What do you think?
Rate this book
Once An Eagle: A Classic Novel of Leadership and Valor in Military History
Once An Eagle is the story of one special man, a soldier named Sam Damon, and his adversary over a lifetime, fellow officer Courtney Massengale. Damon is a professional who puts duty, honor, and the men he commands above self interest. Massengale, however, brilliantly advances by making the right connections behind the lines and in Washington's corridors of power.
Beginning in the French countryside during the Great War, the conflict between these adversaries solidifies in the isolated garrison life marking peacetime, intensifies in the deadly Pacific jungles of World War 11, and reaches its treacherous conclusion in the last major battleground of the Cold War -- Vietnam.
A study in character and values, courage, nobility, honesty, and selflessness, here is an unforgettable story about a man who embdies the best in our nation -- and in us all.
Beginning in the French countryside during the Great War, the conflict between these adversaries solidifies in the isolated garrison life marking peacetime, intensifies in the deadly Pacific jungles of World War 11, and reaches its treacherous conclusion in the last major battleground of the Cold War -- Vietnam.
A study in character and values, courage, nobility, honesty, and selflessness, here is an unforgettable story about a man who embdies the best in our nation -- and in us all.
1306 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published June 1, 1968
2512 people are currently reading
11720 people want to read
About the author
Anton Myrer
20 books73 followersAnton Myrer, who died of leukemia in 1996, was a best-selling author whose themes were America's loss of innocence and the use and abuse of power. He is particularly remembered for The Last Convertible (1978), a summation of the American experience during and after World War II, and for Once an Eagle (1968), which traces the life of a regular Army officer and his family from before World War I to Vietnam. Orville Prescott, in The New York Times wrote of Once an Eagle: "Myrer is a superb story teller....who cares about the narrative and is a master." The Army War College Foundation, which is republishing the novel this year, describes it as "a perceptive study of the profession of arms an a chilling overview of armed conflict... Myrer forces us to smell and feel the battlefield as well as hear and see it."
Myrer also wrote Evil Under the Sun (1951); The Big War (1957), of which one critic wrote, "I doubt if it is possible to come much closer... to an American War and Peace"; The Violent Shore, (1962); The Intruder: A Novel of Boston (1965); The Tiger Waits (1973); and A Green Desire (1981). The Library has copies of all eight novels in much-read first editions and, in the case of six of the eight, in leather-bound volumes recently donated by Mrs. Myrer.
Born in Worchester, Massachusetts, Myrer grew up in the Berkshires, Cape Cod, and Beacon Hill -- all settings for his novels. A 1941 graduate of Boston Latin School, he interrupted his education at Harvard after Pearl Harbor to enlist in the Marine Corps and spent more than three years in the Pacific. He rose to the rank of corporal, took part in the invasion of Guam, and was wounded. He returned to graduate from Harvard magna cum laude and subsequently lived on the Cape, in Portugal, and at the time of his death, in upstate New York where he received books by mail from the Library
All who have read Myrer's novels know the strength and passion of his moral vision.
by Barbara H. Stanton
http://www.nysoclib.org/notes/notes4-...
Myrer also wrote Evil Under the Sun (1951); The Big War (1957), of which one critic wrote, "I doubt if it is possible to come much closer... to an American War and Peace"; The Violent Shore, (1962); The Intruder: A Novel of Boston (1965); The Tiger Waits (1973); and A Green Desire (1981). The Library has copies of all eight novels in much-read first editions and, in the case of six of the eight, in leather-bound volumes recently donated by Mrs. Myrer.
Born in Worchester, Massachusetts, Myrer grew up in the Berkshires, Cape Cod, and Beacon Hill -- all settings for his novels. A 1941 graduate of Boston Latin School, he interrupted his education at Harvard after Pearl Harbor to enlist in the Marine Corps and spent more than three years in the Pacific. He rose to the rank of corporal, took part in the invasion of Guam, and was wounded. He returned to graduate from Harvard magna cum laude and subsequently lived on the Cape, in Portugal, and at the time of his death, in upstate New York where he received books by mail from the Library
All who have read Myrer's novels know the strength and passion of his moral vision.
by Barbara H. Stanton
http://www.nysoclib.org/notes/notes4-...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews
February 2, 2025
“[Sam Damon] was swept by so many perils he felt nothing: he had moved beyond them, out of their orbit. Nothing could touch him, crouched here, snatching up cartridges, snapping the breech open smartly, lifting his hand away from the recoil. He was nothing, he was beyond everything: the gun was animate, he was the oiled and glistening machine, the servant serving. What the hell, he thought; go out this way as any other. But the thought did not penetrate beyond a certain point; it lay outside his rage, the desperate, sweating ritual he was performing…”
- Anton Myrer, Once an Eagle: A Novel
This is a novel as big as a life. And while I mean that figuratively, at around 1,200 pages in length, Anton Myrer’s Once an Eagle has some literal size as well. When you pick it up, you sense the commitment it is going to require.
Beyond the size, this is a very particular kind of book, a military bildungsroman that is exceptionally precise in its details, and seemingly aimed at a particular audience. It can be daunting to start, and there are stretches where it feels tough to finish, but by the end, it has fully realized the epic scope of its ambitions.
***
Once An Eagle traces the arc of a single soldier's life, following Sam Damon from his youth in a small Nebraska town – on the eve of America's entry into World War I – to his destiny in the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia decades later. Based on what I’ve gleaned in my own research, it is beloved within military circles, to the extent that the service academies have assigned it as required reading. I do not exist within a military circle – I tried to enlist in the Navy out of high school and learned, for the first time, just how bad my vision was – but I can vouch for its virtues as an outsider. For one, it is an in-depth study of leadership. For another, it is a riveting snapshot of the 20th century United States Army, before it became the well-funded, highly-professional force that it is today.
***
For all its merits, Once an Eagle starts slowly, which is never a good thing when you have 1,200 pages to get through. It begins awkwardly, with Sam talking to his girlfriend Celia about the First World War, which is raging in Europe.
Spoiler alert: Sam does get mixed up in it. This is for the best, as this kind of nakedly expository dialogue wears thin really quick. He contemplates going to West Point, but will have to wait to get in. Impulsively, Sam enlists instead, intending to work his way up through the ranks. Slowly, inexorably, he does, with Myrer ruminating on each difficult rung of the ladder.
***
More than most books, Once an Eagle really captures what it sets out to capture. Here’s the deal, though. It sets out to capture the full experience of Army life, which means the highs, lows, and plateaus; the profound and the prosaic; the insane heights of fear, courage, and combat, and the soul-crushing boredom of a posting on the Great Plains.
There are moments of kinetic, visceral action, especially when Sam is in the Pacific during the Second World War. Myrer was an enlisted man who served in that theater, and he can deliver gripping and desperate scenes of combat. Yet those everything-to-gain-only-life-to-lose sections are interspersed with the dreariness of the interwar years, when America remained content to have a small standing army funded with nickels and dimes. There are some long, bleak stretches here, demonstrating the sacrifices made by Damon and – just as importantly – his wife and family. Myrer is marvelous as depicting the bleakness, the dustiness, the drabness. This is not as exciting as the battlefield, but – as I’ll get to in a moment – has a deeper resonance.
***
It is not hard to understand why those in the military – especially lifers – might love Once an Eagle, for Sam Damon is the soldier all soldiers should aspire to be. He devotes himself fully to the Army, not as a job but a calling. In Myrer's telling, there is something of the sacred in Damon's unbroken service. He is a model commander: having risen from the enlisted ranks, he is solicitous of the men in his command. He is upright, stolid, fiercely loyal, and maniacally brave. At times, Sam edges close to an archetype: the kind of square-jawed, clear-eyed hero we want to believe in. General Patton's intensity crossed with General Eisenhower's demeanor mixed with Audie Murphy’s fighting ability and leavened with the All-American looks of Duke from G.I. Joe.
Yet Myrer contrasts the perfect knight with the flawed human. Damon has his faults, especially in the realm of marriage, and he makes questionable decisions that give dimension to his character. Myrer also uses Damon to critique a military that was slow to promote those with youth and talent, and treated enlisted men like trash. Given the state of the U.S. Armed Forces today, it can feel like Damon has Lasik-enhanced vision in the kingdom of the blind, foreseeing all the changes that needed to take place. But Myrer published this in 1968, with America bogged down in Vietnam, and the Army about to reach its nadir.
***
As I hinted above, the least thrilling parts of Once an Eagle are probably its best. Myrer creates a moving portrait of the toll Army life takes on the American family. Even though conditions have improved, these sections feel as relevant as ever. Myrer shows you the isolation of military families, when dad – or mom – is off in the field. Beyond the absences, there is the transient nature of life, in which you are constantly uprooted and forced to move to a new place. And once you get to that place, you have to exist in a strictly defined social sphere, where every relationship you have is predicated on rank. Myrer excels at evoking the far flung garrisons to which Damon is assigned: distant, rundown outposts that began as 19th century forts guarding the frontier from Indians.
***
Now for the shortcomings.
This isn’t a character study. While Damon is fine as a centerpiece, he isn’t dynamic in a true sense, staying relatively the same throughout. Still, you can’t help but like him. Most of the other players are walk-on, walk-off types. There are two exceptions. The first is Damon's friend, Colonel Ben “Wolverine” Krisler; the second is Damon's enemy, General Cortney Massengale, who represents everything that Damon rails against. These two men never come alive, and serve strict dramatic purposes: Krisler as a sidekick, and Massengale as an antagonist and foil.
Aside from this, there is the aforementioned clunky dialogue, with Myrer much more comfortable in the realm of description as opposed to human interactions.
***
Overall, I found Once an Eagle to be surprisingly powerful. It gives the full sweep of a life in service, with its many sacrifices and few tangible rewards. Strangely enough, I think of it as a bloody counterpart to John Williams’s Stoner, with its celebration of stoicism and endurance in the face of countless setbacks. It is proudly old-fashioned – even square – in its trumpeting of heroism, uprightness, and integrity. But old-fashioned or not, these are timeless qualities, and Once an Eagle has a timelessness to it, even as it marks the definite passing of an era.
- Anton Myrer, Once an Eagle: A Novel
This is a novel as big as a life. And while I mean that figuratively, at around 1,200 pages in length, Anton Myrer’s Once an Eagle has some literal size as well. When you pick it up, you sense the commitment it is going to require.
Beyond the size, this is a very particular kind of book, a military bildungsroman that is exceptionally precise in its details, and seemingly aimed at a particular audience. It can be daunting to start, and there are stretches where it feels tough to finish, but by the end, it has fully realized the epic scope of its ambitions.
***
Once An Eagle traces the arc of a single soldier's life, following Sam Damon from his youth in a small Nebraska town – on the eve of America's entry into World War I – to his destiny in the steamy jungles of Southeast Asia decades later. Based on what I’ve gleaned in my own research, it is beloved within military circles, to the extent that the service academies have assigned it as required reading. I do not exist within a military circle – I tried to enlist in the Navy out of high school and learned, for the first time, just how bad my vision was – but I can vouch for its virtues as an outsider. For one, it is an in-depth study of leadership. For another, it is a riveting snapshot of the 20th century United States Army, before it became the well-funded, highly-professional force that it is today.
***
For all its merits, Once an Eagle starts slowly, which is never a good thing when you have 1,200 pages to get through. It begins awkwardly, with Sam talking to his girlfriend Celia about the First World War, which is raging in Europe.
‘It all seems so far away,’ Celia Harrodsen said. ‘Paris and Berlin. And poor little Belgium. Sam, do you honestly think we'll get mixed up in it?’
Spoiler alert: Sam does get mixed up in it. This is for the best, as this kind of nakedly expository dialogue wears thin really quick. He contemplates going to West Point, but will have to wait to get in. Impulsively, Sam enlists instead, intending to work his way up through the ranks. Slowly, inexorably, he does, with Myrer ruminating on each difficult rung of the ladder.
***
More than most books, Once an Eagle really captures what it sets out to capture. Here’s the deal, though. It sets out to capture the full experience of Army life, which means the highs, lows, and plateaus; the profound and the prosaic; the insane heights of fear, courage, and combat, and the soul-crushing boredom of a posting on the Great Plains.
There are moments of kinetic, visceral action, especially when Sam is in the Pacific during the Second World War. Myrer was an enlisted man who served in that theater, and he can deliver gripping and desperate scenes of combat. Yet those everything-to-gain-only-life-to-lose sections are interspersed with the dreariness of the interwar years, when America remained content to have a small standing army funded with nickels and dimes. There are some long, bleak stretches here, demonstrating the sacrifices made by Damon and – just as importantly – his wife and family. Myrer is marvelous as depicting the bleakness, the dustiness, the drabness. This is not as exciting as the battlefield, but – as I’ll get to in a moment – has a deeper resonance.
***
It is not hard to understand why those in the military – especially lifers – might love Once an Eagle, for Sam Damon is the soldier all soldiers should aspire to be. He devotes himself fully to the Army, not as a job but a calling. In Myrer's telling, there is something of the sacred in Damon's unbroken service. He is a model commander: having risen from the enlisted ranks, he is solicitous of the men in his command. He is upright, stolid, fiercely loyal, and maniacally brave. At times, Sam edges close to an archetype: the kind of square-jawed, clear-eyed hero we want to believe in. General Patton's intensity crossed with General Eisenhower's demeanor mixed with Audie Murphy’s fighting ability and leavened with the All-American looks of Duke from G.I. Joe.
Yet Myrer contrasts the perfect knight with the flawed human. Damon has his faults, especially in the realm of marriage, and he makes questionable decisions that give dimension to his character. Myrer also uses Damon to critique a military that was slow to promote those with youth and talent, and treated enlisted men like trash. Given the state of the U.S. Armed Forces today, it can feel like Damon has Lasik-enhanced vision in the kingdom of the blind, foreseeing all the changes that needed to take place. But Myrer published this in 1968, with America bogged down in Vietnam, and the Army about to reach its nadir.
***
As I hinted above, the least thrilling parts of Once an Eagle are probably its best. Myrer creates a moving portrait of the toll Army life takes on the American family. Even though conditions have improved, these sections feel as relevant as ever. Myrer shows you the isolation of military families, when dad – or mom – is off in the field. Beyond the absences, there is the transient nature of life, in which you are constantly uprooted and forced to move to a new place. And once you get to that place, you have to exist in a strictly defined social sphere, where every relationship you have is predicated on rank. Myrer excels at evoking the far flung garrisons to which Damon is assigned: distant, rundown outposts that began as 19th century forts guarding the frontier from Indians.
***
Now for the shortcomings.
This isn’t a character study. While Damon is fine as a centerpiece, he isn’t dynamic in a true sense, staying relatively the same throughout. Still, you can’t help but like him. Most of the other players are walk-on, walk-off types. There are two exceptions. The first is Damon's friend, Colonel Ben “Wolverine” Krisler; the second is Damon's enemy, General Cortney Massengale, who represents everything that Damon rails against. These two men never come alive, and serve strict dramatic purposes: Krisler as a sidekick, and Massengale as an antagonist and foil.
Aside from this, there is the aforementioned clunky dialogue, with Myrer much more comfortable in the realm of description as opposed to human interactions.
***
Overall, I found Once an Eagle to be surprisingly powerful. It gives the full sweep of a life in service, with its many sacrifices and few tangible rewards. Strangely enough, I think of it as a bloody counterpart to John Williams’s Stoner, with its celebration of stoicism and endurance in the face of countless setbacks. It is proudly old-fashioned – even square – in its trumpeting of heroism, uprightness, and integrity. But old-fashioned or not, these are timeless qualities, and Once an Eagle has a timelessness to it, even as it marks the definite passing of an era.
June 14, 2017
I've read this several times, including as a young officer. It was the only novel on the Professional Military Education (PME) reading list for the 101st ABN Div when I was assigned to it in early '80s. It is simply the best look at military leadership I have ever read. While the differences between the two main characters is so sharply drawn as to be slightly unrealistic, it is still an excellent look at what it is to be a leader rather than just a manager.
I think we all have a little of both characters in us. I just try to bring the Damon side out more :)
The novel follows the main character from pre WWI and his enlistment in the Army through to the build up to Viet Nam.
I can't recommend this highly enough.
I think we all have a little of both characters in us. I just try to bring the Damon side out more :)
The novel follows the main character from pre WWI and his enlistment in the Army through to the build up to Viet Nam.
I can't recommend this highly enough.
January 4, 2017
This book has been sitting on my shelf for 5 years at home and I am very angry at myself for only reading it now. This is a truly amazing book and has so many life lessons in there. I was not in the military, but you can take so many lessons from this book into the business and the sporting world and shows what it takes to be a really great leader.
The character of the protagonist, Sam Damon, is also the best character I have ever had in a book. He is a great leader and a real hero, but he also has his own flaws which makes him more relatable than most fiction heroes out there. And I like that this book is so long as you really see the character develop through his six decades in the military and also all the people he meets and influences along the way. The author also makes the story more exciting when taking the first person viewpoint of many characters throughout the book.
In the end it is kind of a sad book and brings forward the many realities of life. I think everyone has a Courtney Massengale in his life that he has to overcome and I certainly know I have. A great book and this would be my "desert island" book if I had to choose one.
The character of the protagonist, Sam Damon, is also the best character I have ever had in a book. He is a great leader and a real hero, but he also has his own flaws which makes him more relatable than most fiction heroes out there. And I like that this book is so long as you really see the character develop through his six decades in the military and also all the people he meets and influences along the way. The author also makes the story more exciting when taking the first person viewpoint of many characters throughout the book.
In the end it is kind of a sad book and brings forward the many realities of life. I think everyone has a Courtney Massengale in his life that he has to overcome and I certainly know I have. A great book and this would be my "desert island" book if I had to choose one.
July 18, 2015
I rated this book so low because of the expectations I had going in. So many military folks talk about what a great primer this book is on leadership, and I simply didn't find that to be the case. Overall, I am indifferent to this book for a couple of reasons:
1. The two contrasting main characters are overblown exaggerations of real human characteristics. Sam Damon is unfailingly brave, concerned only about others, and though he has moments of tactical doubt he never doubts his convictions (even when cheating on his wife!). Massengale is duplicitous, self-aggrandizing, and will sacrifice anyone on the altar of his own ambition. While there are certainly leaders like both men, the reality of all people is somewhere in the middle. I understand that polar opposites drive narratives, but it also diminishes the book's value as a teaching tool about how to lead when things are truly difficult or when faced with morally ambiguous situations. War, like life, is simply not as black and white as this book would have it.
2. This book ignores the fact that naked ambition and concern only for outcomes is certainly a morally unattractive quality, but is likely necessary in the ugly crucible of war. Many of the world's finest commanders were shamelessly ambitious, and a certain disregard for other may very well be necessary when contemplating actions that will lead to the deaths of thousands. Caesar, Napoleon, Patton, MacArthur, and countless other commanders were more concerned with accomplishing a mission than the love and adoration of their troops. While morally questionable, and distasteful to the rank and file, it was exactly this quality in part that allowed these commanders to be so successful.
3. I had a really hard time suspending my disbelief on one point in particular. Sam Damon is supposed to have a reputation as a cantankerous, disagreeable malcontent who challenges authority, and is relegated to a mediocre career as a result. He's a freaking Lieutenant General! All military officers should be so fortunate, and I can't buy off on his being a disfavored officer of middling reputation when he's a dang three star!
4. Stylistically, Myrer loves similes and metaphors, and I swear every third sentence was one or the other. It gets awfully tiresome, and makes the book unnecessarily long. Sometimes it's better to just get to the damn point.
1. The two contrasting main characters are overblown exaggerations of real human characteristics. Sam Damon is unfailingly brave, concerned only about others, and though he has moments of tactical doubt he never doubts his convictions (even when cheating on his wife!). Massengale is duplicitous, self-aggrandizing, and will sacrifice anyone on the altar of his own ambition. While there are certainly leaders like both men, the reality of all people is somewhere in the middle. I understand that polar opposites drive narratives, but it also diminishes the book's value as a teaching tool about how to lead when things are truly difficult or when faced with morally ambiguous situations. War, like life, is simply not as black and white as this book would have it.
2. This book ignores the fact that naked ambition and concern only for outcomes is certainly a morally unattractive quality, but is likely necessary in the ugly crucible of war. Many of the world's finest commanders were shamelessly ambitious, and a certain disregard for other may very well be necessary when contemplating actions that will lead to the deaths of thousands. Caesar, Napoleon, Patton, MacArthur, and countless other commanders were more concerned with accomplishing a mission than the love and adoration of their troops. While morally questionable, and distasteful to the rank and file, it was exactly this quality in part that allowed these commanders to be so successful.
3. I had a really hard time suspending my disbelief on one point in particular. Sam Damon is supposed to have a reputation as a cantankerous, disagreeable malcontent who challenges authority, and is relegated to a mediocre career as a result. He's a freaking Lieutenant General! All military officers should be so fortunate, and I can't buy off on his being a disfavored officer of middling reputation when he's a dang three star!
4. Stylistically, Myrer loves similes and metaphors, and I swear every third sentence was one or the other. It gets awfully tiresome, and makes the book unnecessarily long. Sometimes it's better to just get to the damn point.
March 17, 2012
This is perhaps my all-time favorite book. Like many a young second lieutenant, I often stopped for a "what would Sam do?" moment when faced with tough situations. This is the quintessential novel about leadership and honor and the American soldier. "Sad Sam" Damon, who shuns the advice of everyone as a young man to pursue a military career, doggedly sticks out the drudgery of being an enlisted man pre-World War I, believing fully in destiny and that he will find his in the army. And does he ever, along the way serving as the vehicle for Myers to draw a stark contrast between the idealistic Damon, who serves for love of country, and his arch-rival Courtney Massengale, who is ruled first and always by ambition. It does make you burn that Sam is always second fiddle to Massengale, when Damon is so clearly a better soldier and a better man. The mini-series based on this book corrected this injustice; the book is more realistic and more honest, making Damon ultimately human instead of the perfect white knight even his troops believe him to be. This book is about war and never glorifies it; it is about peace and how so many people who have never fought a war so blithely pursue the next one. And, ultimately, it is about the military and the people who choose it for a career and all the people they love. The scope is huge and yet the cast is fairly small, making it an intimate novel in many ways while covering an immense amount of ground and 50 years in time.
I believe I read once that Once an Eagle is required reading at West Point. If it isn't, it should be. It should also be required reading for corporate leadership courses to understand what true leadership is, as opposed to "management", and what real "people skills" are.
Highly recommended.
I believe I read once that Once an Eagle is required reading at West Point. If it isn't, it should be. It should also be required reading for corporate leadership courses to understand what true leadership is, as opposed to "management", and what real "people skills" are.
Highly recommended.
October 3, 2018
Someone mentioned this book recently, and it sent a shiver up my spine. I can't remember when I read it - could it really have been more than 40 years ago?
What I do know is that I read this book before the Army put me through college, before I ever jumped out of an airplane, and before any of my military training or service (active or reserve).
How memorable, inspirational, and formative was the book? After this many years, I can't say with any exactitude. But, to my young, impressionable mind, I fear that this book taught me as much about service and discipline and honor - about what kind of soldier, leader, and man I wanted to be - as any ROTC, Army service school, or military history course or program.
The transformative power of fiction.... Wow.
A funny aside: my cloudy recollection is that the book was - far and away - the longest I'd read at that point in my life. I remember my father - my role model in the Army and in life - handing me the book and (me) thinking I couldn't possibly get through it. I did get through it, and I'm glad I did.
Alas, I have no idea whatsoever how well the book has stood the test of time. (Having said that, plenty of baby boomer senior leaders/officers continue to recommend it and include it on military reading lists.) Nor can I represent how much I would enjoy it today, jaded by years of experience and stripped of my youthful naivete and optimism.
So, for now, I'm going to place it on my favorites shelf and leave it there, frozen in time.
What I do know is that I read this book before the Army put me through college, before I ever jumped out of an airplane, and before any of my military training or service (active or reserve).
How memorable, inspirational, and formative was the book? After this many years, I can't say with any exactitude. But, to my young, impressionable mind, I fear that this book taught me as much about service and discipline and honor - about what kind of soldier, leader, and man I wanted to be - as any ROTC, Army service school, or military history course or program.
The transformative power of fiction.... Wow.
A funny aside: my cloudy recollection is that the book was - far and away - the longest I'd read at that point in my life. I remember my father - my role model in the Army and in life - handing me the book and (me) thinking I couldn't possibly get through it. I did get through it, and I'm glad I did.
Alas, I have no idea whatsoever how well the book has stood the test of time. (Having said that, plenty of baby boomer senior leaders/officers continue to recommend it and include it on military reading lists.) Nor can I represent how much I would enjoy it today, jaded by years of experience and stripped of my youthful naivete and optimism.
So, for now, I'm going to place it on my favorites shelf and leave it there, frozen in time.
October 29, 2023
This was quite a read and is now one of my all time favorite military fiction. Once an Eagle is up there with War and Peace, Battle Cry and Matterhorn. Anton Myrer pulls no punches. He doesn't glorify war or the men who fight. But he does identify the heroes and the villains, and he speaks of those who are caught in the machine of war. An incredible story. Worth the time invested to read.
May 4, 2012
Myrer's mammoth novel is an engaging, disciplined, and, ultimately, powerful examination of American military life—its hardships and demands, its rewards and sacrifices, its meaning and tragedies, its uses and abuses—as filtered through the evolving life story of Sam Damon: raw and naïve recruit in the First World War, seasoned veteran in the Second, despairing old schooler in the looming presence of the Vietnam folly. Damon meets his diametric archetype in Courtney Massengale, his coeval and lifelong counterimage, a man born to privilege and well-connected within the military network who will, perforce, rise higher up the chain than Damon, assume greater responsibilities, without ever having been required to give much of himself other than time. Sam, a career soldier who works his way to an officer's rank by way of gruntdom, is the ideal American GI: brave, resolute, honorable, resourceful, thoughtful, and—perhaps most important of all—honest. Sam is a combat officer, leading his men in the field of battle from the front; Courtney a staff officer, who crafts the plans from the rear echelon that will send the likes of Sam into the fires of hell. Myrer is positioning here two species of military men and delineating the effect, ofttimes wide-ranging, that each brings to bear upon the wars America was called upon to fight in the twentieth century.
In the battlefields of World War I, young Damon finds a father figure in the wise and mentoring Colonel Caldwell; this bond only grows tighter when, in the postwar years, Damon marries Caldwell's daughter, Tommy. Other reviews have announced that Tommy was a poorly-drawn character, flat and lacking substance. It may very well be that I don't know all that much about people, especially women—or, at least, many years ago when I blazed through this bad boy, ere the interweb had shorted the speed relays within my mental reading circuitry—but I held that Tommy was a vivid presence, a strong-willed, practical woman, full of common sense and an invaluable partner to her husband, who suffered as the wife of a junior officer in Depression America—surviving on a meagre salary, living in decrepit assigned military housing, chafing at the banal role expected of her by other officer's spouses—but always managed to make it work. She's also a skeptical bulwark to set against the enthusiasms and occasionally narrowly-focussed perspectives of her military father and husband, the voice of civilian America that strives to remind these servicemen, sometimes exasperatedly, that we need to set the domestic table before we can praise God and pass the ammunition. In many ways, Tommy was the stateside and familial linchpin that connected Sam to the humanity that existed outside of rank and uniform; her husband, who passes a considerable portion of the book overseas, fighting against the Germans, the Japanese, and the power-blind Massengale—finds a constant reminder in his wife of what, exactly, motivates him to put his life on the line in the name of a duty that such as Courtney value quite cheaply.
As can readily be imagined, there are myriad ways a novel of this type—especially one that clocks in at a formidable thirteen hundred pages—could go wrong; but Myrer, for the most part, avoids the pitfalls. He's a thoroughly competent writer, and if the interwar scenes can at times unfold in a routine narrative that might glaze the eyes of others (I found the whole shebang to be enjoyable), he excels, as would only be expected, when the stage shifts to the French fields of WWI and the sweltering Pacific Islands of WWII. Damon himself grows both on the pages and upon the reader—and if such a stalwart, dutiful man can tend towards revealing himself to be a touch plodding, occasionally prone to temper flares, possessed of a cramped side when away from the battlefields and military routine and forced to deal with the minutiae of the quotidian, his core is of a thoroughly decent man who shines under pressure and always attempts do the right thing, as he determines it. He's not a saint, he's not John Wayne, he's capable of his own calculating nature, he and Tommy share some tumultuous arguments over dueling outlooks on life's demands, and he makes decisions—especially one forced upon him after a ferociously contested offensive against a powerful Japanese position that was callously scripted by the cooly loathsome Courtney—that will continue to haunt him long after the war itself has been concluded.
In the final stretch, when steadily applied pressure from Massengale and his cronies, ensconced within the ranks of those pushing for an armed American intervention in Vietnam, refuses to break Sam, he must face the possibility of his entire life of service being encapsulated as periodic episodes in crankery; and, when you consider all of the evidence, do the Massengalean factions of the world actually have the right view of things? Myrer is a skilled enough storyteller to allow all sides, believing they are right, to be persuasive; that we cheer for Damon, pull for Damon, like Damon, is a testament to something vital that endures within the beating heart of human nature. That core essence, accessed and allowed to blossom, is what permits the United States' insanely armed and sized military to operate with its human face visible; its soldiers to hate what they have committed to enduring, even whilst convinced that commitment is an essential component of the responsibility of being an independent republic. Myrer's book laments that, under the guidance of an elite that has nested itself on high for all of the wrong reasons—and a compelled soldiery resentful of this guidance pressing down upon their reluctance—this may be in danger of disappearing, or at least being altered into something metastasized or feral. Once an Eagle would certainly not be everybody's cup of tea, but its thoughtfulness and readability may surprise some people.
In the battlefields of World War I, young Damon finds a father figure in the wise and mentoring Colonel Caldwell; this bond only grows tighter when, in the postwar years, Damon marries Caldwell's daughter, Tommy. Other reviews have announced that Tommy was a poorly-drawn character, flat and lacking substance. It may very well be that I don't know all that much about people, especially women—or, at least, many years ago when I blazed through this bad boy, ere the interweb had shorted the speed relays within my mental reading circuitry—but I held that Tommy was a vivid presence, a strong-willed, practical woman, full of common sense and an invaluable partner to her husband, who suffered as the wife of a junior officer in Depression America—surviving on a meagre salary, living in decrepit assigned military housing, chafing at the banal role expected of her by other officer's spouses—but always managed to make it work. She's also a skeptical bulwark to set against the enthusiasms and occasionally narrowly-focussed perspectives of her military father and husband, the voice of civilian America that strives to remind these servicemen, sometimes exasperatedly, that we need to set the domestic table before we can praise God and pass the ammunition. In many ways, Tommy was the stateside and familial linchpin that connected Sam to the humanity that existed outside of rank and uniform; her husband, who passes a considerable portion of the book overseas, fighting against the Germans, the Japanese, and the power-blind Massengale—finds a constant reminder in his wife of what, exactly, motivates him to put his life on the line in the name of a duty that such as Courtney value quite cheaply.
As can readily be imagined, there are myriad ways a novel of this type—especially one that clocks in at a formidable thirteen hundred pages—could go wrong; but Myrer, for the most part, avoids the pitfalls. He's a thoroughly competent writer, and if the interwar scenes can at times unfold in a routine narrative that might glaze the eyes of others (I found the whole shebang to be enjoyable), he excels, as would only be expected, when the stage shifts to the French fields of WWI and the sweltering Pacific Islands of WWII. Damon himself grows both on the pages and upon the reader—and if such a stalwart, dutiful man can tend towards revealing himself to be a touch plodding, occasionally prone to temper flares, possessed of a cramped side when away from the battlefields and military routine and forced to deal with the minutiae of the quotidian, his core is of a thoroughly decent man who shines under pressure and always attempts do the right thing, as he determines it. He's not a saint, he's not John Wayne, he's capable of his own calculating nature, he and Tommy share some tumultuous arguments over dueling outlooks on life's demands, and he makes decisions—especially one forced upon him after a ferociously contested offensive against a powerful Japanese position that was callously scripted by the cooly loathsome Courtney—that will continue to haunt him long after the war itself has been concluded.
In the final stretch, when steadily applied pressure from Massengale and his cronies, ensconced within the ranks of those pushing for an armed American intervention in Vietnam, refuses to break Sam, he must face the possibility of his entire life of service being encapsulated as periodic episodes in crankery; and, when you consider all of the evidence, do the Massengalean factions of the world actually have the right view of things? Myrer is a skilled enough storyteller to allow all sides, believing they are right, to be persuasive; that we cheer for Damon, pull for Damon, like Damon, is a testament to something vital that endures within the beating heart of human nature. That core essence, accessed and allowed to blossom, is what permits the United States' insanely armed and sized military to operate with its human face visible; its soldiers to hate what they have committed to enduring, even whilst convinced that commitment is an essential component of the responsibility of being an independent republic. Myrer's book laments that, under the guidance of an elite that has nested itself on high for all of the wrong reasons—and a compelled soldiery resentful of this guidance pressing down upon their reluctance—this may be in danger of disappearing, or at least being altered into something metastasized or feral. Once an Eagle would certainly not be everybody's cup of tea, but its thoughtfulness and readability may surprise some people.
February 27, 2012
My old boss Jim Rutherford said this was one of his favorite books and since he had great taste in literature I was curious. My dad had an original copy and said he loved the book as well and that it had been required reading as part of his military work...War College perhaps? Well...the copy my dad had was big and heavy...about 800 pages and for any DC metro goer...you know that it is real real hard to carry a book like that. I tried to find it on kindle but no luck and then I tried to convince myself I would just read it at home again no luck...it was too good!
I felt like as an Army brat growing up on base after base, I had a very limited idea of what military life was all about. My mom would say things every now and then but I sometimes feel this strong desire to read books like this to just help me understand what soldiers go through since I will never experience it myself. I feel the same about war movies...I just feel like I need to watch as many as I can to try and wrap my mind around everything. I recently watched Patton and I am so glad I did, because it gave me a totally different idea about WWII than I had ever considered. Books like All Quiet on the West Front or A Soldier of the Great War...there are some amazing books out there and I have added Once an Eagle to my list of favorites.
While most books I have read cover just 1 war, this book covers WWI, and WWII and towards the end touches on conflicts rising out of our desire to crush the spread of Communism. The main character Sam Damon grew up hearing stories of those who had served in the miliary and felt strongly compelled to join up. He is by far a perfect man and some of the decisions he had to make were very hard. I liked that this book showed how military life affected people in different ways but that ultimately you and you alone have to live with your decisions for a very long time. It was interesting to watch him struggle with family life in the Army as well. This is not something that most books cover...they might cover the soldier reuniting with his love or perhaps she has been unfaithful but what about the soldier who drags his family all over the place to base after base when some of those places are really hard to live in? Trying to balance being a dutiful solider and dutiful husband is hard on everyone.
It is interesting to study and consider all of the politics that go into military careers. Certainly, we have all seen the movie where our golden hero has an enemy within the ranks but we usually don't think about this on a larger scale. People want to be recognized and commended for their work and they also want power. How the Army generals interacted with each other, with the other U.S. military forces and with military leaders in other countries is fascinating.
I was really sucked into this book by all the discussions of not just tactical and strategic maneuvers but how short those plans can fall when you lack the leadership to carry them out. How do you get men to rush an oncoming enemy? How do you keep them motivated when they are wounded, tired, hungry, and death is the likely outcome of their onslaught?
Obviously, I could keep writing and writing about the book but I will try to end with this last item. I was delighted by all of the colloquial sayings in the book that I had never heard before. I had to keep asking Jim and my dad what they meant!
Sowing the dragon's teeth
Bearding a lion
These are just a few :0)
The book was written beautifully...the author had such a mastery over his words that I would often read a sentence a few times...the way you would look at a favorite piece of art for a long time.
I felt like as an Army brat growing up on base after base, I had a very limited idea of what military life was all about. My mom would say things every now and then but I sometimes feel this strong desire to read books like this to just help me understand what soldiers go through since I will never experience it myself. I feel the same about war movies...I just feel like I need to watch as many as I can to try and wrap my mind around everything. I recently watched Patton and I am so glad I did, because it gave me a totally different idea about WWII than I had ever considered. Books like All Quiet on the West Front or A Soldier of the Great War...there are some amazing books out there and I have added Once an Eagle to my list of favorites.
While most books I have read cover just 1 war, this book covers WWI, and WWII and towards the end touches on conflicts rising out of our desire to crush the spread of Communism. The main character Sam Damon grew up hearing stories of those who had served in the miliary and felt strongly compelled to join up. He is by far a perfect man and some of the decisions he had to make were very hard. I liked that this book showed how military life affected people in different ways but that ultimately you and you alone have to live with your decisions for a very long time. It was interesting to watch him struggle with family life in the Army as well. This is not something that most books cover...they might cover the soldier reuniting with his love or perhaps she has been unfaithful but what about the soldier who drags his family all over the place to base after base when some of those places are really hard to live in? Trying to balance being a dutiful solider and dutiful husband is hard on everyone.
It is interesting to study and consider all of the politics that go into military careers. Certainly, we have all seen the movie where our golden hero has an enemy within the ranks but we usually don't think about this on a larger scale. People want to be recognized and commended for their work and they also want power. How the Army generals interacted with each other, with the other U.S. military forces and with military leaders in other countries is fascinating.
I was really sucked into this book by all the discussions of not just tactical and strategic maneuvers but how short those plans can fall when you lack the leadership to carry them out. How do you get men to rush an oncoming enemy? How do you keep them motivated when they are wounded, tired, hungry, and death is the likely outcome of their onslaught?
Obviously, I could keep writing and writing about the book but I will try to end with this last item. I was delighted by all of the colloquial sayings in the book that I had never heard before. I had to keep asking Jim and my dad what they meant!
Sowing the dragon's teeth
Bearding a lion
These are just a few :0)
The book was written beautifully...the author had such a mastery over his words that I would often read a sentence a few times...the way you would look at a favorite piece of art for a long time.
June 25, 2025
My all time favorite fiction book. I just completed my 7th reading of this fabulous book. Really distinguishes a real military officer from those who just want to climb the promotion pole.
Sam isn't perfect, but is a model to follow no matter what tour life is like.
Have a number of highlights that you are welcome to comment on.
Sam isn't perfect, but is a model to follow no matter what tour life is like.
Have a number of highlights that you are welcome to comment on.
August 21, 2017
A very good read on military leadership, soldiering, military family life, friendships, and above all how to lead, the book follows the career of Sam Damon from WWI to Viet Nam. The chapter on the New Guinea Campaign is harrowing, humorous at times, and some parts made me misty eyed, Myrer's writing is so descriptive, I was looking for a poncho.
Myrer's hammers home two distinct leadership styles:
Damon who started off as an enlisted man (EM), cares for the troops, is empathic, trains his units hards, pushes hard, and parties hard, he's not all that concerned about glory, politicking, networking to gain rank and power and leads by example continuously show's moral courage.
Messengale on the other hand is a REMF, stays back out of the fight while riding the coattails of the front line commanders and soldiers, he's the one more concerned with his image than making sound decisions, surrounds himself with sycophants, and riding roughshod over subordinates who does not agree with him, holds grudges, and never commanded at platoon level, company level on up in combat on the front lines.
I highly recommend this book if your in the military or not, it's just as much about leadership for civilians.
Myrer's hammers home two distinct leadership styles:
Damon who started off as an enlisted man (EM), cares for the troops, is empathic, trains his units hards, pushes hard, and parties hard, he's not all that concerned about glory, politicking, networking to gain rank and power and leads by example continuously show's moral courage.
Messengale on the other hand is a REMF, stays back out of the fight while riding the coattails of the front line commanders and soldiers, he's the one more concerned with his image than making sound decisions, surrounds himself with sycophants, and riding roughshod over subordinates who does not agree with him, holds grudges, and never commanded at platoon level, company level on up in combat on the front lines.
I highly recommend this book if your in the military or not, it's just as much about leadership for civilians.
August 21, 2012
I give this book 5 stars because it is extremely well written and engaging. However, I hated almost every minute of it. I read it in the first years of my husband's Army career and found it extremely depressing. The hero of the story is never fully appreciated by his military leadership, constantly being overlooked and overshadowed by a more charismatic officer, who probably could have coined the acronym 'CYA'. I see that many reviewers admired the character of Sam and wanted to be an Officer like him. I wish there were more of his like in today's Army; unfortunately, the author knew too well that the armed forces are populated by more Massengales than we would like to admit.
Supportive military wives: read it to understand what your husband is up against. Not just the combat, but the inner politicking that can break down a soldier or officer's desire to do what is best for country. It's an eye-opener.
July 11, 2009
Anything you want to know about war and leadership, here it is. Sam Damon is an idealistic boy who joins the army in 1916, wins the Medal of Honor and an officer's commission in France during World War I, stays in the army through World War II as a general, and ends finally as an observer and an old man in Vietnam. Sam is a terrific character: brave, strong, and true without being a cardboard white-hat hero. Contrasted against him is his lifelong enemy Massengale, a smooth operator who loathes Sam and everything he stands for. The author fought in the Pacific in World War II, so that section of Sam's war experiences has a particularly visceral tug. Another fascinating side-bar is the two years Sam spends in China as an observer to the Chinese guerillas. The book is fictional, but it is assigned reading at various military schools.
December 10, 2012
One of the five books that I thought every officer should read. This ia a classic that became popular in the late 80s and early 90s. This epic novel is follows the lives of two army officers from WWI to the Vietnam era. It was made into a mini-series in the 70’s and has been reprinted by the Army War College. Myrer has taken some of the most outstanding combat leadership of WWII (Darby, York, Truscott, Eichelberger, etc..) and crafted it into a historical novel of epic proportions, centering on his ideals of good and bad officership. For an entire generation of officer’s, this novel defined a standard of ethical conduct. Mandatory read for anyone considering a career in the Army.
May 28, 2018
I was thinking about what military fiction would be appropriate on Memorial Day and this title came to mind. It's a classic, with fictional characters arcing through history, from World War I up until our entry into Vietnam. Sam Damon, the protagonist, enlists, wins the Medal of Honor in World War I, then spends his time in the lean years up until he has to go fight in World War II.
As a veteran I find the way his career track and that of his nemesis, Courtney Massengele, cross paths over the years. The sacrifice of both the peace time and war time army is eloquently covered.
While Myrer fictionalizes even some of the history, the core of the book rings true.
A great, epic read, that I highly recommend.
As a veteran I find the way his career track and that of his nemesis, Courtney Massengele, cross paths over the years. The sacrifice of both the peace time and war time army is eloquently covered.
While Myrer fictionalizes even some of the history, the core of the book rings true.
A great, epic read, that I highly recommend.
November 26, 2017
Wow - what a work. One of the most enlightening, honest, complex looks into soldiering I’ve ever read. No wonder General McCrystal gave it such high praise. It is as dense as it is long, but it doesn’t bog down. Over and over it reveals layers to the lives and struggles and mindsets of the American military family. And it is literary craftsmanship at its finest too. Magnificent book.
November 13, 2007
Two ways to lead, you figure which one you are. Classic tale of military life rings true to a military man. Also a great story.
September 19, 2023
After a month, I have ~finally~ finished this larger than life book that spans the career of a lifetime officer from WW1 to Vietnam. Much to my surprise, I really enjoyed this book and found myself invested in the characters and story (not a good idea to get invested in characters in a war novel).
I really appreciated this no-frills approach to military life both in war and peace-times and I would say is an incredibly accurate depiction of military family life and relationships. The main character, Sam Damon, is incredibly easy to like and I can understand why this book was required reading at West Point, as Sam exemplifies leadership in the best of ways. Although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to folks sensitive to gore, death, or war-related topics, I can see why this book would appeal to people who are not serving in the military and have an interest in history and leadership. I enjoyed this more than I anticipated and I appreciated the anti-war sentiment portrayed overall.
I really appreciated this no-frills approach to military life both in war and peace-times and I would say is an incredibly accurate depiction of military family life and relationships. The main character, Sam Damon, is incredibly easy to like and I can understand why this book was required reading at West Point, as Sam exemplifies leadership in the best of ways. Although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to folks sensitive to gore, death, or war-related topics, I can see why this book would appeal to people who are not serving in the military and have an interest in history and leadership. I enjoyed this more than I anticipated and I appreciated the anti-war sentiment portrayed overall.
October 29, 2016
This is a spectacular book. I purchased it because I was interested in the overview of the timeline of 20th-century wars, connected by the story of a career soldier. Due to its size and subject matter, I was more than halfway expecting something dry and tedious, with cardboard characters to illustrate the history. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This is a stellar and tragic epic, peopled with passionately real characters, ultimately singing a profound song of peace.
January 31, 2023
“In this book…(Myrer) helps contribute to the nation’s effort to ensure that a sufficiency of young men and women will consider the armed forces as their vehicle for service to the nation”
– Some General who wrote the Forward, and I couldn’t have said it better myself: this is Army propaganda that hides behind faux criticality of the Army’s worst members and practices.
This is probably the worst book I’ve ever read, and I’m not sure where to begin in lambasting it…so let’s start with the writing, because on top of all my issues with the book’s ideas (or lack thereof), at the end of the day this is simply not well written. The prose is pedestrian, and the understanding of how real people think, act, and speak is feeble at best. It may as well be a comic book for how accurately it portrays humans; everyone talks like a text book or a cartoon character. It’s like a long sparknotes version of a real novel. And Myrer is DYING to let us know how smart he is; his characters drop Shakespeare references and other quotes constantly and artlessly.
On top of that, the worst thing about Once an Eagle is that it is absolutely tensionless. In chapter one we are introduced to our hero, and instead of following a complex character we follow someone who is literally never wrong. He’s the ultimate Mary Sue. Not only that, but he is always proven right INSTANTLY. Every chapter is just him entering a situation and going “Oh I guess I don’t know anything… but here’s the exact answer to the problem at hand.” The whole book is just Sam facing a problem and everyone else slowly realizing he’s the smartest guy in the room. And somehow Myrer thinks its interesting to write his protagonists as fortune tellers and the antagonists as utter morons. It gets to the point where Sam is arguing that the Japanese will attack the US by surprise any day now and I thought to myself “oh great, here we go, Pearl Harbor is going to happen a few days from now”…but it happens 30 minutes from when Sam is called crazy for predicting it. Myrer can’t stand his characters not being right for any longer than that.
So, our protagonist…woof. Myrer thinks he’s writing the Army version of The Fountainhead, with an honorable man on one side and a dishonorable man on the other…but his protagonist, Sam, absolutely sucks. In The Fountainhead Roark actually stands for something and deals with the consequences of his integrity. Sam doesn’t stand for anything other than vague notions of “duty” (duty to what is never answered or interrogated), and in the pursuit of duty he sacrifices his family, ignores sexual assault and engages in victim blaming because he’s supposed to “respect the rank”, gets his best friend killed, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He also looks down on any member of society that’s not the military (the press, businessmen, even Military Police members are worthless in Sam’s view of the world) and confuses a lack of ambition as somehow being honorable. He makes his wife and family miserable by staying in the Army, and when pushed on it simply states IDK, “I just feel like my place is here,” excusing the Army’s worst elements. And we’re supposed to root for this unthinking moron? Give me a break.
If you are curious at all as to how Myrer writes women, the first thought his female lead, Tommy, has after agreeing to marry our protagonist is “What if I should fail him” and then not long after she reflects that her “papa will be pleased.” And that about sums it up. Tommy is never allowed to do or think anything without immediately relating to the men in her life. For example, she saves her children by shooting a snake, and again her first thought is to reflect on the fact that her father taught her to shoot. She is constantly worrying whether or not she’s a good wife, despite her better judgement, while the male lead never spares a thought as to whether or not he is a good husband. Myrer’s sexism ages about as well as a glass of milk.
I was also disappointed to see that this doesn’t reckon with history at all. It would be interesting to see how someone who had fought in WWI would react to learning about the rumblings of WWII, but he’s not uncertain for a second there will be a war, and Myrer’s writing style is to just throw us into it without any thought about why or its impact.
Once An Eagle’s greatest crime though is that it is Army propaganda disguised as critique. Myrer clearly understands all of the Army’s failings, and acknowledges them, but not to chastise them, but to excuse them. If I had decided to stay in the army but had an inkling that I was wasting my time, this book would make me feel way better about it. It doesn’t point out flaws to mock them, it calls them out to say it’s not actually that bad. The army apology tour. This is a piece of masturbatory fiction that has probably made the world we live in worse and should not be read by anyone. Read War & Peace instead, I beg of you.
– Some General who wrote the Forward, and I couldn’t have said it better myself: this is Army propaganda that hides behind faux criticality of the Army’s worst members and practices.
This is probably the worst book I’ve ever read, and I’m not sure where to begin in lambasting it…so let’s start with the writing, because on top of all my issues with the book’s ideas (or lack thereof), at the end of the day this is simply not well written. The prose is pedestrian, and the understanding of how real people think, act, and speak is feeble at best. It may as well be a comic book for how accurately it portrays humans; everyone talks like a text book or a cartoon character. It’s like a long sparknotes version of a real novel. And Myrer is DYING to let us know how smart he is; his characters drop Shakespeare references and other quotes constantly and artlessly.
On top of that, the worst thing about Once an Eagle is that it is absolutely tensionless. In chapter one we are introduced to our hero, and instead of following a complex character we follow someone who is literally never wrong. He’s the ultimate Mary Sue. Not only that, but he is always proven right INSTANTLY. Every chapter is just him entering a situation and going “Oh I guess I don’t know anything… but here’s the exact answer to the problem at hand.” The whole book is just Sam facing a problem and everyone else slowly realizing he’s the smartest guy in the room. And somehow Myrer thinks its interesting to write his protagonists as fortune tellers and the antagonists as utter morons. It gets to the point where Sam is arguing that the Japanese will attack the US by surprise any day now and I thought to myself “oh great, here we go, Pearl Harbor is going to happen a few days from now”…but it happens 30 minutes from when Sam is called crazy for predicting it. Myrer can’t stand his characters not being right for any longer than that.
So, our protagonist…woof. Myrer thinks he’s writing the Army version of The Fountainhead, with an honorable man on one side and a dishonorable man on the other…but his protagonist, Sam, absolutely sucks. In The Fountainhead Roark actually stands for something and deals with the consequences of his integrity. Sam doesn’t stand for anything other than vague notions of “duty” (duty to what is never answered or interrogated), and in the pursuit of duty he sacrifices his family, ignores sexual assault and engages in victim blaming because he’s supposed to “respect the rank”, gets his best friend killed, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. He also looks down on any member of society that’s not the military (the press, businessmen, even Military Police members are worthless in Sam’s view of the world) and confuses a lack of ambition as somehow being honorable. He makes his wife and family miserable by staying in the Army, and when pushed on it simply states IDK, “I just feel like my place is here,” excusing the Army’s worst elements. And we’re supposed to root for this unthinking moron? Give me a break.
If you are curious at all as to how Myrer writes women, the first thought his female lead, Tommy, has after agreeing to marry our protagonist is “What if I should fail him” and then not long after she reflects that her “papa will be pleased.” And that about sums it up. Tommy is never allowed to do or think anything without immediately relating to the men in her life. For example, she saves her children by shooting a snake, and again her first thought is to reflect on the fact that her father taught her to shoot. She is constantly worrying whether or not she’s a good wife, despite her better judgement, while the male lead never spares a thought as to whether or not he is a good husband. Myrer’s sexism ages about as well as a glass of milk.
I was also disappointed to see that this doesn’t reckon with history at all. It would be interesting to see how someone who had fought in WWI would react to learning about the rumblings of WWII, but he’s not uncertain for a second there will be a war, and Myrer’s writing style is to just throw us into it without any thought about why or its impact.
Once An Eagle’s greatest crime though is that it is Army propaganda disguised as critique. Myrer clearly understands all of the Army’s failings, and acknowledges them, but not to chastise them, but to excuse them. If I had decided to stay in the army but had an inkling that I was wasting my time, this book would make me feel way better about it. It doesn’t point out flaws to mock them, it calls them out to say it’s not actually that bad. The army apology tour. This is a piece of masturbatory fiction that has probably made the world we live in worse and should not be read by anyone. Read War & Peace instead, I beg of you.
January 7, 2012
(IMHO, few books deserve five stars. I'd give this book six stars if I could. Go out to Amazon, and look at the distribution of reviews. Virtually EVERYONE who reads this massive book rates it five stars. You should read it. Period.)
I love this book. I read it for the first time probably 10-20 years ago, and find that I can easily open it at any point and get engrossed again in Sam Damon's journey. It's just this incredibly broad and rich tapestry.
What I think I love most about this book is Sam's approach to life, in that you take what's in front of you, do the best that you can, learn from the experience--without reframing it as someone else's fault--and throughout life, keep trying to learn (languages, history, etc.). I don't do nearly as well at this as I'd like--cruising the Internet is easier than using it to work on learning French at 50, for example--but I try, and Sam is my hero, someone who I try to emulate and whose fictional tale makes me strive to be better than I am.
In modern life, we seemed to be surrounded by people who talk and talk and talk, but are *completely* unable to live their values. Instead, their mantra is "I've changed" or "I've learned from my mistakes." Maybe we as a society should look for people who are able to manage themselves with honor and dignity, rather than listening to those who put themselves forward as "leaders" but who fold like cheap card tables at the first test of their character.
I love this book. I read it for the first time probably 10-20 years ago, and find that I can easily open it at any point and get engrossed again in Sam Damon's journey. It's just this incredibly broad and rich tapestry.
What I think I love most about this book is Sam's approach to life, in that you take what's in front of you, do the best that you can, learn from the experience--without reframing it as someone else's fault--and throughout life, keep trying to learn (languages, history, etc.). I don't do nearly as well at this as I'd like--cruising the Internet is easier than using it to work on learning French at 50, for example--but I try, and Sam is my hero, someone who I try to emulate and whose fictional tale makes me strive to be better than I am.
In modern life, we seemed to be surrounded by people who talk and talk and talk, but are *completely* unable to live their values. Instead, their mantra is "I've changed" or "I've learned from my mistakes." Maybe we as a society should look for people who are able to manage themselves with honor and dignity, rather than listening to those who put themselves forward as "leaders" but who fold like cheap card tables at the first test of their character.
May 8, 2017
I first read this book when I was in high school, then read it again several years later, and a for a third time about ten years ago. I thought it was a great book when I was 16/17, pretty good when I was 25, and marginal when I was in my 40s. It's not bad when you're more idealistic than experienced, but it is hardly the 'great novel' of American soldiering. Anton Myrer gave his characters some personal flaws but made them black/white or good/evil on the battlefield. In my 32 years of soldiering, I found most officers to be somewhat the reverse; that is, they were less than stellar on the battlefield but led reasonably virtuous personal lives. This was true in my personal experience as well as in the biographies of historical figures. The point is this: Once an Eagle is a romantic view of what it was like to be an American soldier during the first half of the 20th century. To that end, it succeeds. After all, it is a novel. However, as an example of soldiering and human behavior, it falls far short. As recently as 2012, this book was on the annual reading list recommended by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. To be blunt, it doesn't belong there. It might have in 1968, but not now. Guy Sajer's "The Forgotten Soldier" (which itself has many detractors, some justifiable) and Erich Maria Remarque's "All Quiet on the Eastern Front" are far better book about what it means to be a soldier on any battlefield and in almost any war.
August 30, 2017
Too black and white. The rigid military ideals are presented to us in the form of the heroic Sam Damon, who, like his father-in-law, knows all, even the future, which I assume is to mean that if people like him were in charge all the world's problems would be solved when or possibly before they present themselves. As a story it is quite uninteresting, as a starting point for leadership qualities to be looked for in a military man the book fulfills it's mission, it's incredibly long-winded mind-numbing mission. Way too long. I enjoy long books but this should have been about 300 pages shorter, 1/3 of the book served essentially no purpose, à la Robert Jordan.
December 26, 2018
Read "Once An Eagle" in late '70s. Impressed then but unsure if would award 5-stars with re-read. My family had career military men, WWII and beyond. My USAF service memories mostly good ... but, I can't remember contents. The local library still has copy. Alas, seeing it while browsing, I'm intimidated ... demote a star
May 23, 2024
Don’t Blame the Tool, Blame the Tools Misusing It: A Defense of Once an Eagle
Anton Myrer's Once an Eagle (OAE) is often praised as a classic portrayal of leadership, integrity, and the moral complexities in military service. Despite this, it has faced criticism – perhaps now more than ever. Tearing down the classics is all the rage now and quite en vogue. So, to the question, "Is it time we retire OAE from military reading lists?", my answer is a resounding, “No!” Instead, it’s time to read with a nuanced lens, wrestle with contradicting ideas, accept flawed characters and authors, and see matters beyond a binary dichotomy.
Note: This is a book review and defense of the work against haters. It purposely avoids spoilers and specific examples. The goal is to get you to read it, not to tell you what happened. I will give you one spoiler…a lot of people die and the U.S. wins both World Wars.
I love OAE and will die on this hill. A cursory reading might produce idealized archetypes, static characters, and dichotomies such as command vs. staff. But a deeper, more attentive evaluation shows there is more to keep than discard. Are some parts too simplistic? Perhaps. It’s an allegory. But even so, Sam is not a perfect protagonist, nor is Courtney purely evil. Every character is flawed. And that’s okay. We too are flawed. Let’s read, discuss, wrestle with, and learn from it.
On Character Development…or the Perceived Lack thereof:
Critics say OAE's characters are overly idealized or simplistic. They represent the extremes of a spectrum. True, an unexamined reading might see Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale as purely good and evil. But attentive readers find Sam, Courtney, Tommy, Emily, Ben, and others to be complex and flawed. Good literature explores human nature's complexities, not perfect heroes, and villains.
Some argue Sam Damon is too virtuous to be believable. Yet, closer examination shows his depth. While he has admirable qualities, he too is flawed and faces moral dilemmas. At times, he comes up short of even his own standards. His journey from a young, ambitious officer to a seasoned leader grappling with war's ethical challenges provides a nuanced portrayal of character development.
Sam is not quite as humble as many think. His stubbornness toward the rightness of a cause is a form of vanity. It is an arrogance and ego in and of itself. It is the idea that your definition of right is ordained and absolute. Sam acted as if he had a monopoly on what was just. This character flaw, his own hubris, resulted in failures, lives lost, a career at times stunted, and a family scorned – amongst other things. It is a warning tale. In some ways he is a tragic hero – not without flaw or shortcoming.
Similarly, Courtney Massengale is often dismissed as one-dimensional. But Myrer depicts him as complex, driven by ambition and insecurity. His choices are morally ambiguous, not outright evil. Myrer humanizes both Damon and Massengale, challenging simplistic notions of heroism and villainy. He invites readers to consider the gray areas in moral decision-making. We should not fault Court for his careerism. Sam was a careerist too. Without ambition, Sam wouldn’t have risen as he did. What we should fault Court for – as I am sure each of us has met many like him in our profession – is that when the bullets are flying, we likely wouldn’t trust him to hold our coffee. When you care more about your career and your own ambition than you do other people – that is a problem. For Courtney Massengale, people are just a tool to be used for his own advancement. His charm and smile were disingenuous at best and venomous at worst.
On its Length:
Critics say, “It's a simple book that could have delivered its message in fewer pages.” Sure, and I could summarize the Bible in under a hundred words. But that doesn't account for the larger story's value or importance. Is the message simple and fundamental? Maybe, but that’s because it’s a foundational text full of archetypes and literary devices. It became a cliché because it defined the cliché.
Don’t like the Bible comparison? Consider Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. Like these other epics, OAE’s length is because of its rich narrative and character development, contributing to their depth.
OAE’s length accounts for its historical and thematic scope. Set in early 20th-century America, spanning both World Wars, this epic immerses readers in a detailed historical world. Myrer's attention to historical accuracy adds depth and authenticity, enhancing understanding of military leaders' challenges during this tumultuous period.
This narrative approach to historical fiction was followed by authors like Michael Shaara (Killer Angels, 1974), W.E.B. Griffin (The Brotherhood of War Series, 1982-2001). Myrer, if not opening the door, certainly provided a marker on this pathway of rich, literary tradition.
Moreover, the novel’s length allows for character and relationship development. From the ambitious young Damon to the morally conflicted Massengale, each character’s journey is intricately woven into the narrative. By delving into their personal struggles and triumphs, OAE offers a nuanced portrayal of human experience and military service's moral dilemmas.
Does its length make it inaccessible or daunting for some? Yes. This is a valid criticism if its purpose is universal readership. It argues against forcing subordinates to read it. However, OAE’s compelling storytelling and themes make it rewarding for those individually willing to invest time. Many return to it throughout their careers. I’ve read it four times, at different points in my career – once at every rank from cadet to major, each time finding new insights and challenges.
On the Staff v. Field (False) Dichotomy:
If Staff v. Field command is all a reader takes from the text, perhaps his or her reading of it is overly simplistic and dichotomous vice the text itself. And if they have crowned every act of Sam as “right,” and every step of Courtney’s as “criminal,” then – again – it is more a reflection of their overly simplistic reading vice an offensively simplistic writing.
What made Courtney the antagonist was not his time on staff – but rather his self-promotive, sycophantic, conniving, and selfish service. What made Sam the protagonist was not his field commands, but rather his values centered, authentic, and selfless service. It’s not staff v. command – it’s me v. we.
The fundamental character of both Courtney and Sam was the condition of each’s heart. Who are you at your core? What is your constant? Your lighthouse to a ship in a storm? When push comes to shove, what do you care about most? Your career or people? You can, and should, care about both. But when your back is against the wall, are you focused on yourself or others? Are you a selfless servant or a selfish servant?
On the Idealization of Military Leadership:
Critics argue that the novel glorifies a hierarchical and authoritarian model of leadership, ignoring the realities of power dynamics and institutional flaws within the military. However, Myrer's portrayal of leadership is more nuanced than this interpretation suggests.
Fictional characters often serve as archetypes or ideals rather than realistic portrayals. Damon represents a set of values and principles that Myrer believes are worthy of emulation. No individual, fictional character – nor real human for that matter – portrays the full scope and complexity of human nature. But Damon serves to guide readers through a set of ethical dilemmas that are relatable to military leaders.
While Damon exemplifies courage, integrity, and selflessness – he also confronts the corrupting influence of power and bureaucracy within the military establishment. His principled stand against unethical behavior, even at personal cost, highlights the importance of moral courage. Additionally, Myrer doesn’t shy away from depicting the consequences of poor leadership. He tackles it head-on through supporting cast (e.g., Benoit) and main characters alike – to include Sam’s failures as a leader and man of character.
Are these characters archetypes of virtue and villainy? Yes. And does the novel adequately reflect the diversity of experiences and perspectives within the military community? Maybe not. But just a section back, haters were complaining about the novel’s length. Now we want an expansive exploration of a military that is a microcosm of an entire nation, spanning two world wars and multiple generations? Nonetheless, these are thoughtful criticisms worthy of discussion. But this strengthens OAE’s position on reading lists. A critical reading can drive reflection and thoughtful discussion.
Lest we forget, OAE was first published in 1968. We can appreciate a novel within the context of the time in which it was written. We can forgive or accept it as a product of its time, without excusing such characteristics in our current time and place. And so, we return to the importance of having a critical and nuanced discussion of the book’s themes, characters, and events.
On Gender and Race:
While we are discussing works as a product of their times, let’s not forgive the portrayal of gender and race roles and relations. The criticism of aspects of the characters, events, and roles within gender and race being outdated and problematic is valid. Which, again, says more about the time and culture that it portrayed than the novel itself. This valid criticism bolsters the importance of reading, examining, and discussing this novel.
Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century America and spanning both World Wars, OAE reflects the social attitudes of its time. While it is true that the novel primarily focuses on white male characters, it also includes female and minority characters who play significant roles in the narrative.
Myrer's treatment of gender and race is more nuanced than critics acknowledge. Characters like Damon's wife, Tommy, and African American soldier Will Thorpe challenge traditional gender and racial norms, albeit within the constraints of their time. By depicting the struggles faced by these characters, Myrer invites readers to critically examine the societal structures that limit individual agency and opportunity.
On Myrer’s Coronation as King of Defining Army Leadership:
Critics ask, "Why does Anton Myrer get to define the characteristics of a quintessential American Army officer?"
Answer, he doesn’t.
He wrote a novel. OAE is fiction, not a manual on military leadership. Myrer’s depiction of Sam Damon isn’t prescriptive but one example. Sam is an individual in a rich tapestry of Army leaders. His reception crowned him as the ideal, so take up your quarrels with the Army, not the work. Don’t hate the player; hate the game.
“Neither Myrer nor the novel are at fault here. Myrer wrote this as a saga replete with references to earlier epics...Damon is a mythical hero in the vein of an Odysseus or Achilles...The interpretation [by soldiers]—or lack thereof—is the real problem.” (Fawley; (2020). "It's Time to Retire Sam Damon." MWI. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/its-time-to...)
Myrer didn’t create a treatise on military leadership but a compelling fiction exploring morality and human condition in the military. He creates composite characters to represent larger themes and embody what he believed to be essential virtues. He drew on his experience in the Marine Corps to create a realistic and immersive depiction of military culture, grounding his narrative in a recognizable setting.
Furthermore, Damon’s example isn’t prescriptive or exclusive. Other characters, like Ben Krisler and Avery Greer, offer contrasting leadership perspectives. This diversity highlights the range of experiences and ideologies within the military.
Myrer isn’t Moses, Sam isn’t God, and OAE isn’t the Bible. OAE is not the end-all-be-all of leadership nor of the military. It isn’t a tome on military leadership, nor did Myrer ever claim it to be. But there is an enduring significance of literary works that transcend their initial reception to become cultural touchstones. OAE is a rich allegory with timeless lessons, inviting readers to engage deeply with its themes and characters.
On the Haters:
Does this mean you have to love OAE, otherwise you are wrong? Of course not. Breaking Bad is a critically acclaimed television show, and yet I am not a fan. Many love horror films, and I just don't. Personal tastes vary. But you can respect the art and not enjoy it without actively hating it. This is not a defense of OAE against critics or criticism, but – rather – against those timid, cold souls whom the songbird of my generation, Tay-Tay / T-Swizzle (Taylor Swift) would label, “haters.”
For so many that vehemently hate and denigrate OAE, it seems to boil down to a misreading, a non-reading, or a forced reading. Like so many things that compel a visceral reaction, I am left wondering – “Who hurt you?” Perhaps you were forced to read it as part of an involuntary, extracurricular reading program. Or you were metaphorically brow-beaten with the book’s precepts. Maybe you were abused by an officer that you identify – or who identified himself – with the book’s protagonist. Possibly the most revealing – you might have read it and subconsciously saw a little too much Courtney Massengale inside yourself leaving you feeling naked, in front of a mirror, and found wanting. It seems that, often, a vehement dislike of OAE says more about the reader than the read.
--
While this is an impassioned defense of OAE, it highlights readers' nuanced relationship with literature. When intersecting with personal experiences and institutional culture, it’s important to engage critically, recognizing strengths and limitations, and embracing human nature's complexity in fictional characters.
OAE isn't a definitive treatise on military leadership but a rich allegory with timeless lessons. If you haven't read it, approach it with an open mind. If you have read it and hated it, I hope you’ll try again. If you are considering making it part of a mandatory reading list, please don’t. Compulsory reading rarely fosters appreciation. Inspire others to read the book in how you lead, read, and care. Inspire them by your actions and, in doing so, make them want to read this book that so fundamentally shaped you.
Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.
--
Looking for more arguments? Here are a few:
Becker, Elizabeth; (1999). "The Military Goes by the Book, but it's a Novel." New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/16/us...
Fawley, Darrell; (2020). "It's Time to Retire Sam Damon." Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/its-time-to...
Gallagher, Brendan; (2022). "Is the US Military's Favorite Novel a Timeless Classic or Overrated
Drivel? Yes." Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/is-the-us-m...
Gallagher, Matt; (2011). "In Defense of Once an Eagle." TIME. https://nation.time.com/2011/08/29/in...
Rice, Gareth; (2020). "Finding a Place for Once an Eagle." Chesterfield Strategy. https://chesterfieldstrategy.com/2020...
Scales, Robert; (2013). "O! The damage ‘Once an Eagle’ has done to my Army — and yes, it is partly my fault." Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/18/...
Wilson, Christopher; (2022)."Once an Eagle: Idol or Idle?" Infantry Magazine. https://www.moore.army.mil/infantry/m...
Anton Myrer's Once an Eagle (OAE) is often praised as a classic portrayal of leadership, integrity, and the moral complexities in military service. Despite this, it has faced criticism – perhaps now more than ever. Tearing down the classics is all the rage now and quite en vogue. So, to the question, "Is it time we retire OAE from military reading lists?", my answer is a resounding, “No!” Instead, it’s time to read with a nuanced lens, wrestle with contradicting ideas, accept flawed characters and authors, and see matters beyond a binary dichotomy.
Note: This is a book review and defense of the work against haters. It purposely avoids spoilers and specific examples. The goal is to get you to read it, not to tell you what happened. I will give you one spoiler…a lot of people die and the U.S. wins both World Wars.
I love OAE and will die on this hill. A cursory reading might produce idealized archetypes, static characters, and dichotomies such as command vs. staff. But a deeper, more attentive evaluation shows there is more to keep than discard. Are some parts too simplistic? Perhaps. It’s an allegory. But even so, Sam is not a perfect protagonist, nor is Courtney purely evil. Every character is flawed. And that’s okay. We too are flawed. Let’s read, discuss, wrestle with, and learn from it.
On Character Development…or the Perceived Lack thereof:
Critics say OAE's characters are overly idealized or simplistic. They represent the extremes of a spectrum. True, an unexamined reading might see Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale as purely good and evil. But attentive readers find Sam, Courtney, Tommy, Emily, Ben, and others to be complex and flawed. Good literature explores human nature's complexities, not perfect heroes, and villains.
Some argue Sam Damon is too virtuous to be believable. Yet, closer examination shows his depth. While he has admirable qualities, he too is flawed and faces moral dilemmas. At times, he comes up short of even his own standards. His journey from a young, ambitious officer to a seasoned leader grappling with war's ethical challenges provides a nuanced portrayal of character development.
Sam is not quite as humble as many think. His stubbornness toward the rightness of a cause is a form of vanity. It is an arrogance and ego in and of itself. It is the idea that your definition of right is ordained and absolute. Sam acted as if he had a monopoly on what was just. This character flaw, his own hubris, resulted in failures, lives lost, a career at times stunted, and a family scorned – amongst other things. It is a warning tale. In some ways he is a tragic hero – not without flaw or shortcoming.
Similarly, Courtney Massengale is often dismissed as one-dimensional. But Myrer depicts him as complex, driven by ambition and insecurity. His choices are morally ambiguous, not outright evil. Myrer humanizes both Damon and Massengale, challenging simplistic notions of heroism and villainy. He invites readers to consider the gray areas in moral decision-making. We should not fault Court for his careerism. Sam was a careerist too. Without ambition, Sam wouldn’t have risen as he did. What we should fault Court for – as I am sure each of us has met many like him in our profession – is that when the bullets are flying, we likely wouldn’t trust him to hold our coffee. When you care more about your career and your own ambition than you do other people – that is a problem. For Courtney Massengale, people are just a tool to be used for his own advancement. His charm and smile were disingenuous at best and venomous at worst.
On its Length:
Critics say, “It's a simple book that could have delivered its message in fewer pages.” Sure, and I could summarize the Bible in under a hundred words. But that doesn't account for the larger story's value or importance. Is the message simple and fundamental? Maybe, but that’s because it’s a foundational text full of archetypes and literary devices. It became a cliché because it defined the cliché.
Don’t like the Bible comparison? Consider Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey. Like these other epics, OAE’s length is because of its rich narrative and character development, contributing to their depth.
OAE’s length accounts for its historical and thematic scope. Set in early 20th-century America, spanning both World Wars, this epic immerses readers in a detailed historical world. Myrer's attention to historical accuracy adds depth and authenticity, enhancing understanding of military leaders' challenges during this tumultuous period.
This narrative approach to historical fiction was followed by authors like Michael Shaara (Killer Angels, 1974), W.E.B. Griffin (The Brotherhood of War Series, 1982-2001). Myrer, if not opening the door, certainly provided a marker on this pathway of rich, literary tradition.
Moreover, the novel’s length allows for character and relationship development. From the ambitious young Damon to the morally conflicted Massengale, each character’s journey is intricately woven into the narrative. By delving into their personal struggles and triumphs, OAE offers a nuanced portrayal of human experience and military service's moral dilemmas.
Does its length make it inaccessible or daunting for some? Yes. This is a valid criticism if its purpose is universal readership. It argues against forcing subordinates to read it. However, OAE’s compelling storytelling and themes make it rewarding for those individually willing to invest time. Many return to it throughout their careers. I’ve read it four times, at different points in my career – once at every rank from cadet to major, each time finding new insights and challenges.
On the Staff v. Field (False) Dichotomy:
If Staff v. Field command is all a reader takes from the text, perhaps his or her reading of it is overly simplistic and dichotomous vice the text itself. And if they have crowned every act of Sam as “right,” and every step of Courtney’s as “criminal,” then – again – it is more a reflection of their overly simplistic reading vice an offensively simplistic writing.
What made Courtney the antagonist was not his time on staff – but rather his self-promotive, sycophantic, conniving, and selfish service. What made Sam the protagonist was not his field commands, but rather his values centered, authentic, and selfless service. It’s not staff v. command – it’s me v. we.
The fundamental character of both Courtney and Sam was the condition of each’s heart. Who are you at your core? What is your constant? Your lighthouse to a ship in a storm? When push comes to shove, what do you care about most? Your career or people? You can, and should, care about both. But when your back is against the wall, are you focused on yourself or others? Are you a selfless servant or a selfish servant?
On the Idealization of Military Leadership:
Critics argue that the novel glorifies a hierarchical and authoritarian model of leadership, ignoring the realities of power dynamics and institutional flaws within the military. However, Myrer's portrayal of leadership is more nuanced than this interpretation suggests.
Fictional characters often serve as archetypes or ideals rather than realistic portrayals. Damon represents a set of values and principles that Myrer believes are worthy of emulation. No individual, fictional character – nor real human for that matter – portrays the full scope and complexity of human nature. But Damon serves to guide readers through a set of ethical dilemmas that are relatable to military leaders.
While Damon exemplifies courage, integrity, and selflessness – he also confronts the corrupting influence of power and bureaucracy within the military establishment. His principled stand against unethical behavior, even at personal cost, highlights the importance of moral courage. Additionally, Myrer doesn’t shy away from depicting the consequences of poor leadership. He tackles it head-on through supporting cast (e.g., Benoit) and main characters alike – to include Sam’s failures as a leader and man of character.
Are these characters archetypes of virtue and villainy? Yes. And does the novel adequately reflect the diversity of experiences and perspectives within the military community? Maybe not. But just a section back, haters were complaining about the novel’s length. Now we want an expansive exploration of a military that is a microcosm of an entire nation, spanning two world wars and multiple generations? Nonetheless, these are thoughtful criticisms worthy of discussion. But this strengthens OAE’s position on reading lists. A critical reading can drive reflection and thoughtful discussion.
Lest we forget, OAE was first published in 1968. We can appreciate a novel within the context of the time in which it was written. We can forgive or accept it as a product of its time, without excusing such characteristics in our current time and place. And so, we return to the importance of having a critical and nuanced discussion of the book’s themes, characters, and events.
On Gender and Race:
While we are discussing works as a product of their times, let’s not forgive the portrayal of gender and race roles and relations. The criticism of aspects of the characters, events, and roles within gender and race being outdated and problematic is valid. Which, again, says more about the time and culture that it portrayed than the novel itself. This valid criticism bolsters the importance of reading, examining, and discussing this novel.
Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century America and spanning both World Wars, OAE reflects the social attitudes of its time. While it is true that the novel primarily focuses on white male characters, it also includes female and minority characters who play significant roles in the narrative.
Myrer's treatment of gender and race is more nuanced than critics acknowledge. Characters like Damon's wife, Tommy, and African American soldier Will Thorpe challenge traditional gender and racial norms, albeit within the constraints of their time. By depicting the struggles faced by these characters, Myrer invites readers to critically examine the societal structures that limit individual agency and opportunity.
On Myrer’s Coronation as King of Defining Army Leadership:
Critics ask, "Why does Anton Myrer get to define the characteristics of a quintessential American Army officer?"
Answer, he doesn’t.
He wrote a novel. OAE is fiction, not a manual on military leadership. Myrer’s depiction of Sam Damon isn’t prescriptive but one example. Sam is an individual in a rich tapestry of Army leaders. His reception crowned him as the ideal, so take up your quarrels with the Army, not the work. Don’t hate the player; hate the game.
“Neither Myrer nor the novel are at fault here. Myrer wrote this as a saga replete with references to earlier epics...Damon is a mythical hero in the vein of an Odysseus or Achilles...The interpretation [by soldiers]—or lack thereof—is the real problem.” (Fawley; (2020). "It's Time to Retire Sam Damon." MWI. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/its-time-to...)
Myrer didn’t create a treatise on military leadership but a compelling fiction exploring morality and human condition in the military. He creates composite characters to represent larger themes and embody what he believed to be essential virtues. He drew on his experience in the Marine Corps to create a realistic and immersive depiction of military culture, grounding his narrative in a recognizable setting.
Furthermore, Damon’s example isn’t prescriptive or exclusive. Other characters, like Ben Krisler and Avery Greer, offer contrasting leadership perspectives. This diversity highlights the range of experiences and ideologies within the military.
Myrer isn’t Moses, Sam isn’t God, and OAE isn’t the Bible. OAE is not the end-all-be-all of leadership nor of the military. It isn’t a tome on military leadership, nor did Myrer ever claim it to be. But there is an enduring significance of literary works that transcend their initial reception to become cultural touchstones. OAE is a rich allegory with timeless lessons, inviting readers to engage deeply with its themes and characters.
On the Haters:
Does this mean you have to love OAE, otherwise you are wrong? Of course not. Breaking Bad is a critically acclaimed television show, and yet I am not a fan. Many love horror films, and I just don't. Personal tastes vary. But you can respect the art and not enjoy it without actively hating it. This is not a defense of OAE against critics or criticism, but – rather – against those timid, cold souls whom the songbird of my generation, Tay-Tay / T-Swizzle (Taylor Swift) would label, “haters.”
For so many that vehemently hate and denigrate OAE, it seems to boil down to a misreading, a non-reading, or a forced reading. Like so many things that compel a visceral reaction, I am left wondering – “Who hurt you?” Perhaps you were forced to read it as part of an involuntary, extracurricular reading program. Or you were metaphorically brow-beaten with the book’s precepts. Maybe you were abused by an officer that you identify – or who identified himself – with the book’s protagonist. Possibly the most revealing – you might have read it and subconsciously saw a little too much Courtney Massengale inside yourself leaving you feeling naked, in front of a mirror, and found wanting. It seems that, often, a vehement dislike of OAE says more about the reader than the read.
--
While this is an impassioned defense of OAE, it highlights readers' nuanced relationship with literature. When intersecting with personal experiences and institutional culture, it’s important to engage critically, recognizing strengths and limitations, and embracing human nature's complexity in fictional characters.
OAE isn't a definitive treatise on military leadership but a rich allegory with timeless lessons. If you haven't read it, approach it with an open mind. If you have read it and hated it, I hope you’ll try again. If you are considering making it part of a mandatory reading list, please don’t. Compulsory reading rarely fosters appreciation. Inspire others to read the book in how you lead, read, and care. Inspire them by your actions and, in doing so, make them want to read this book that so fundamentally shaped you.
Thank you for coming to my TEDtalk.
--
Looking for more arguments? Here are a few:
Becker, Elizabeth; (1999). "The Military Goes by the Book, but it's a Novel." New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/16/us...
Fawley, Darrell; (2020). "It's Time to Retire Sam Damon." Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/its-time-to...
Gallagher, Brendan; (2022). "Is the US Military's Favorite Novel a Timeless Classic or Overrated
Drivel? Yes." Modern War Institute. https://mwi.westpoint.edu/is-the-us-m...
Gallagher, Matt; (2011). "In Defense of Once an Eagle." TIME. https://nation.time.com/2011/08/29/in...
Rice, Gareth; (2020). "Finding a Place for Once an Eagle." Chesterfield Strategy. https://chesterfieldstrategy.com/2020...
Scales, Robert; (2013). "O! The damage ‘Once an Eagle’ has done to my Army — and yes, it is partly my fault." Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2013/12/18/...
Wilson, Christopher; (2022)."Once an Eagle: Idol or Idle?" Infantry Magazine. https://www.moore.army.mil/infantry/m...
July 7, 2016
As an Army Brat with several family members and friends either in the US Military or formerly in the US Military, I consider myself reasonably aware of the classics, and the popular choices, of Military Fiction. Imagine my surprise when, in a discussion a few weeks' back about good military fiction versus bad military fiction, a book called
Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer came up in conversation (it is Required Reading for Officer Candidate School, apparently).
Since I had a business trip with several long flights in my immediate future, and a Barnes & Noble credit sufficient to purchase this book for my Nook app, I did so and read it over the next few weeks. Having read it, my take is that this book is a well-researched history of the US Army in the early-mid Twentieth Century - and as a work of fiction, more than a bit on the disjointed side, and featuring characters that seem to have one to one-and-a-half sides to them at best.
The story follows the life and adventures of Sam Damon, All-American Boy from a hardscrabble background: His father died young, so he's had to work two jobs since he was in his teens - but still has time to be a High School Football and Baseball Star Player, as well as being better read on military history than most West Point grads. During WWI, as a Sergeant, he wins the Medal of Honor and is promoted to Lieutenant for pretty much single-handedly rescuing the remnants of his destroyed squad and other captured American soldiers, single-handedly taking out two or three squads of Germans, then single-handedly pulling his rag-tag cohort together to turn a French farmhouse taken over by now-dead (or captured) Germans into a fortress of sufficient strength to kill off even more Germans when they counterattack.
Honestly, Captain America couldn't have done better.
Eventually rising to the brevet rank of Major during WWI, he falls in love with and marries Tommy, the only daughter of Gen. George Caldwell who Damon deeply admires - and they try adjusting to peacetime military life (of which I'm all too familiar), where they meet West Point Graduate, Staff Officer Extraordinaire, McArthur subordinate/crony Courtney Massengale, whose name reminds me of a cross between "Percy Dovetonsils" and a feminine hygiene product.
Nearly Every Review of ONCE AN EAGLE Depicts Massengale This Way....
Once WWII rolls around (Pearl Harbor's attacked while the Damons are on TDY in San Diego), Sam immediately leaps into action - rallying disheartened troops and driving the Japanese back from various Pacific islands through his uniquely heroic combination of clever-but-daring tactics, an almost-supernatural ability to read the Japanese Commanders he faces' intentions, and
Massengale, meanwhile, is promoted over Damon repeatedly because he's schmoozing the Brass in Australia or Hawaii or Washington, DC - even though he's never led troops in the field in his life. He's also, we're informed in sections of the book devoted to his point of view, a glory hound with an inflated sense of his self-worth, a backbiter, an officer who doesn't care a wrap about his troops, a strategist in love with overly complicated battle plans that fall apart the instant they actually meet the enemy, a sadist - oh, and he prematurely ejaculates during sex, to boot.
What a Guy!
Okay, here are the reasons why I gave this book, which has a huge number of five-star reviews on Goodreads and just about everywhere, and is considered a classic of military literature, three stars - I don't believe the characters as I'm being told to believe them. While to be fair author Anton Myrer
, an ex-Marine who saw action in the Pacific during WWII, doesn't make Sam Damon perfect, exactly, he's always militarily right; if he does bad things in a political sense it's usually for the correct moral reasons; and even when he finally gets around to cheating on his wife with a nurse in Australia it's because she's made it clear she'll never forgive him for their son's death in combat - and besides, she was cheating on him as well!
As I Said Before - What a Guy!
Massengale, by contrast, doesn't have a single good point to him - in addition to all his faults listed above, he's a blackmailing cheating little slimeball...who nonetheless always wins against Manly Soldier-Man Damon! His smarmy villainy is laid on so thick that you're stunned he doesn't spend the entire book getting smacked down by all the Old Warhorse Soldiers he serves under - and, in my case, you hit a point where you wonder how, if that's all to him there is, "Captious Court" (as Sam and his friends call him) has consistently risen higher in rank than The Great Warrior Sam Damon.
But what about the women? That's a good question, actually - what about the women? The only one who gets any personal development is Tommy Caldwell Damon, Sam's wife - and by the end of the book I'm still not sure why they ever got married, let alone stayed married for what I'm assuming is a half-century! Despite being an Army Brat herself, pretty much raised by her father on his own at a succession of US military bases, Tommy is a artistic creative type who hates the military and the whole business of soldiering, and never misses an opportunity to tell us, and her fellow Army Wives, as much. She lets herself be seduced by Masssengale, whose West Point intellectualism she's attracted to, and nearly sleeps with him - except for that entire Premature Ejaculation thing, which causes him to call it off before it gets to, you know, sex.
Sometimes You Just Got to Go With the Fillion
Every other woman in this book is either a supportive Army Wife, a backbiting Army Wife, or a pair of cute young women (usually but not always nurses) who exist to tempt Sam and his Army buddy du jour into sex.
Most of those who praise this book point out how it's a "cautionary tale" against the Military/Industrial Complex and What A Good Officer and Gentleman really is. What I'm got is less that than a screed against REMFs, while praising Field Commanders to the skies - which works in the context of the story, but misses the point that Field Commanders, by the very nature of what they do, don't focus on anything larger than short-term tactical goals.
I would have liked this story better if it had had a third main character who stood between Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale - a Staff Officer who was interested in more than his personal glory and profit, with field command experience so soldiers could genuinely respect him, and who didn't shoot his mouth off (as Damon often does to his superiors) so his opinions actually got listened to. As it stands, Once an Eagle doesn't feel like it teaches the officers required to read it anything other than "Get out and fight!"
Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer came up in conversation (it is Required Reading for Officer Candidate School, apparently). Since I had a business trip with several long flights in my immediate future, and a Barnes & Noble credit sufficient to purchase this book for my Nook app, I did so and read it over the next few weeks. Having read it, my take is that this book is a well-researched history of the US Army in the early-mid Twentieth Century - and as a work of fiction, more than a bit on the disjointed side, and featuring characters that seem to have one to one-and-a-half sides to them at best.
The story follows the life and adventures of Sam Damon, All-American Boy from a hardscrabble background: His father died young, so he's had to work two jobs since he was in his teens - but still has time to be a High School Football and Baseball Star Player, as well as being better read on military history than most West Point grads. During WWI, as a Sergeant, he wins the Medal of Honor and is promoted to Lieutenant for pretty much single-handedly rescuing the remnants of his destroyed squad and other captured American soldiers, single-handedly taking out two or three squads of Germans, then single-handedly pulling his rag-tag cohort together to turn a French farmhouse taken over by now-dead (or captured) Germans into a fortress of sufficient strength to kill off even more Germans when they counterattack.
Honestly, Captain America couldn't have done better.
Eventually rising to the brevet rank of Major during WWI, he falls in love with and marries Tommy, the only daughter of Gen. George Caldwell who Damon deeply admires - and they try adjusting to peacetime military life (of which I'm all too familiar), where they meet West Point Graduate, Staff Officer Extraordinaire, McArthur subordinate/crony Courtney Massengale, whose name reminds me of a cross between "Percy Dovetonsils" and a feminine hygiene product.
Nearly Every Review of ONCE AN EAGLE Depicts Massengale This Way....
Once WWII rolls around (Pearl Harbor's attacked while the Damons are on TDY in San Diego), Sam immediately leaps into action - rallying disheartened troops and driving the Japanese back from various Pacific islands through his uniquely heroic combination of clever-but-daring tactics, an almost-supernatural ability to read the Japanese Commanders he faces' intentions, and
Massengale, meanwhile, is promoted over Damon repeatedly because he's schmoozing the Brass in Australia or Hawaii or Washington, DC - even though he's never led troops in the field in his life. He's also, we're informed in sections of the book devoted to his point of view, a glory hound with an inflated sense of his self-worth, a backbiter, an officer who doesn't care a wrap about his troops, a strategist in love with overly complicated battle plans that fall apart the instant they actually meet the enemy, a sadist - oh, and he prematurely ejaculates during sex, to boot.
What a Guy!
Okay, here are the reasons why I gave this book, which has a huge number of five-star reviews on Goodreads and just about everywhere, and is considered a classic of military literature, three stars - I don't believe the characters as I'm being told to believe them. While to be fair author Anton Myrer
, an ex-Marine who saw action in the Pacific during WWII, doesn't make Sam Damon perfect, exactly, he's always militarily right; if he does bad things in a political sense it's usually for the correct moral reasons; and even when he finally gets around to cheating on his wife with a nurse in Australia it's because she's made it clear she'll never forgive him for their son's death in combat - and besides, she was cheating on him as well! As I Said Before - What a Guy!
Massengale, by contrast, doesn't have a single good point to him - in addition to all his faults listed above, he's a blackmailing cheating little slimeball...who nonetheless always wins against Manly Soldier-Man Damon! His smarmy villainy is laid on so thick that you're stunned he doesn't spend the entire book getting smacked down by all the Old Warhorse Soldiers he serves under - and, in my case, you hit a point where you wonder how, if that's all to him there is, "Captious Court" (as Sam and his friends call him) has consistently risen higher in rank than The Great Warrior Sam Damon.
But what about the women? That's a good question, actually - what about the women? The only one who gets any personal development is Tommy Caldwell Damon, Sam's wife - and by the end of the book I'm still not sure why they ever got married, let alone stayed married for what I'm assuming is a half-century! Despite being an Army Brat herself, pretty much raised by her father on his own at a succession of US military bases, Tommy is a artistic creative type who hates the military and the whole business of soldiering, and never misses an opportunity to tell us, and her fellow Army Wives, as much. She lets herself be seduced by Masssengale, whose West Point intellectualism she's attracted to, and nearly sleeps with him - except for that entire Premature Ejaculation thing, which causes him to call it off before it gets to, you know, sex.
Sometimes You Just Got to Go With the Fillion
Every other woman in this book is either a supportive Army Wife, a backbiting Army Wife, or a pair of cute young women (usually but not always nurses) who exist to tempt Sam and his Army buddy du jour into sex.
Most of those who praise this book point out how it's a "cautionary tale" against the Military/Industrial Complex and What A Good Officer and Gentleman really is. What I'm got is less that than a screed against REMFs, while praising Field Commanders to the skies - which works in the context of the story, but misses the point that Field Commanders, by the very nature of what they do, don't focus on anything larger than short-term tactical goals.
I would have liked this story better if it had had a third main character who stood between Sam Damon and Courtney Massengale - a Staff Officer who was interested in more than his personal glory and profit, with field command experience so soldiers could genuinely respect him, and who didn't shoot his mouth off (as Damon often does to his superiors) so his opinions actually got listened to. As it stands, Once an Eagle doesn't feel like it teaches the officers required to read it anything other than "Get out and fight!"
July 2, 2021
Som obligatorisk lesning på US Army og USMC sine krigsskoler så fortjente den et forsøk.
Den innfridde absolutt, og jeg oppfordret alle norske offiserer til å lese den.
I boken følger man Sam Damon og hans forbilledlige reise fra menig i USA-Mexico til generalløytnant i Vietnam.
Damon inspirerer, og kan fort bli et moralsk anker for offiserer og befal.
Vanskelig å beskrive en så lang bok, men reisen er verdt det.
Den innfridde absolutt, og jeg oppfordret alle norske offiserer til å lese den.
I boken følger man Sam Damon og hans forbilledlige reise fra menig i USA-Mexico til generalløytnant i Vietnam.
Damon inspirerer, og kan fort bli et moralsk anker for offiserer og befal.
Vanskelig å beskrive en så lang bok, men reisen er verdt det.
January 9, 2024
Beautifully written book, following small town Nebraska kid Sam Damon from Mexico, thru WWI and WWII, and then up to the beginnings of American involvement in Vietnam. This was an emotional roller-coaster, and something I believe everyone should read. Published in 1968, it is as relevant today as it was back then.
April 5, 2025
[Audiobook] 4.5 stars rounded up. As a good friend would remind me during my listening, at this point in my life I am no longer the target audience for this book. Having completed my Army officer journey, this book serves as a mirror test for my own career, allowing me to judge my past actions against the two main foils. I’d like to think I took the right path most of the time, but I know I erred at times. Hopefully my contribution was net positive in the end.
November 29, 2013
Man, if there ever was a book that made me reconsider my decisions and reflect on life, morals, and the important things in life it is Once An Eagle. Sam Damon is easily my favorite fictional character, and Once An Eagle has propelled its way towards the top of my all time favorite books.
This book has taken me through a roller coaster of thoughts and reflections. I admire Sam so much, as anyone should, and wish his life had been easier. Sam is a man of legend from the beginning of the book. He already knows he is different from other people and that he can't possibly live life in his small town, so he decides to join the military. Based off of his intelligence, athleticism, and moral code alone would Sam be someone to look up to, but he continues to astonish me time and time again throughout the book. Earning his fame as the Night Clerk, which stuck with him throughout his life, and wanting to join the military so badly that he rejects West Point upon hearing the wait he will have to go through, even after everything he went through to earn the spot was unbelievable!
I could go on about each and every point and event in this book that inspired me and made me reflect life, but I would be here for a very long time. This book, although rather long (worth it 100 times over), took me a while to finish due to school, and I wish I had been able to give it the attention it deserves and without the sporadic nature I went about reading it. There were large gaps in-between readings so I don't remember everything, but I do know that there was never a moment I wasn't feeling some sort of strong emotion.
There were so many characters in this book and for the duration that they were in the book each one was important. This was a very good thing, but it also made things a bit confusing for my non-Damon-like mind.
Sadness. There was a lot of sadness in this book. I guess you would expect that in an anti-war novel, but when you get attached to characters so strongly as anyone would with Sam Damon, even the slightest pain felt by him is magnified in the reader, or at least for me personally.
There is so much I could just go on and on about in this book, but basically it was just an amazing read. I came to love Sam as a human being I would feel honored to have known. I came to utterly despise the man who called people by their first names (I never knew someone calling someone "Samuel" could piss me off as much as it did in this book.), and I came to look back onto decisions I had made, and things I had thought I considered important. This book has made me reflect life so much more than any other book, and I think every time I read it, it will have the same effect. Ah, I want to just go on into every aspect, thought, feeling, emotion, etc. that I experienced while reading this book, but very soon it will grow repetitive, rant-like, boring perhaps, and never-ending for sure. The one thing I can say for sure about this book is that it is an amazing piece of work and I will never forget it. I will read and enjoy this book many times in my life before I find I cannot any longer. I want to end this review differently, and give it the praise it deserves, but I'm sure Sam would rather not have anything special done on his account.
Even when no one in the world would deserve it more than he.
This book has taken me through a roller coaster of thoughts and reflections. I admire Sam so much, as anyone should, and wish his life had been easier. Sam is a man of legend from the beginning of the book. He already knows he is different from other people and that he can't possibly live life in his small town, so he decides to join the military. Based off of his intelligence, athleticism, and moral code alone would Sam be someone to look up to, but he continues to astonish me time and time again throughout the book. Earning his fame as the Night Clerk, which stuck with him throughout his life, and wanting to join the military so badly that he rejects West Point upon hearing the wait he will have to go through, even after everything he went through to earn the spot was unbelievable!
I could go on about each and every point and event in this book that inspired me and made me reflect life, but I would be here for a very long time. This book, although rather long (worth it 100 times over), took me a while to finish due to school, and I wish I had been able to give it the attention it deserves and without the sporadic nature I went about reading it. There were large gaps in-between readings so I don't remember everything, but I do know that there was never a moment I wasn't feeling some sort of strong emotion.
There were so many characters in this book and for the duration that they were in the book each one was important. This was a very good thing, but it also made things a bit confusing for my non-Damon-like mind.
Sadness. There was a lot of sadness in this book. I guess you would expect that in an anti-war novel, but when you get attached to characters so strongly as anyone would with Sam Damon, even the slightest pain felt by him is magnified in the reader, or at least for me personally.
There is so much I could just go on and on about in this book, but basically it was just an amazing read. I came to love Sam as a human being I would feel honored to have known. I came to utterly despise the man who called people by their first names (I never knew someone calling someone "Samuel" could piss me off as much as it did in this book.), and I came to look back onto decisions I had made, and things I had thought I considered important. This book has made me reflect life so much more than any other book, and I think every time I read it, it will have the same effect. Ah, I want to just go on into every aspect, thought, feeling, emotion, etc. that I experienced while reading this book, but very soon it will grow repetitive, rant-like, boring perhaps, and never-ending for sure. The one thing I can say for sure about this book is that it is an amazing piece of work and I will never forget it. I will read and enjoy this book many times in my life before I find I cannot any longer. I want to end this review differently, and give it the praise it deserves, but I'm sure Sam would rather not have anything special done on his account.
Even when no one in the world would deserve it more than he.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 613 reviews