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Miles To Vietnam #7
True, but Irrelevant
In this seventh novel of the series, the Vietnam War odyssey of Captain Jif Miles, US Army, continues as he returns to the war twice, serving tours in 1971 and 1972 as a MACV evaluator and advisor to the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, the ARVN. Despite the administrative sound of the job title, his new mission is a perilous struggle to make the American political panacea of Vietnamization actually succeed, shifting all combat operations to the ARVN as US political will evaporates and its combat forces depart, never to return.
Jif is constantly forced into the role of combatant and ad hoc commander, as much of the ARVN officer corps repeatedly collapses under pressure. It’s no secret that the hands-on American guidance—with its abundant access to devastating airpower—will keep South Vietnam alive a few more years. But repeatedly snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is not enough. At the Paris Peace Talks, that lesson is expressed by a North Vietnamese general who, when told by an American counterpart, You never defeated us in battle, replies, That is true, but it is also irrelevant.
For Jif and the brotherhood of career officers, it’s time to heed the lesson while they resurrect the Army from the ashes of Vietnam and rebuild it for the next conflict, wherever that might be.
Jif is constantly forced into the role of combatant and ad hoc commander, as much of the ARVN officer corps repeatedly collapses under pressure. It’s no secret that the hands-on American guidance—with its abundant access to devastating airpower—will keep South Vietnam alive a few more years. But repeatedly snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is not enough. At the Paris Peace Talks, that lesson is expressed by a North Vietnamese general who, when told by an American counterpart, You never defeated us in battle, replies, That is true, but it is also irrelevant.
For Jif and the brotherhood of career officers, it’s time to heed the lesson while they resurrect the Army from the ashes of Vietnam and rebuild it for the next conflict, wherever that might be.
447 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2024
About the author
William Peter Grasso
24 books76 followersA lifelong student of history, William Peter Grasso served in the US Army and is retired from the aircraft maintenance industry. His devotion to all things historical, military, and aviation remains unabated and continues to inspire his fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 10, 2024
The final Miles to Vietnam story, this book goes into more detail as to why South Vietnam didn't last after the US pulled out (this seems to parallel the collapse of Afghanistan after the US pullout). It also details the slow moving train wreck & tragedy that the war was.
The story does bounce around, with small bits of home life interspersed with deployments back in country. I would have enjoyed a bit more continuous story, with more detail about home, attitudes of the war US and descriptions of Jif's service in the US. This would have stretched the story across at least 2 books (which I would have loved), but it's possible the author wanted to end this saga and go onto the next chapter.
Grasso does a good job of describing the action, and addressing the misguided motivation about our being in Vietnam. As with all of his stories, I left with a deeper understanding of the conflicts. The action is up to his usual great standard.
As with all his stories, I strongly recommend it and the entire series!
The story does bounce around, with small bits of home life interspersed with deployments back in country. I would have enjoyed a bit more continuous story, with more detail about home, attitudes of the war US and descriptions of Jif's service in the US. This would have stretched the story across at least 2 books (which I would have loved), but it's possible the author wanted to end this saga and go onto the next chapter.
Grasso does a good job of describing the action, and addressing the misguided motivation about our being in Vietnam. As with all of his stories, I left with a deeper understanding of the conflicts. The action is up to his usual great standard.
As with all his stories, I strongly recommend it and the entire series!
December 25, 2024
Anyone who's followed the series up to now and/or has a vague notion of how the Vietnam War panned out knew this was going to be a hard read going in. Indeed, unless we saw a sudden revival of Grasso's alternate history plots, the writing was on the wall from the start of the series.
But I do commend the author for how he handled a hard ending note to one of America's ugliest wars. Rather than lay the blame for the collapse of the Republic of Vietnam on any one camp, he does a great job of illustrating the multitude of factors that contributed: a corrupt regime whose politics had infected the ARVN command and continually fostered complacency and ineptitude, bad leadership amplifying the inevitable confusion and mistakes in the fog of war, and the usual mix of courageous and cowardly troops who lack leaders able to curb bad instincts and instill good ones.
Indeed, I found myself expecting this book to be a bit more of a slog than other books that I've crushed in a few days. Between the hard subject it would cover and protagonist Jif Miles' new role as adviser versus direct combatant, it seemed inevitable. And, yet, here I am after starting it two days ago. So take that as a testament that the Grasso staples of well-crafted action and compelling characters still shine through, even if the name of the game has changed as the Army of the Republic of Vietnam takes the front seat for the final, disastrous ride of the fledgling country.
But I do commend the author for how he handled a hard ending note to one of America's ugliest wars. Rather than lay the blame for the collapse of the Republic of Vietnam on any one camp, he does a great job of illustrating the multitude of factors that contributed: a corrupt regime whose politics had infected the ARVN command and continually fostered complacency and ineptitude, bad leadership amplifying the inevitable confusion and mistakes in the fog of war, and the usual mix of courageous and cowardly troops who lack leaders able to curb bad instincts and instill good ones.
Indeed, I found myself expecting this book to be a bit more of a slog than other books that I've crushed in a few days. Between the hard subject it would cover and protagonist Jif Miles' new role as adviser versus direct combatant, it seemed inevitable. And, yet, here I am after starting it two days ago. So take that as a testament that the Grasso staples of well-crafted action and compelling characters still shine through, even if the name of the game has changed as the Army of the Republic of Vietnam takes the front seat for the final, disastrous ride of the fledgling country.
January 21, 2025
The Final Chapter
The last book did not disappoint. Jif Miles last tour of Vietnam Washington in full of adventure, intrigue and excitement as his first tours were. Having a cousin come back from Vietnam much worse for wear than when he went over made it hard for me to understand what might have occurred while he was there. Following Jif's tours helped me get a feel for what our military went through. Although this was fiction I recognized many IV the sites, situations and battles from our time "in country."
Thank you, Peter Grasso, for your excellent telling of one man's time in Vietnam. I can't wait for Jif's next adventures!
The last book did not disappoint. Jif Miles last tour of Vietnam Washington in full of adventure, intrigue and excitement as his first tours were. Having a cousin come back from Vietnam much worse for wear than when he went over made it hard for me to understand what might have occurred while he was there. Following Jif's tours helped me get a feel for what our military went through. Although this was fiction I recognized many IV the sites, situations and battles from our time "in country."
Thank you, Peter Grasso, for your excellent telling of one man's time in Vietnam. I can't wait for Jif's next adventures!
December 13, 2024
Author William Peter Grasso really puts the "history" in his "historical fiction" with a strong finish to this series. His MC, Jif Miles is given a front-row seat to observe what can happen to a country when its leaders -- or its people -- become self-interested and focused on their rights while conveniently forgetting about their duty. In the end, the series uses a difficult episode in American history to deliver an entertaining and informative allegory in civics that is well-timed for the modern moment. 5 Stars!
April 11, 2025
Jif Miles is brave and competent, one might say, unbelievably so. He takes the biggest risks over and over and he’s so good at his job he never seems to be wrong. So what makes this seemingly unbelievable series of books so compelling that you need to read all 7 books 1-7, front to back? The main character is like an avatar, an ideal, like brave Ulysses who gets into and out of tough situations over and over. Who cares if young Jif is realistic or not? Face it, we could all use a representation of an American man who is both brave and competent. The anti-Trump.
June 19, 2026
Addicted to war
As the Vietnam generation has steadily aged away, the painful lessons of that war seem to be forgotten. We now have an inept Administration with a totally unqualified SecDef eager to bomb people at the head of our military. We are on a steady course, in a much more dangerous world, to relearn what cost us so much in blood and treasure over 50 years ago. Every name on the Wall is a painful, heart rending reminder. This series of books is a masterful description of that failure and should be read by every professional military man.
As the Vietnam generation has steadily aged away, the painful lessons of that war seem to be forgotten. We now have an inept Administration with a totally unqualified SecDef eager to bomb people at the head of our military. We are on a steady course, in a much more dangerous world, to relearn what cost us so much in blood and treasure over 50 years ago. Every name on the Wall is a painful, heart rending reminder. This series of books is a masterful description of that failure and should be read by every professional military man.
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January 21, 2025Great but sad realizing how bad leadership was.
Didn't think this one would be any good but I was wrong. Very great reading. If all this is close to factual it scares me about our politicians screw things up.
I severed in Name 68 & 69 and had no idea how screwed up it was.
Didn't think this one would be any good but I was wrong. Very great reading. If all this is close to factual it scares me about our politicians screw things up.
I severed in Name 68 & 69 and had no idea how screwed up it was.
April 13, 2026
Fitting finale for a fine series
The final volume of this series didn't disappoint. Our hero is an advisor to ARVN units, supposed to be a passive role but manages to save the day with the usual heroics. It's also a good review of one of the final campaigns of a most confusing war.
The final volume of this series didn't disappoint. Our hero is an advisor to ARVN units, supposed to be a passive role but manages to save the day with the usual heroics. It's also a good review of one of the final campaigns of a most confusing war.
December 22, 2024
Book 7
Well researched story but the United States didn't learn from bout mistakes. It must have been frustrating for the American advisors to work with some of there South Vietnamese military.
Well researched story but the United States didn't learn from bout mistakes. It must have been frustrating for the American advisors to work with some of there South Vietnamese military.
January 1, 2025
Fantastic historical fiction
What a great series about a terrible war. The main character is fascinating. The action scenes are dynamic and well-written.
The story offers an interesting view into the Vietnam War.
What a great series about a terrible war. The main character is fascinating. The action scenes are dynamic and well-written.
The story offers an interesting view into the Vietnam War.
February 28, 2025
Another great read!!
Keep it up. You write from the heart. Fellow veterans appreciate the tales and honesty. Looking forward to reading the ones I missed about Erik and korea. Had to do this series. It was my war
Keep it up. You write from the heart. Fellow veterans appreciate the tales and honesty. Looking forward to reading the ones I missed about Erik and korea. Had to do this series. It was my war
March 11, 2025
Authentic reading.
This book reminds of the stories my older sergeant mentors used to tell me. It doesn't apologize nor does it muckrake. It just tells the story as frustrating as reality was back then. It doesn't seem to have changed much.
This book reminds of the stories my older sergeant mentors used to tell me. It doesn't apologize nor does it muckrake. It just tells the story as frustrating as reality was back then. It doesn't seem to have changed much.
December 8, 2024
Kind of slow
Kind of slow story seemingly mostly focused on wrapping up the story arc. No more character development and action is fleeting and told in short broad strokes.
Kind of slow story seemingly mostly focused on wrapping up the story arc. No more character development and action is fleeting and told in short broad strokes.
December 13, 2024
Excellent as always
Enjoyed front to back. Already looking forward to the next series. Great characters, interesting thoughts and plenty of action. Read in one setting, that good!
Enjoyed front to back. Already looking forward to the next series. Great characters, interesting thoughts and plenty of action. Read in one setting, that good!
January 17, 2025
Great read for Vietnam era veterans!!!
February 15, 2025
The last book of this excellent series. Well worth the read.
February 23, 2025
If you enjoyed the previous books in this series, this carries on in the same tradition. It's a good military read.
November 19, 2025
great read.
Another aventurine of Jif Miles! I have read all of the books about Lt. Jif Miles. I have enjoyed all of them.
Another aventurine of Jif Miles! I have read all of the books about Lt. Jif Miles. I have enjoyed all of them.
April 9, 2026
superior as always
Mr. Grasso puts his finger exactly on the sad and shameful conduct of a “war” that started for the wrong reasons and never progressed beyond that.
Mr. Grasso puts his finger exactly on the sad and shameful conduct of a “war” that started for the wrong reasons and never progressed beyond that.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews