Red Earth: A Vietnam Warrior's Journey

by Philip H. Red Eagle

"In the late summer of 1990 I fell into depression. By the time the Gulf War broke out, in the winter of 1991, I was well on my way to a breakdown. By the summer, with the help of my buddy Ed Orr, I was in a therapy program at the Vets Center in uptown Seattle." Red Eagle's extraordinary book deals directly with Native American experience of the Vietnam war and offers a healing and redemptive force in the face of violence and its aftermath.

Genres: Native American, War, History

152 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid pair of stories about the native american experience in Vietnam, and the social problems faced by soldiers returning from the war. The military has only recently initiated a system of courses and therapies to retrain homebound warriors to actually "come home" from the war.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolutely harrowing story about a young Native American man who is sent to Vietnam. He is made the lead scout and called 'Chief' and must wade through the 'red earth' overseas. I'll not spoil anything more, but this is definitely worth a read. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.

[Mike Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. I'm a Vietnam Vet, so some of what he is talking about is familiar to me. However, my time was spent on an air base, not in the bush, so I have no first hand experience of my life being in immediate peril. I've never been shot at, never been shelled. Though I volunteered for the Reserve Defense Force on Cam Rahn Bay AB, and trained with the M-16, I was only called out once. I never knowingly saw an enemy, let alone killed one. So, I can't personally relate to the nightmares and personality changes that many vets have experienced. Having said that, the author's stories of combat, and coming back to "the world" ring true to everything I've heard or read about those subjects. The inclusion of Native-American mysticism, so matter-of-factly woven into the tale, is what sets these stories apart from others. It provides very pleasant surprises along the way. Having read Sherman Alexie's "The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven," I was half expecting another slamming condemnation of drunken, lazy Indians. Fortunately, that wasn't the case. The problems of the character, Clifford Goes-First, were caused by the stress of combat; not because he was Native-American. He, unfortunately, suffers the plague and the fate of way too many vets of all ethnicities.

[Lenora Good · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiction / Historical
132 pages
5 Stars

This book is two novellas, Red Earth and Bois de Sioux. They are about men who survived Vietnam to come home to families, nightmares, and eventual healing.

What is it like to suffer PTSD? Can one work through it? These men did, with the help of their Native heritage, friends, and fellow vets.

Red Eagle is a powerful writer, and he wrote two powerful stories. I'm not an aficionado of Vietnam books, but this one is one I'll read again. And buy more copies for friends, especially my brothers and sisters who need the healing that Red Eagle gives.

These stories heal. And are not just for 'Nam vets, but for anyone who has seen combat either in a war, an inner city, or a trauma room.

Red Eagle will take you to Hell, he will show you the way home, through the pain, the anguish, the distrust, the nightmares, until you are once again where you need to be. Every combat vet needs to read this book. The family of every combat needs to read this book.

[Peter John · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a bias onthis title, as i did a proofread and edit of a prepubliction manuscript. What I learned was a Native American perspective on being from a captive civilization, forced by the empire to help oppress another indigenous culture.