Jump to ratings and reviews

The Gunner and the Grunt: Two Boston Boys in Vietnam with the First Cavalry Division Airmobile

“That the book simultaneously succeeds on the individual soldier level makes it a standout for any reader with an interest in the airmobile aspect of the Vietnam War.”—Vietnam Magazine.

“…a comprehensively researched historic document on one year’s activities for the 9th Cav and the 1st Cavalry Division, worthy of gracing their unit libraries. That the book simultaneously succeeds on the individual soldier level makes it a standout for any reader with an interest in the airmobile aspect of the Vietnam War.”—Vietnam magazine.

The Gunner and the Grunt is written in the voices of two soldiers who fought in the same battles as members of the same recon unit but from different angles. Michael Kelley, the “Gunner,” was flying in an armed helicopter above the jungle providing suppressive fire support, while Peter Burbank, the “Grunt,” was down in the jungle on foot patrol involved in fire fights with Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army troops.

The book follows these two Boston boys from army training through deployment to the war zone and the shock of first combat missions, to helicopter air assault “Search and Destroy” operations from the Cambodian border to the sands of the South China Sea.

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 31, 2023

Loading...
Loading...

About the author

Michael Kelley

107 books33 followers
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
14 (56%)
4 stars
7 (28%)
3 stars
2 (8%)
2 stars
1 (4%)
1 star
1 (4%)
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
2 reviews
December 12, 2023
This book has a very slow start! The rest of the book barely keeps you interested.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review