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Apache Snow
Book 1 of the Apache Snow Series."Operation Apache Snow" takes place in 1969 and primarily involves members of a single battalion of the 101st Airborne Division, who engaged the 29th North Vietnamese Army Division for 11-days on Hill # 937 in the infamous A Shau Valley.While the characters are fictional, the battle was very real and when it was over 70 Americans were killed in action, 420 were wounded and 633 North Vietnamese were confirmed dead.
Matthew Kendal, a pastor’s youngest son from a white middle-class California background, enlists in the army and volunteers for service in Vietnam to avenge his brother’s death; a Green Beret sergeant killed in 1968. During training, Matthew becomes close friends with John Adams, a tough-skinned Afro-American youth from the poorer neighborhoods right outside our nation’s capital, and Jose Martinez, a street-wise Chicano from East Los Angeles.
Together they experience the rigors of Airborne training and journey to Vietnam to become Screaming Eagles, of the 101st Airborne. Placed in 2nd Squad, the story follows the actual events surrounding D Company during the intense battle for Hill # 937, which would later be known as the “Battle for Hamburger Hill”.
Get Apache Snow today and experience "One of the most spellbinding books or should I say work of art on the Vietnam war." - MH
Matthew Kendal, a pastor’s youngest son from a white middle-class California background, enlists in the army and volunteers for service in Vietnam to avenge his brother’s death; a Green Beret sergeant killed in 1968. During training, Matthew becomes close friends with John Adams, a tough-skinned Afro-American youth from the poorer neighborhoods right outside our nation’s capital, and Jose Martinez, a street-wise Chicano from East Los Angeles.
Together they experience the rigors of Airborne training and journey to Vietnam to become Screaming Eagles, of the 101st Airborne. Placed in 2nd Squad, the story follows the actual events surrounding D Company during the intense battle for Hill # 937, which would later be known as the “Battle for Hamburger Hill”.
Get Apache Snow today and experience "One of the most spellbinding books or should I say work of art on the Vietnam war." - MH
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2015
47 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 5, 2019
Interesting perspective
Story could have flowed a little better, some repetitiveness. I did like the point of view type presentation and the inner thoughts that must’ve plagued these soldiers.
Story could have flowed a little better, some repetitiveness. I did like the point of view type presentation and the inner thoughts that must’ve plagued these soldiers.
October 18, 2017
Great book
As far as vietnam-era books are concerned I thought this was a great book very well written looking forward to continuing the series
As far as vietnam-era books are concerned I thought this was a great book very well written looking forward to continuing the series
March 15, 2019
Don’t like writing negative reviews
I normally don’t write reviews, especially negative ones, but the spelling and grammar in this book made it impossible to enjoy.
I normally don’t write reviews, especially negative ones, but the spelling and grammar in this book made it impossible to enjoy.
December 11, 2015
"Apache Snow" tells the story of young Matthew Kendal, a Pastor's youngest son. Matt was proud of his older brother was in the Army, graduated from Airborn training and became a Green Beret. In 1968, his brother's unit was sent to Vietnam and he ended up being killed when their small outpost near Laos was overrun by the NVA. He was a hero during this final battle and was bestowed the Silver Star for his actions (his Commanding Officer put him in for the Medal of Honor, but it was turned down).
Upon graduation from high school, Matt joined the Army with the intent of going to Vietnam and avenging his brother's death. He followed in his brother's footsteps, earning his jump wings and then volunteering for Vietnam - assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
The story follows Matt and two other friends from stateside training as his squad runs patrols through the countryside. Soon, they are sent to the infamous Ashau Valley, a stronghold for the NVA and seldom visited by American patrols. Their battalion is soon assigned to recon Hill 937, surveillance exposes a large enemy force in heavy duty bunkers and trench lines - the unit is then charged with taking the hill.
This begins 11 days of fighting between the 101st Airborne and the 29th NVA Regiment - the Hill is later referred to as "Hamburger Hill". There is a heavy toll in lives lost on both sides, the Americans suffer from lack of sleep, food, water and continuous assaults upon the hill which ends in stalemates. The story is rated as fiction, but it closely follows the actual battle to take this hill. Readers will be in awe as to how this story plays out. Most already know the outcome from history, but this author tells it like he was there. I should also point out that there is not ONE cuss word in this story, but there is also a heavy dusting of religion throughout.
The author, William Casselman, is an exceptional story teller and has a gift for writing, in this case almost 400 pages. My only complaint is that with all the time and effort it took to write this tome, the author failed to utilize an editor or proof-reader. The story is filled with typos, extra words, missing words, etc that should have been caught before publishing. These errors are distracting, and almost caused me to stop reading this story, but I stayed with it and saw it to the end. In fact, I'm sure that if the author rereads his own work, he'd be successful in correcting most if not all the errors.
Mr. Casselman, I commend you on your success of writing a great story. As a fellow author, I can relate to the many hours of typing, the many sacrifices made - both personal and family related, and the dedication required to write a long story such as "Apache Snow" - why throw it all away because of countless errors which sends the wrong message to your readers. Take the time and fix it...you'll be happy you did!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
Upon graduation from high school, Matt joined the Army with the intent of going to Vietnam and avenging his brother's death. He followed in his brother's footsteps, earning his jump wings and then volunteering for Vietnam - assigned to the 101st Airborne Division.
The story follows Matt and two other friends from stateside training as his squad runs patrols through the countryside. Soon, they are sent to the infamous Ashau Valley, a stronghold for the NVA and seldom visited by American patrols. Their battalion is soon assigned to recon Hill 937, surveillance exposes a large enemy force in heavy duty bunkers and trench lines - the unit is then charged with taking the hill.
This begins 11 days of fighting between the 101st Airborne and the 29th NVA Regiment - the Hill is later referred to as "Hamburger Hill". There is a heavy toll in lives lost on both sides, the Americans suffer from lack of sleep, food, water and continuous assaults upon the hill which ends in stalemates. The story is rated as fiction, but it closely follows the actual battle to take this hill. Readers will be in awe as to how this story plays out. Most already know the outcome from history, but this author tells it like he was there. I should also point out that there is not ONE cuss word in this story, but there is also a heavy dusting of religion throughout.
The author, William Casselman, is an exceptional story teller and has a gift for writing, in this case almost 400 pages. My only complaint is that with all the time and effort it took to write this tome, the author failed to utilize an editor or proof-reader. The story is filled with typos, extra words, missing words, etc that should have been caught before publishing. These errors are distracting, and almost caused me to stop reading this story, but I stayed with it and saw it to the end. In fact, I'm sure that if the author rereads his own work, he'd be successful in correcting most if not all the errors.
Mr. Casselman, I commend you on your success of writing a great story. As a fellow author, I can relate to the many hours of typing, the many sacrifices made - both personal and family related, and the dedication required to write a long story such as "Apache Snow" - why throw it all away because of countless errors which sends the wrong message to your readers. Take the time and fix it...you'll be happy you did!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
June 3, 2016
Overall a very good book although it was a bit of a mixed bag which prevented it being given a higher mark.
The first few chapters were very predictable. Matt Kendall is a pastor's son who is central to the character. His brother dies in Vietnam so he wants to go there to avenge Luke's death. Predictably he leaves behind his fiancée and parents so the storyline initially was quite mundane.
He gets to training camp and then Vietnam and the characters around him are very predictable. Big redneck from the South who is a member of the KKK and so hates Blacks and then gets saved by one. Mexican soldier Jose who was a gang member back home. Incompetent Colonels and grizzled veterans fill the pages. I almost put it down at this stage.
But then they reached the battle for "Hamburger Hill" and the book definitely got much better. Told from Matt and his leader Campbell's point of view and from the other a Vietnamese doctor called Que. Carnage on both side as Matt and Campbell lose their friends and Que cant keep up with the mounting NVA casualties. So the Hamburger Hill portion is enthralling.
Then Matt ends up losing a leg and his best friend John an eye. It becomes predictable again as they are surrounded by beautiful nurses but not enough about their mental anguish for me.
Then the final few chapters are about Matt taking over his Dad's church and marrying his sweetheart. John and Matt go to Vietnam and guess what. They bump in to Que! Then we get the usual "I forgive your people" reconciliation and no doubt matt and Que join forces to help the people of Hanoi.
Very entertaining and fascinating in parts but let down by clichéd storyline.
The first few chapters were very predictable. Matt Kendall is a pastor's son who is central to the character. His brother dies in Vietnam so he wants to go there to avenge Luke's death. Predictably he leaves behind his fiancée and parents so the storyline initially was quite mundane.
He gets to training camp and then Vietnam and the characters around him are very predictable. Big redneck from the South who is a member of the KKK and so hates Blacks and then gets saved by one. Mexican soldier Jose who was a gang member back home. Incompetent Colonels and grizzled veterans fill the pages. I almost put it down at this stage.
But then they reached the battle for "Hamburger Hill" and the book definitely got much better. Told from Matt and his leader Campbell's point of view and from the other a Vietnamese doctor called Que. Carnage on both side as Matt and Campbell lose their friends and Que cant keep up with the mounting NVA casualties. So the Hamburger Hill portion is enthralling.
Then Matt ends up losing a leg and his best friend John an eye. It becomes predictable again as they are surrounded by beautiful nurses but not enough about their mental anguish for me.
Then the final few chapters are about Matt taking over his Dad's church and marrying his sweetheart. John and Matt go to Vietnam and guess what. They bump in to Que! Then we get the usual "I forgive your people" reconciliation and no doubt matt and Que join forces to help the people of Hanoi.
Very entertaining and fascinating in parts but let down by clichéd storyline.
January 22, 2016
Apache snow
An extremely complicated set of stories told in a non-professional manner that kept me riveted the further I went into the book. I read,saw movies of,and talked to survivors of the idiocy that was Hamburger Hill and this unified the tales read to explain it as best one might.
An extremely complicated set of stories told in a non-professional manner that kept me riveted the further I went into the book. I read,saw movies of,and talked to survivors of the idiocy that was Hamburger Hill and this unified the tales read to explain it as best one might.
May 13, 2016
One of the best books about the Vietnam war
A must read for anyone who has been in combat. A true account of what physically and mentally happens when nothing goes as planned
A must read for anyone who has been in combat. A true account of what physically and mentally happens when nothing goes as planned
April 23, 2017
Best Vietnam book I've read.
Well written book following several lives through the Viet Nam war. So well written that you were there. The sacrifices and brotherhood that were brought about was amazing. Life after Nam was very emotional.
Well written book following several lives through the Viet Nam war. So well written that you were there. The sacrifices and brotherhood that were brought about was amazing. Life after Nam was very emotional.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews