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The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to the Present Day
Authors Robin Moore and Michael Lennon team up in this exciting new novel to tell the “fictionalized” stories of the men who have risked it all for the U.S.A.: the Green Berets. They take us from firefights on the Cambodian border during the Vietnam War to the streets and alleyways of Iraq today. They teach us what it was really like to patrol the streets of Mogadishu in the days of Black Hawk Down. They show the horror that was Saddam’s Iraq during the first Gulf War. They take us to the moonscape that is Afghanistan in search of the Taliban. The Wars of the Green Berets continues the saga of Moore’s classic The Green Berets, revealing more than a few tantalizing secrets and anecdotes for the first time.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2007
66 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Robin Moore
93 books42 followersRobert Lowell "Robin" Moore, Jr. was an writer best known for his books The Green Berets: The Amazing Story of the U.S. Army's Elite Special Forces Unit,The French Connection: A True Account of Cops Narcotics and International Conspiracy and, with Xaviera Hollander and Yvonne Dunleavy, The Happy Hooker: My Own Story.
Moore also co-wrote the lyrics with Barry Sadler for the Ballad of the Green Berets, which was one of the major hit songs of 1966.
At the time of his death, Moore was residing in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (home to Fort Campbell and the 5th Special Forces Group) where he was working on his memoirs as well as three other books.
During World War II he served as a nose gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying combat missions in the European Theater of Operations. Moore graduated from Harvard College in 1949.
Thanks to connections with fellow Harvard graduate, Robert F. Kennedy, Moore was allowed access to the U.S. Army Special Forces. It was General William P. Yarborough who insisted that Moore go through special forces training in order to better understand "what makes Special Forces soldiers 'special'." He trained for nearly a year, first at "jump school" before completing the [[Special Forces Qualification Course]] or "Q Course", becoming the first civilian to participate in such an intensive program. Afterward, Moore was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group on deployment to South Vietnam. His experiences in South East Asia formed the basis for ''The Green Berets.
Biography Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Moore
Moore also co-wrote the lyrics with Barry Sadler for the Ballad of the Green Berets, which was one of the major hit songs of 1966.
At the time of his death, Moore was residing in Hopkinsville, Kentucky (home to Fort Campbell and the 5th Special Forces Group) where he was working on his memoirs as well as three other books.
During World War II he served as a nose gunner in the U.S. Army Air Corps, flying combat missions in the European Theater of Operations. Moore graduated from Harvard College in 1949.
Thanks to connections with fellow Harvard graduate, Robert F. Kennedy, Moore was allowed access to the U.S. Army Special Forces. It was General William P. Yarborough who insisted that Moore go through special forces training in order to better understand "what makes Special Forces soldiers 'special'." He trained for nearly a year, first at "jump school" before completing the [[Special Forces Qualification Course]] or "Q Course", becoming the first civilian to participate in such an intensive program. Afterward, Moore was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group on deployment to South Vietnam. His experiences in South East Asia formed the basis for ''The Green Berets.
Biography Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Moore
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 20, 2018
Three and a half stars
By Charles van Buren on April 20, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
I have read Robin Moore's The Green Berets and The French Connection. I suspect that Col. Lennon probably wrote a large part of this book. There are numerous editing errors as well as some errors which I hope are editing rather than writing errors. The idea of telling the story through the activities of three widely disparate solders who eventually come together as Special Forces troops in Afghanistan and the 2003 Iraq war is interesting but it's done a little clumsily. Also, by using this method, part of the story is not Special Forces but covers units such as the 10th Mountain Division. These minor criticisms aside, there is a lot of information in this book concerning American troops and their units. A lot of adventure too. But at about 92%, the action pretty much ends and there is a preachy, sort of rambling ending followed by an epilogue. Three and a half stars.
By Charles van Buren on April 20, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase
I have read Robin Moore's The Green Berets and The French Connection. I suspect that Col. Lennon probably wrote a large part of this book. There are numerous editing errors as well as some errors which I hope are editing rather than writing errors. The idea of telling the story through the activities of three widely disparate solders who eventually come together as Special Forces troops in Afghanistan and the 2003 Iraq war is interesting but it's done a little clumsily. Also, by using this method, part of the story is not Special Forces but covers units such as the 10th Mountain Division. These minor criticisms aside, there is a lot of information in this book concerning American troops and their units. A lot of adventure too. But at about 92%, the action pretty much ends and there is a preachy, sort of rambling ending followed by an epilogue. Three and a half stars.
March 31, 2019
Originally published in 2007, a year before Robin Moore died. I was expecting, from the title, a variety of true life tales showing the capabilities of the famous US Green Berets. In reality it takes a fictional view, placing the same handful of characters in conflicts from Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. It manages to tell the tale of Black Hawk down and make it kind of dull! Quite a bit of historical context thrown in and some annoying “conversations” aimed at educating the reader, it really doesn’t live up to its title.
March 13, 2018
Here is a fictionalized account of the U.S. Army's Special Forces [aka The Green Beret] covering a period from their introduction during the Vietnam War through the war on terror in Afghanistan. A good glance at the men of the Army's elite unit prior to Delta Force which is incorporated in the story.
September 12, 2022
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The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to Present Day by Michael Lennon and Robin Moore brings forth fictionalized accounts of Green Beret operations from the 1950s to the first Gulf War. Mr. Moore is a published writer, and also co-wrote the lyrics for the famous Ballad of the Green Berets (1966).
I did not know that this book was fiction, and frankly, I would have had a difficult time figuring it out if it wasn’t disclosed to me by the book’s description. The stories are told through the fictional eyes of a bunch of characters engaged in conflicts in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Afghanistan, as well as Iraq.
There are a lot of historical contexts, which I found to be very interesting, and some of it certainly enlightening. I liked reading about the tactics, as well as what it takes to become a Green Beret.
However, I felt that the conversations whose only purpose was to educate the reader were wooden and annoying. They did nothing to move the story forward and were ridiculous given the context.
I appreciate what the authors tried, and somewhat succeeded to do in this book. They brought together warriors of past decades and intertwined their fates. This was cleverly done, and as an amateur student of history, I was impressed to read of how past policies still have influences, as well as relevance, to current affairs. After all, history is fluid, actions have consequences, and these men felt it.
Many of the operations talked about were familiar to me from previous readings. But I could not shake off the feeling that I have read better, less clumsy, narratives of these events. I also disliked much of the preaching in the book, and the epilogue was just rambling which I thought could have been discarded. This is just me, however, I don’t like to be preached to no matter where I’m at.
Regardless of these minor issues, I learned several things from The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to Present Day by Michael Lennon and Robin Moore, and had fun while I was at it. The fact that these are fictional narratives did nothing to distract from actual events.
The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to Present Day by Michael Lennon and Robin Moore brings forth fictionalized accounts of Green Beret operations from the 1950s to the first Gulf War. Mr. Moore is a published writer, and also co-wrote the lyrics for the famous Ballad of the Green Berets (1966).
I did not know that this book was fiction, and frankly, I would have had a difficult time figuring it out if it wasn’t disclosed to me by the book’s description. The stories are told through the fictional eyes of a bunch of characters engaged in conflicts in Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Afghanistan, as well as Iraq.
There are a lot of historical contexts, which I found to be very interesting, and some of it certainly enlightening. I liked reading about the tactics, as well as what it takes to become a Green Beret.
However, I felt that the conversations whose only purpose was to educate the reader were wooden and annoying. They did nothing to move the story forward and were ridiculous given the context.
I appreciate what the authors tried, and somewhat succeeded to do in this book. They brought together warriors of past decades and intertwined their fates. This was cleverly done, and as an amateur student of history, I was impressed to read of how past policies still have influences, as well as relevance, to current affairs. After all, history is fluid, actions have consequences, and these men felt it.
Many of the operations talked about were familiar to me from previous readings. But I could not shake off the feeling that I have read better, less clumsy, narratives of these events. I also disliked much of the preaching in the book, and the epilogue was just rambling which I thought could have been discarded. This is just me, however, I don’t like to be preached to no matter where I’m at.
Regardless of these minor issues, I learned several things from The Wars of the Green Berets: Amazing Stories from Vietnam to Present Day by Michael Lennon and Robin Moore, and had fun while I was at it. The fact that these are fictional narratives did nothing to distract from actual events.
August 22, 2024
Excellent read. I like the historical facts with the historical fiction overlay to keep it unclassified : )
My only complaint/comment is that it needs maps, or at least snippets of a map when talking about the various locations and tactics.
I have this same Complaint/comment on all military fiction and nonfiction.
I read this on a Kindle, so it may be possible the maps/drawings were part of the paper version that did not make it to the Kindle, in that is the case i withdrawal my complaint.
But if not then MAPS! : )
Thank you
My only complaint/comment is that it needs maps, or at least snippets of a map when talking about the various locations and tactics.
I have this same Complaint/comment on all military fiction and nonfiction.
I read this on a Kindle, so it may be possible the maps/drawings were part of the paper version that did not make it to the Kindle, in that is the case i withdrawal my complaint.
But if not then MAPS! : )
Thank you
December 4, 2024
I did not find these stories amazing, unfortunately. Maybe because I read Whispers In The Tall Grass immediately before this one. For whatever reason, I didn't find this book impressive and struggle to recall anything from it.
February 18, 2019
To all those who served and now swerve bravely in the Green Berets, you are truly Heroes! We salute you. Thank you for sharing your stories from the battles fought.
These war stories brought us right into the fray of battle as if we were riding and walking next to you!
These war stories brought us right into the fray of battle as if we were riding and walking next to you!
April 1, 2022
Entertaining set of stories that bring to light the immensely complicated and intertwined fates of warriors across the past several decades.
February 5, 2025
Great story!!!
This is a great mix of past and present stories. The author writes in such way that you feel like you're actually in the story.
This is a great mix of past and present stories. The author writes in such way that you feel like you're actually in the story.
September 19, 2016
This is an excellent book to understand the intricacies of Special forces and Delta Force Operations. It gave me greater insight into their part in Wars from Viet Nam, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. It really brought home to me how Cheney and the Bush Administration repeated the mistakes of the Viet Nam War in the second War with Iraq. Our politicians seem unable to learn from past experience. The excerpt about Somalia so intrigued me that I am going to read Black Hawk down.
March 24, 2016
Must read to understand why we have to keep peace in the middle east
Very informative and good reading.HOW DO WE EVER WIN ANY WARS? Don't leave of to to politicians God Bless the N.C.O.
Very informative and good reading.HOW DO WE EVER WIN ANY WARS? Don't leave of to to politicians God Bless the N.C.O.
April 7, 2016
Rough riding through the desert sand.
Bravery and devotion to miserable duty far beyond comprehension. High excitement rifle shotspeed. This story must be highly circulated.
The Army and our country should take great pride in it's Special Forces at every level
Bravery and devotion to miserable duty far beyond comprehension. High excitement rifle shotspeed. This story must be highly circulated.
The Army and our country should take great pride in it's Special Forces at every level
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews