Lucked Out

by Pat Moffett

"Funny and illuminating. [A] sparkling memoir of Moffett’s tour of duty. [A] striking. . . vivid, hilarious account of surviving a Vietnam deployment. With a raucous spirit, he writes about the profound power of recognizing everyone’s humanity."
—Publishers Weekly/BookLife Review

“Exceptional. Captures the spirit of Band of Brothers and the classic humor of Catch-22. A Netflix-ready Vietnam War memoir, Lucked Out is also damn funny.”
— Rob MacGregor, New York Times best-selling author, Indiana Jones series

"Armed with enough colorful metaphors to give Raymond Chandler a run for his money. A journey readers won’t forget. An unvarnished snapshot of war. "
—Kirkus



"Book clubs will want it at the top of their reading lists. Highly recommended."
—Midwest Book Review


LUCKY CHARM?
Any war is a mix of patriotism, brotherhood, and a whole lot of luck. This is the incredible, oftentimes hilarious story of Pat Moffett, a very lucky twenty-year old, a self-admitted street-smart wise-ass kid from Brooklyn who joined the United States Army’s famed 101st Airborne Division, and was shipped 8,000 miles away to the bloody war in Vietnam—and somehow, despite one misadventure after another, lived to tell this tale.

Shortly after touching down in 'Nam, Private Pat Moffett realized if he was to survive the madhouse of war, he'd better make the best of it. With a bit of Irish luck and gift of blarney, Pat’s true-life wartime capers in Vietnam began with a vengeance as he ran secret personal missions for army brass—and found himself embroiled with currency schemes, the black market, impersonating officers, hijacking a helicopter to get pizza, dating bar girls, cutting deals, dodging bullets, picking shrapnel out of his butt, skirting police, getting dragged into street fights, being stalked by tigers, rescuing orphans, and going from being nearly arrested to getting a Bronze Star.

But if not for a fateful typographical error, Pat would have been assigned to a platoon that got entirely wiped out in a jungle massacre. For Pat it was a lucky stroke, one that changed his life for good and became a reminder of just how lucky he was during those fourteen months in ’Nam.

Lucked Out is Pat Moffett’s brilliant, irreverent firsthand account of his tour in Vietnam that ranges from the outrageous to the mind-bending, packed with action, but truly, in the end, is an embrace of all those with whom he was lucky enough to have served.

“Wicked, dark humor that reminded me of the brilliant TV series M*A*S*H.”
— Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff, New York Times best-selling author

“Your next must-read that has it the irreverence of Jarhead, the comedic antics of Stripes, the zany escapades in Kelly’s Heroes and Good Morning, Vietnam, [and] the satirical edge of Animal House.”
— David Niall Wilson, USA Today best-selling author

"Insanely funny . . . a gifted story-teller who pulls no punches. A terrific book.

442 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 10, 2025

Reviews

[Linden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pat tells of his tour in Vietnam, and how lucky he was much of the time—not to be there, of course, but how things could have been much worse. Initially assigned to the infantry, he would up in a clerical job due to a paperwork snafu. He made some good friends and they had some memorable adventures, so this book is much more upbeat than other wartime memoirs.

[April B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review Day!

Lucked Out

By

Pat Moffett

Wow!  I really loved this book!

This is the first novel based on the Vietnam War that I have read and my first impression was that it reminds me of Good Morning Vietnam.  That is one of my favorite movies and Lucked Out has that same unique balance of humor, drama and the hard reality of what War time looks like.  I was laughing out loud while I was reading this book,  the adventures in this book is just mind blowing that the author actually lived through all these unbelievable moments.  Pat really gets into detail with the descriptions of what life looked like during 'Nam.  I could very clearly visualize the locations he describes thoughtout the book.

The book is definitely rightly named as we read about how the author "Lucked Out" at being assigned to the 101st Airborne Division by a typo of all things instead of a very different ending his life would have had if that simple error had not occurred.  The transition of his views on the war and life from the beginning of his 14 months in Vietnam until the end was truly exciting, funny and heartwarming and I really enjoyed getting to know Pat though the pages of his book and I highly recommend this great novel to anyone that is interested in the Vietnam War or just looking a very entertaining read, you won't be disappointed either way!

[thomas waltimire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started

Started out pretty good but then the Walter M itty kicked in. More bs than factual and I couldn't finish after I got about half way. This should be listed as fiction. Too bad many not knowing the difference would believe that this is what it was like with the partying and being selected for a secret mission. Too much BS for me to finish. You are shaming the ones that were there.

[Louis N. Webber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been thoroughly enjoyable from the start. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but it covers a time when young men were unsure of their futures because of the draft and the War. As stated. If you wanted a job it was hard to get hired since employers figured you’d get drafted as soon as you were trained. If you couldn’t get into Collage, or get a deferment you were on the hook waiting. The main character volunteered for the draft and his journey began. It’s a tale of growth in a time of violence and uncertainty. It shows the humor and resilience of a young man who moves thru a system wondering when the shoe will drop and expecting the worse. It mixes the experiences of a person who knows the feeling of wondering if the next day will be his last and making the best of every day he gets thru. Heck! It even has ghosts in it. Humor. Sacrifice.Brotherhood. I can highly recommend this book. It will be well worth you time. Many Veteran's will identify with many of the situations mentioned in this book.

[Carola Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book caught me off guard in the best way. I expected a gritty account of Vietnam—and it is that—but it’s also full of humor, sharp observations, and a sense of timing that feels almost cinematic. Pat Moffett writes like someone telling stories at a kitchen table after dinner: unfiltered, personal, and very real. There’s danger, absurdity, luck (a lot of it), and a deep sense of humanity threading it all together.

You can feel the Brooklyn in his voice, and that only makes it more vivid. What stood out most to me was how he managed to keep a sense of humor in the middle of chaos without ever being dismissive of what war actually is. He doesn't glamorize it. He shows you the randomness, the fear, and those strange moments that stick with you long after the battle ends.

One of those rare memoirs that makes you laugh and think in equal measure. Highly recommended.

[Leonard A. Japchinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought it was a good book about a REMF (Rear Echelon Mother Fucker) tour of duty in Vietnam. Boy, he really lucked out though his whole tour. I was stationed in Long Binh in 1966-67 with Hq, II Field Force so I was very familiar with the area, especially Bien Hoa where Moffett was stationed. Some good stories about his tour there. He had quite a lot of adventures although my tour was uneventful. I never went to Saigon but did go on 3 day R&R to Vung Tau as he did. Please Pat, if the book is reprinted change the chapter VUNG TAO to VUNG TAU to the correct spelling. Again some good stories but I am sure was over embellished at times.

[CAROL HAZLET · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky for reading Lucked Out!

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. There is nothing that I didn't like. I never served in the military, but I often wonder what it was like for those who went to Vietnam. I could visualise the people, the scenery, the base, even the flight home.
This is a book I think anyone would enjoy. It is entertaining, it speaks to the relationships that develop between the people who serve together in a unit.
Pat talks about the fear they felt when under attack, the joys of R&R, and the relief of going home.
I'm glad he had a " Welcome home " and I wish all the veterans would have received a "Welcome home".

[a.t.m. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vietnam revisited

The author has written a complicated book on his service in Vietnam. If everything he has written about is the sum total of his service and his decorated service, I venture to say that his service record was pretty thin. His stories about his access to Saigon, good plentiful food,and alcohol are such that he used his type writing skills to benefit himself. I would say that there was a reason that the grunts in the field had a great disdain for REMF’s and this book is proof of that. The book is entertaining and the author should consider writing a children’s book about fictional characters, because he is good at this.

[Ben Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most Excellent.

This was one of the lengthier books I've read recently, but oh is it a good one.
I've read Marcinko, Hooker, Heller, and a bunch of other author's who make wart me conflict understandable to civilians. Pat Moffett is up there in those ranks.
I wasn’t expecting to LOL reading a memoir about Vietnam, Although the cover gives a hint. Moffett has the right style in his writing...almost like we were sitting in a bar over some martinis and he was just regaling me with the way it was.
I highly recommend this book.

[Bill Elston · Rating 5 out of 5]

very interesting story, not your normal VN book

At times I thought about putting this book down and finding another. Certainly glad I didn’t. If you are fortunate enough to read it don’t put it down. It’s not the jungle fighting, blood and guts VN book but a very interesting story about a GI who truly “Lucked Out” during his tour. Enjoy the story he tells.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

not the Vietnam I was in

I can’t remember any good times. Just sometimes better than others. I was there July’66 to July ‘67. I turned 20 years old over there. I remember being wet and cold, hot and sweaty. Scared, hungry, tired.
I did enjoy the book. Thanks, Pat.

[Nancy Gingrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unique viewpoint of Vietnam service

This book ends with the most wonderful story of the Spirit world coming to the rescue of this stranded returning soldier.

In addition, the rest of the book was satisfactorily interesting too.

[Reece · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great work

This was one refreshing story and I hope you.like it. I like lady luck and the way it works for me. I meet my wife at a Chinese restaurant we've been .married 32 years in May.

[Stephen Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well deserved welcome home

A feel good story about a divisive war and time in American history. I laughed and smiled throughout the read. It would be a fantastic movie. A highly recommended read.

[William Kepford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read more than a handful of ‘Nam books and this one is unique- in a good way. Hard to describe since the last twenty pages or so left me, not unsettled, but, perhaps ponderous. It is at that point you truly realize the fictionality of it.

[GARRY DEPPEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book.

I highly recommend reading this book. I enjoyed this book so much I couldn't put it down and read it in two sittings. A thumbs up to the author.

[Ralph Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

[Lucretia Burrows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucked Out

Really great and different story of a soldier’s service in Vietnam! I really enjoyed the reading this account of one soldier’s service!

[John Karlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really good one!

This is a damn good read, fantastic story and worth your time and money. As an ex Viet vet, can relate to dome of the actions in this great book.

[Dennis Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story ,, just enough of everything.

This book hooked me from the start. The characters are perfectly played. Right down to the dog tripod. High recommend.

[scot ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. Fast paced, easy to read and tied up perfectly at the end. Thanks, SGT Moffett for sharing your story!

[Robert Lewter · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary book with an extraordinary ending. Read it.