions of the Vietnamese-American War to this very day.
***
The plot here is simple. We follow a single company as it heads into the Khe Ta Laou valley to interdict North Vietnamese supplies flowing across the Laotian border. In the course of almost 650 pages, we get to know the American soldiers as they search for the enemy. Eventually, of course, the enemy is met.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this standard war story is the year in which it is set: 1971. At this point, “Vietnamization” is in full swing, and President Nixon is drawing down troop levels while cynically maneuvering for “peace with honor.” In other words, the men in this novel – which is based on real operations in the A Shau Valley – are risking their lives in a war that is already decided.
***
The most fascinating thing about The 13th Valley is not what happens, but how Del Vecchio tells it. He is an author brimming with talent that often overflows its channels. There are lyrical descriptions of nature, as well as profane, acronym-peppered dialogues between soldiers. There are intense character studies, as well as painfully stilted dialectical exchanges that sound a lot like freshman-year philosophy. There are hundreds of pages in which nothing happens, interspersed with a handful of pages detailing the visceral, kinetic, time-warp of battle. At times, Del Vecchio seems to want nothing more than to convey the tactility of the Vietnam War, so he relies on incredibly detailed descriptions of leeches, jungle rot, and – during combat scenes – onomatomania. On other occasions, though, he will dip into the surreal, with numerous dream sequences and flashbacks to the home front. If that’s not enough, Del Vecchio utilizes the third-person omniscient, meaning that he can slip into the hearts and minds of any character at any time, so you end up viewing things from dozens of perspectives.
If this sounds like a lot, it is. Had Del Vecchio matriculated through a creative writing program, he probably would’ve been told to pare it down, tighten it up, and pick a lane. Instead, he was a combat correspondent who came home from Vietnam and poured out his experiences on paper, a catharsis he later shaped into a novel.
***
The upshot of Del Vecchio’s throw-everything-at-the-page approach is a book that reaches great heights and descends to deep valleys. The aspects that work, work really well. His sense of place is extraordinary, with beautiful landscapes and a punishing climate. He also has a deliberate way of drawing tension, and during much of The 13th Valley, all of the “excitement” is happening elsewhere. While the men we’re following tramp fruitlessly around the jungle, we keep hearing reports of attacks on other units. Oftentimes, Del Vecchio is describing boredom and discomfort, and he does it well. Some of my favorite parts were the quietest, such as a soldier carefully utilizing his C-rations to form a decent meal. When it all hits the fan – and it does – Del Vecchio pays it off grippingly.
The problem, however, is that the things that don’t work – the crowded interior lives, the dreams, the bad sex scenes, the “situation reports” that end each chapter – throw the pacing all off. In unintentional mimicry of the reality Del Vecchio is detailing, segments of The 13th Valley resemble an aimless slog.
***
The men form the foundation of The 13th Valley, and Del Vecchio takes his time to develop them. Having read a good deal of Vietnam War fiction, I was prepared for the archetypes I’d encountered before: the grizzled sergeant; the wide-eyed newbie; the caring commander. One of the joys of The 13th Valley is how Del Vecchio upends those stereotypes, sometimes enriching them, sometimes dispensing with them entirely. For example, there is Chelini, nicknamed Cherry, who seems very familiar on first presentation: white, college educated, and a volunteer, poised to travel an arc from bumbling innocence to accomplished veteran. In Del Vecchio’s hands, Chelini takes a Kubrickian detour that is rather chilling.
Overall, there are dozens of featured players here, of all races and religious backgrounds, and all of them get their say, often at enormous length. This crowd has a lot on its mind, and in the interstices between marching, sleeping, and fighting, they discuss racism, class, the nature of war in general, and America’s Vietnamese war in particular. This probably could have been reduced, but I appreciated it. None of these characters are disposable, and so there is real heft to their ultimate fates.
***
It’s worth noting that for all its attempts to capture a wide sampling of American voices, Del Vecchio does not entirely ignore the North Vietnamese. To be sure, this is not evenly balanced, and there are no scenes set among the North Vietnamese Army. That said, he does include a scout named Minh, who defected from the NVA, and now serves with the United States Army. His character is burdened with having to singlehandedly present the views of both North and South Vietnam, and so comes across more as symbol than human being. Still, whether Del Vecchio intended it or not, Minh’s views are the most rational, and have best stood the test of time.
***
In a forward to The 13th Valley, Del Vecchio asserts his belief that the United States could have won in Vietnam. He’s earned his opinion, and I’ll say nothing more about it. The important thing – from a literary standpoint, at least – is that this assuredness does not overwhelm his writing. There is no single argument threaded into the narrative. To the contrary, given the panoply of viewpoints, The 13th Valley is susceptible to many meanings. With this violent ambiguity, Del Vecchio profoundly captures the essence of the Vietnam War.
September 19, 2014
I led a Recon Platoon in the Central Highlands in 1970-71 and this book captures the tactical experience perfectly. The role of my platoon, at that time, can be characterized as "Bait". Our job was to go around poking at stuff until something poked back, I was there just after Cambodia and Charles didn't want to come out to fight, so I never had exactly the sort of experience that ended the book, but I once ran my platoon as fast as I could to what some helicopter pilots claimed was a battalion of troops sun bathing in my AO> We spent three days trying to find where they had gone but they were gone.
Vietnam was a contest between Marxism and the Harvard Business Model and Marxism won. It didn't start out that way: before 1963, the mission was nation building helping a pre-republican society install infrastructure necessary for the nation to operate as a constitutional republic. In this regards, Vietnam was not a mistake but a deliberate response to the Soviet insurgency model being introduced all over the world, including Central and South America. Trotsky wasn't in Mexico as a benign presence.
Vietnam was a battle in the larger Cold War and needs to be understood within the context of Korea. We were in Vietnam as much to protect the oil in the Persian Gulf as the shipping lanes to Japan which depended upon that oil to drie its economy. Vietnam was not a mistake: We lost the battle, but the conduct of the war did for the Soviet Union what Borodino did for Napoleon. Vietnam is the reason why the Soviet Union doesn't exist, today, floggers of the Reagan personality cult notwithstanding.
When I got back from Vietnam, I ended up doing business with the Soviets in the aerospace sector of their economy. I had studied them while working fora bank and the only thing that kept their economy operating at any level was something they called "blat", which refers to bribes, specifically, but applies to the shadow economy which has revealed itself in the Russian mafia, Nobody realized at the time just how big this was, but the formal economy of the Soviet Union had been bled white by Vietnam and Afghanistan was the last feeble attempt to eventually create a warm water port in Iran through the Kyber Pass. But the conventional wisdom that Vietnam was anything but "the necessary war" needs to be reexamined as more consistent with the wishful thinking that characterized the occupation of Iraq than the rational projection of national interests that it was,
I don't want to refight the war: we lost it, fair and square and I put up with enough anti-war crap during the 60s that I have no desire to engage those particular conceits, again, but many of these reviews reflect what I call the Oliver Stone version of Vietnam (including, if not especially, the architects of the all volunteer military) and all I am saying is that it isn't necessarily so. Dick Cheney and Bill Kristol ran the Iraq occupation on that basis and one result is ISIS> I'm just saying.
Personally, I wouldn't have missed Vietnam for the world
Vietnam was a contest between Marxism and the Harvard Business Model and Marxism won. It didn't start out that way: before 1963, the mission was nation building helping a pre-republican society install infrastructure necessary for the nation to operate as a constitutional republic. In this regards, Vietnam was not a mistake but a deliberate response to the Soviet insurgency model being introduced all over the world, including Central and South America. Trotsky wasn't in Mexico as a benign presence.
Vietnam was a battle in the larger Cold War and needs to be understood within the context of Korea. We were in Vietnam as much to protect the oil in the Persian Gulf as the shipping lanes to Japan which depended upon that oil to drie its economy. Vietnam was not a mistake: We lost the battle, but the conduct of the war did for the Soviet Union what Borodino did for Napoleon. Vietnam is the reason why the Soviet Union doesn't exist, today, floggers of the Reagan personality cult notwithstanding.
When I got back from Vietnam, I ended up doing business with the Soviets in the aerospace sector of their economy. I had studied them while working fora bank and the only thing that kept their economy operating at any level was something they called "blat", which refers to bribes, specifically, but applies to the shadow economy which has revealed itself in the Russian mafia, Nobody realized at the time just how big this was, but the formal economy of the Soviet Union had been bled white by Vietnam and Afghanistan was the last feeble attempt to eventually create a warm water port in Iran through the Kyber Pass. But the conventional wisdom that Vietnam was anything but "the necessary war" needs to be reexamined as more consistent with the wishful thinking that characterized the occupation of Iraq than the rational projection of national interests that it was,
I don't want to refight the war: we lost it, fair and square and I put up with enough anti-war crap during the 60s that I have no desire to engage those particular conceits, again, but many of these reviews reflect what I call the Oliver Stone version of Vietnam (including, if not especially, the architects of the all volunteer military) and all I am saying is that it isn't necessarily so. Dick Cheney and Bill Kristol ran the Iraq occupation on that basis and one result is ISIS> I'm just saying.
Personally, I wouldn't have missed Vietnam for the world
December 30, 2012
This is a captivating and engrossing book. I first read it in the mid 80's when the paper back edition first came out. I could not put it down then and my experience was the same today when I read it again. But be warned that there are very graphic depictions in the book. And these depictions are not limited to combat and war. The author does a very credible job of getting into the heads of the soldiers. You learn what they are thinking, feeling, and dreaming. Many of the men retain some semblance of humanity by dreaming of their girls back home. One of the main characters relives his time with his wife when he was on leave (which results in him receiving divorce papers while on patrol in combat).
In many ways this is an awful book about an awful subject. And that is as it should be. The conflict in Vietnam was a terrible mistake. This book helps you understand this on a very basic level. The same can be said about war in general. I came away thinking that this is not an activity I would want to engage in unless I had the most compelling reason to do so. The changes imposed on these men was horrible and you can definitely understand this by reading the 13th Valley.
In many ways this is an awful book about an awful subject. And that is as it should be. The conflict in Vietnam was a terrible mistake. This book helps you understand this on a very basic level. The same can be said about war in general. I came away thinking that this is not an activity I would want to engage in unless I had the most compelling reason to do so. The changes imposed on these men was horrible and you can definitely understand this by reading the 13th Valley.
July 22, 2016
Re-reading this book some 25 years later, I'm not nearly as impressed as I was the first time. "Overwritten" is the term that now comes to mind, based on what I found to be a curious overflow of words in many passsages, apparently aimed at intense description, but that somehow took something away rather than adding. In particular, the out-of-the blue, intense philosophical discussions seemed at least a bit out of character for many of the participants. And the lengthy attempts at shedding light on some of the main characters' personal lives, including their nighttime dreams, just didn't seem to work particularly well. As another reviewer noted, all in all it seems that Del Vecchio could have done much more with less. That said, this novel does leave the reader with a great understanding and feel for the combat and combat-related experience among American foot soldiers in the Vietnam War, and for that reason alone it makes a worthy contribution.
October 24, 2014
Often hailed as the most important novel to emerge from the Vietnam conflict, former war reporter John M. Del Vecchio weaves fiction and fact to paint a vivid picture of the soldier's lot in the latter stages of US involvement. The narrative follows a fictional company of paratroopers taking part in the last major US operation of the war, a real life event that was every bit as futile as is depicted here. The dialogue flows with poetic obscenity as characters converse in authentic military patois, shot through with a soldier's habitual humour and cynicism. Vecchio also displays an impressive gift for description, the unreality of the situation enhanced by his depiction of the jungle as an alien landscape far removed from the corrupting touch of civilisation. There are no mindless grunts or stereotype heroes amongst Vecchio's cast of characters, most are college educated and fully aware of the essential pointlessness of their deadly encounters with the North Vietnamese Army. More disturbing is the fact that many in fact seem to enjoy the war, the immediacy of combat and the vibrancy of day to day life in a jungle haunted by a formidable enemy providing an escape from the mundane realities of failed marriages and adult responsibility. By turns exhilarating and harrowing, the seductive insanity of war has rarely been better described.
January 4, 2016
the 13th valley is one of my husband's most favourite books, so i read it at his request several years ago. it is an amazing book and del vecchio did a fantastic job creating a work that feels so authentic and heartbreaking. given his personal experiences, it is not surprising he was able to achieve this in the 13th valley. he knows of what he writes.
if you are interested in books about the vietnam war, i highly recommend this one. it's a much better book than the more popular Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
if you are interested in books about the vietnam war, i highly recommend this one. it's a much better book than the more popular Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
April 27, 2012
I read the 13th Valley when it first came out and then reread it a couple of more times over the years (last read was 2011). You see something new each time you read it. It is, in my estimation, the quintessential book on ground-pounder combat in Vietnam. It is gritty, gut-wrenching, profane and philosophical all at the same time. It follows the trials and tribulations of a single unit (the "oh deuce")during its engagement in the A Shau valley, describing not only the action, but the setting in detail, sometimes excruciating detail. In my opinion, that lends authenticity and flavor to the book. I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to understand the war in "the Nam" from the ordinary soldier's perspective.
March 26, 2015
Perhaps the most powerful book I've read on Vietnam. As I read the Siege of Khe Sanh I kept recalling the acts of unselfish bravery and heroism from the troops in The 13th Valley. The book is an amazing story that compares to Mailer in passion, pain and complexity. A closing seen of an LZ ambush is still in my mind. This is as real and powerful as any novel about any war.
November 1, 2012
One of the best and most disturbing books I've ever read.. follows the story of a scared sh*tless young recruit as he arrives "in country" during the Vietnam war.. and his gradual descent into madness. Awesome book.
January 30, 2022
Excellent book, rich in detail, atmosphere, soldier lingo, day to day operations, with a number of good maps to follow the unit's progress from the LZ to the objective.
April 22, 2020
I sometimes find my book reviews to be pretty repetitive. They tend to sound like this: "Derp, uhh, this book was really good and made me feel good so I want you to read it too! Read this one part that happened, wasn't it cool!!! Also the author is really neat because of dis dat and da odder ting!
Read dis every 1!!"
Yet here we are, and I find myself unable to stop this predictable pattern of review writing.
This book is a masterpiece. I can't believe this is John M. Del Vecchio's first novel. This is one of the most captivating books I've ever read. It left me speechless.
It's pretty hefty, and I was praying for the first hour of reading that the length would pay off. Now I can't imagine Del Vecchio having written a book that was even one page shorter. The dialogue, the writing, the character building, the descriptions of the battles, everything counts and everything makes you feel something.
There are these little genius lines in the book that I couldn't get enough of. On pining for a love interest back stateside: "He wanted it all or nothing. He had wanted it so bad, during his R&R to Sydney, he had almost made something that was not it into it in his mind."
This is a must-read. If you're on the fence, read this. Now.
Read dis every 1!!"
Yet here we are, and I find myself unable to stop this predictable pattern of review writing.
This book is a masterpiece. I can't believe this is John M. Del Vecchio's first novel. This is one of the most captivating books I've ever read. It left me speechless.
It's pretty hefty, and I was praying for the first hour of reading that the length would pay off. Now I can't imagine Del Vecchio having written a book that was even one page shorter. The dialogue, the writing, the character building, the descriptions of the battles, everything counts and everything makes you feel something.
There are these little genius lines in the book that I couldn't get enough of. On pining for a love interest back stateside: "He wanted it all or nothing. He had wanted it so bad, during his R&R to Sydney, he had almost made something that was not it into it in his mind."
This is a must-read. If you're on the fence, read this. Now.
November 24, 2025
Started out strong, then about halfway through I lost interest. 3.5 ⭐
May 9, 2011
Powerful, vivid, gripping. If you've got the time and the interest, this book will show you exactly what it was like to be an infantry soldier during the Vietnam war. It also powerfully encapsulates the ugly and noble truths of all wars. It's raw and almost overwhelming at times, but well worth it.
July 18, 2016
Quite the best example of its genre - I have read it several times and it continues to produce deep emotions each time.
Just read again in June 2016 and it remains excellent. Some of the philosophy and discussions about the root causes of conflict can run on a bit but the scenes of combat are breathtakingly visceral and the boredom/terror balance of the life of the combat soldier is really well done. A really interesting aside from this particular reading was comparing the racial tension amongst the troops back then as the US boots on ground involvement in Vietnam war was drawing to a close -with black troops feeling armed revolution was perhaps needed when they returned home as combat veterans - to our time of Black Lives Matter, the recent police shootings of African Americans in Louisiana and Minnesota, the subsequent worldwide peaceful marches and then the shooting of police in Dallas which all happened as I read. Has much changed?
Just read again in June 2016 and it remains excellent. Some of the philosophy and discussions about the root causes of conflict can run on a bit but the scenes of combat are breathtakingly visceral and the boredom/terror balance of the life of the combat soldier is really well done. A really interesting aside from this particular reading was comparing the racial tension amongst the troops back then as the US boots on ground involvement in Vietnam war was drawing to a close -with black troops feeling armed revolution was perhaps needed when they returned home as combat veterans - to our time of Black Lives Matter, the recent police shootings of African Americans in Louisiana and Minnesota, the subsequent worldwide peaceful marches and then the shooting of police in Dallas which all happened as I read. Has much changed?
August 1, 2015
Absolutely strongly recommended, as a war novel as opposed to a factual account. However, it was written by a former war correspondant who was actually in A Shau Valley, in Vietnam in the 1970s. Incredibly detailed characters, and an unexpected ending to boot make this a cracking read.
March 11, 2016
The book is slow at first but picks up later on. A very insightful book of the vietnam war and the politics behind it.
October 5, 2020
Absolutely a fantastic story of war late in the Vietnam conflict based around an actual operation conducted by the 101st Airborne Division (AMBL). In my opinion a good feel for the way jungle combat looked and felt and the many hours of nothingness waiting for something to happen. I enjoyed the diversity of the characters and how they felt about their part in the war and how they all interacted with each other. I read the book decades ago, ran across it in our little compound loaner library and decided to reread it and I am happy and satisfied that I did. Definitely understood it more now and was able to identify with many of the thoughts and feelings of the characters.
June 8, 2021
A true in your face, feel the wetness, heat, fatigue of the infantry in Vietnam. It is a fictional novel, but it feels like a first person account. Highly recommend
October 3, 2025
The 13th Valley for me was a mixed bag. It was a well written novel about soldiers in the field. Del Vecchio hits upon many of the tropes of the Vietnam War novel without running into cliche. For me, the biggest opportunity of this novel was the length. There are numerous passages that became repetitive and added nothing more to the theme and narrative.
September 10, 2020
One of the best, most accurate accounts of an infantry company in the northern part of South Vietnam. The relationships can not be described any better.
June 15, 2015
Go to the description above for a plot outline.
If you are after a deeply detailed and authentic account of a group of men facing the challenges of the Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it) during a particular battle / operation, then this should satisfy you. When I say deeply detailed, I mean it: the operational aspects of Company level activities, including non-combat activities, is relayed in sometimes atomic detail, however when the action heats up the detail is quite rivetting - a little like a slow motion camera filming a bullet going through an apple.
Don't be put off by any anticipated violence or gore - there is some, but it is dealt with quite clinically and the author doesn't linger unnecessarily on the nasty stuff for effect. Discomfort in the form of mosquitoes and leaches, yes, but no viscera. The other aspect Vecchio does well is to convey the psychological/emotional state of the soldiers. They're a reasonably well-educated bunch, and I'm not sure if this represents the norm, but it means there are very few base-level conversations (sex, booze, drugs). Instead, a range of esoteric topics are raised by the combatants, covering everything from matrimonial relationships, cowardice and bavery, the human motivation for war and for peace, as well as discussions around contemporary race relations in the US, and the existence or otherwise of the military-industrial complex and its impact on the War's continuing.
The combat scenes are excellent, but these are a relief: the real emotion is in the anticipation and fear. Imagine being a few feet apart from your comrades in the absolute dead of a pitch dark night and feeling completely alone and terrified for your life?
This is a long book for the time period it covers - about 4 weeks not counting various flashbacks and scene setting - nevertheless I was quite engaged with the characters and interested to see how things panned out.
A more entertaining but less-detailed read is Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes, which covers the same sort of action and setting, but tends to rocka long a little faster and with detail, however I do commend 13th Valley as a great read.
If you are after a deeply detailed and authentic account of a group of men facing the challenges of the Vietnam War (or the American War as the Vietnamese call it) during a particular battle / operation, then this should satisfy you. When I say deeply detailed, I mean it: the operational aspects of Company level activities, including non-combat activities, is relayed in sometimes atomic detail, however when the action heats up the detail is quite rivetting - a little like a slow motion camera filming a bullet going through an apple.
Don't be put off by any anticipated violence or gore - there is some, but it is dealt with quite clinically and the author doesn't linger unnecessarily on the nasty stuff for effect. Discomfort in the form of mosquitoes and leaches, yes, but no viscera. The other aspect Vecchio does well is to convey the psychological/emotional state of the soldiers. They're a reasonably well-educated bunch, and I'm not sure if this represents the norm, but it means there are very few base-level conversations (sex, booze, drugs). Instead, a range of esoteric topics are raised by the combatants, covering everything from matrimonial relationships, cowardice and bavery, the human motivation for war and for peace, as well as discussions around contemporary race relations in the US, and the existence or otherwise of the military-industrial complex and its impact on the War's continuing.
The combat scenes are excellent, but these are a relief: the real emotion is in the anticipation and fear. Imagine being a few feet apart from your comrades in the absolute dead of a pitch dark night and feeling completely alone and terrified for your life?
This is a long book for the time period it covers - about 4 weeks not counting various flashbacks and scene setting - nevertheless I was quite engaged with the characters and interested to see how things panned out.
A more entertaining but less-detailed read is Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes, which covers the same sort of action and setting, but tends to rocka long a little faster and with detail, however I do commend 13th Valley as a great read.
July 6, 2024
Great book, you get really invested in the characters even though there are a lot of them and feel like you're trapped in the jungle together with them.
December 23, 2014
There are a few things that set this novel above other excellent fictionalised recollections of the Vietnam War.
At the outset, the author is clear that this isn't a memoir of a futile campaign. Operation Texas Star follows A Company of the 101st Airborne regiment deep into the Valley, outfighting and outwitting their seasoned North Vietnamese opponents as well as the occasionally blundering hand of their own commander. The attrition inflicted by the jungle environment is as ruthless as enemy mortar and ambush fire. The setting of the Valley is meticulously described and we find ourselves wandering around in the same claustrophobic circles, seeking the hidden bunkers and supply trails sustaining the North Vietnamese operations.
The relationships between the characters, described by draftee "Cherry", are as gripping as the operational narrative. Most of this focuses on the pivotal figure of the company commander, a black first lieutenant with a philosophical mind that encourages "bull" sessions during stand-downs, inevitably centred on the inflammatory issue of race relations. Lieutenant Brooks also keeps a mental and a written journal, exploring the causes of warfare that are reflected in his own domestic relationship, as with many others. The inevitable tensions arise up and down the command chain, with breakdowns in communications and ill-advised orders that are ignored. Calamities befall other units and we are drawn into doubt about A Company's purpose until they achieve tactical - and then strategic - success in the enemy's rear area of operations. The climactic battle has a bitter aftermath in the post-operation muster call and the striking of the dead from the battalion's roll.
This reminds me very much of Norman Mailer's The Naked and The Dead in the portrayal of the various psychologies and calculations in warfare.
At the outset, the author is clear that this isn't a memoir of a futile campaign. Operation Texas Star follows A Company of the 101st Airborne regiment deep into the Valley, outfighting and outwitting their seasoned North Vietnamese opponents as well as the occasionally blundering hand of their own commander. The attrition inflicted by the jungle environment is as ruthless as enemy mortar and ambush fire. The setting of the Valley is meticulously described and we find ourselves wandering around in the same claustrophobic circles, seeking the hidden bunkers and supply trails sustaining the North Vietnamese operations.
The relationships between the characters, described by draftee "Cherry", are as gripping as the operational narrative. Most of this focuses on the pivotal figure of the company commander, a black first lieutenant with a philosophical mind that encourages "bull" sessions during stand-downs, inevitably centred on the inflammatory issue of race relations. Lieutenant Brooks also keeps a mental and a written journal, exploring the causes of warfare that are reflected in his own domestic relationship, as with many others. The inevitable tensions arise up and down the command chain, with breakdowns in communications and ill-advised orders that are ignored. Calamities befall other units and we are drawn into doubt about A Company's purpose until they achieve tactical - and then strategic - success in the enemy's rear area of operations. The climactic battle has a bitter aftermath in the post-operation muster call and the striking of the dead from the battalion's roll.
This reminds me very much of Norman Mailer's The Naked and The Dead in the portrayal of the various psychologies and calculations in warfare.
July 13, 2025
Wow, I know some people didn’t like this book because maybe it is too realistic. There is a lot of writing about the various battalions and humping through the ridges, and valleys. A lot of very slow movements through the jungle interspersed by violent shootings and death. But you get invested in the characters and the ending just shattered me. I will remember this for a long time.
February 2, 2014
Disappointing overall. I could not stay interested in the outcome of the battle in the valley as the action and its description became chaotic and disorganized. Perhaps this was how actual combat operations felt - bullets and bombs coming out of nowhere in the jungle, enemies unseen, soldiers firing blindly at nothingness, but as a book it somehow did not have the intended effect I guess. One gets lost in the daily sitreps, maneuvering and bodycounts. This long account has its moments of brilliance though, when the environment becomes a true living thing in its depiction, and one can feel the sheer torture of living amidst it's discomforts for days on end. The philosophical discussions on war, conflict, politics and history were a little overbearing and seemed out of place in the middle of an enervating conflict. Although some were interesting, there were pages of what to me were nonsensical rambling thoughts that did not fit into the narrative.
January 5, 2011
Among the plethora of novel's written on the soldier's experience in Vietnam, this was the only one I've ever run across that I just couldn't put down. It grants the reader access to a world only vaguely understood by civilians via the evening news. In that regard, I would almost have to label it a classic war novel. Just insert a different cause and change the timeline and you've got a fairly accurate portrayal of what it was really like "over there".
A great read for the uninitiated. Even better for those who've ever known or loved someone that had to do real time in the military when war happened to be the theme of the day.
A great read for the uninitiated. Even better for those who've ever known or loved someone that had to do real time in the military when war happened to be the theme of the day.
February 11, 2013
I've owned this book since the late 80's, and it is one I will own forever. To me, this is the definitive story of the men who fought the Viet Nam war. It is gripping, haunting and very revealing for those of us who were too young to experience it.
Every few years, I read this book again. As with many that one may choose to re-read, there is always something new to behold and contemplate. This is one of my most cherished books. While it is indeed a novel, you can tell the writer had been there and shares his experiences through the lives of the men in the story. Highly recommended.
Every few years, I read this book again. As with many that one may choose to re-read, there is always something new to behold and contemplate. This is one of my most cherished books. While it is indeed a novel, you can tell the writer had been there and shares his experiences through the lives of the men in the story. Highly recommended.
October 29, 2013
Having just read Matterhorn, I was hoping this book would deliver much of the same intensity. It didn't. The 13th Valley is a solid read but parts of it felt forced, particularly the character dialogues about race, religion, ethics, etc. While these were relevant issues of the times the way they were constructed interrupted the flow of the novel (IMHO). If this book was boiled down to its essence and only included the "boonierat experience" while leaving out the philosophy 101 dialogue it would be a 4.5 star read for me.
March 21, 2022
A group of soldiers, black and white and from a variety of educational and economic backgrounds, are plunged into a harrowing mission in the mountains of northern Vietnam over a ten-day period in August 1970 in this novel.
The narrative chronicles the friendships, tensions, and conversations of the men as they question their roles in the war.
The discussions on philosophy, psychology, and sociology were interesting, but when they were all restated in one character's doctoral dissertation which is printed in full as part of the novel, the pacing of the story ground to a halt.
The narrative chronicles the friendships, tensions, and conversations of the men as they question their roles in the war.
The discussions on philosophy, psychology, and sociology were interesting, but when they were all restated in one character's doctoral dissertation which is printed in full as part of the novel, the pacing of the story ground to a halt.
May 31, 2009
My favorite Vietnam book, mostly because it parallels my own experiences as a member of the 101st in 1968-69. Just looking at the map on the flyleaf is like seeing a map of my home state, all the places I was familiar with. I have to admit that some of the campfire dialogue is a little tedious and forced, and a few of the characters are little more than one-dimensional. Nevertheless, the overall truth rings out.
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