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100 Days in Vietnam: A Memoir of Love, War, and Survival
As American troops continue their steady exodus on the last day of their ground war in Vietnam, Lieutenant Joe Tallon is shot down by an enemy missile. Forced to eject at a dangerously low altitude from their OV-1 Mohawk, Joe and his tactical observer, Specialist-5 Daniel Richards, land in the flaming wreckage. Lieutenant Tallon survives but Specialist Richards does not. Stateside, Lieutenant Tallon begins to heal and proceed with his life-but the loss of his tactical observer is never far from his mind. Forty years later, Joe embarks on a quest to bring recognition to the sacrifice of Daniel Richards and secure a Purple Heart for his family. Painstakingly recreated from wartime letters and remembrances and contextualized by contemporary news accounts, 100 Days in Vietnam is a collaboration between Joe and his son Matt-also an Army veteran. Here we experience the war through the emotions of the man who survived the drudgery and monotony of airfield life, the heartache of a newlywed missing his wife, the terror of combat missions, the agony of injury and rehabilitation, and the bittersweet relief from the completion of his final mission to bring recognition to his fallen comrade.
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 15, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
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July 14, 2021MWSA Review
In their book, 100 Days in Vietnam, Joseph and Matthew Tallon give us an in-depth look into the life of a true survivor and patriot. Lt Col Joseph F. Tallon served as a Mohawk pilot with the US Army in Vietnam in the waning days of that long war. As the conflict was nearing its end, enemy fire struck Joseph's airplane just after takeoff, causing it to crash before he could return it to the runway. The crash killed his crew member and left Joseph with severe injuries and burns all over his body. The book provides us sufficient background to know Joseph before the crash and to understand that his love for his new bride gave him the strength to hang on and the will to survive. Months of medical treatment took him from Vietnam, to the Philippines, and ultimately to the burn center at Lackland AFB, Texas. Despite the injury and medical discharge from the Army, his desire to serve enabled him to retain his commission in the Reserves until he retired years later. Matthew, Joseph's son, must be given credit for working with his father and getting the many letters, notes, diary entries, etc. finally organized in a fashion to be made into this book, along with making a number of observations of his own. I enjoyed reading this book and my hat's off to Joseph.
Review by Bob Doerr (July 2021)
In their book, 100 Days in Vietnam, Joseph and Matthew Tallon give us an in-depth look into the life of a true survivor and patriot. Lt Col Joseph F. Tallon served as a Mohawk pilot with the US Army in Vietnam in the waning days of that long war. As the conflict was nearing its end, enemy fire struck Joseph's airplane just after takeoff, causing it to crash before he could return it to the runway. The crash killed his crew member and left Joseph with severe injuries and burns all over his body. The book provides us sufficient background to know Joseph before the crash and to understand that his love for his new bride gave him the strength to hang on and the will to survive. Months of medical treatment took him from Vietnam, to the Philippines, and ultimately to the burn center at Lackland AFB, Texas. Despite the injury and medical discharge from the Army, his desire to serve enabled him to retain his commission in the Reserves until he retired years later. Matthew, Joseph's son, must be given credit for working with his father and getting the many letters, notes, diary entries, etc. finally organized in a fashion to be made into this book, along with making a number of observations of his own. I enjoyed reading this book and my hat's off to Joseph.
Review by Bob Doerr (July 2021)
June 25, 2021
I just finished reading the book titled “one hundred days in Vietnam” by Lt. Col. Joe Tallon. Of all the books about Vietnam l have read, this one has to be the best written, most interesting and easiest to read! It was hard to put it down!
One hundred days in Vietnam is not a book of blood and guts, but rather a true story of love for a man’s wife, everyday life in a war zone and real life about a man facing death after a plane being shot down, burned badly and trying to survive. You’ll never find a better war story!
One hundred days in Vietnam is not a book of blood and guts, but rather a true story of love for a man’s wife, everyday life in a war zone and real life about a man facing death after a plane being shot down, burned badly and trying to survive. You’ll never find a better war story!
December 2, 2021
It’s 1972, and Joe Tallon has just been drafted to fight the war in Vietnam. He’s young, ambitious, newly married, and has no idea what awaits him on the other side of the globe. Near the end of the ground war, he gets shot down by an enemy missile but luckily survives. His technical observer Daniel Richards does not. He heals and gets to go back home, but the sacrifice that Richards gave never leaves his mind. 40 years later, he sets out on a journey to bring Richards the recognition he deserves as well as a Purple Heart for his family.
For a book about war, reading 100 Days in Vietnam feels like a quiet and serene meditation. Even in scenes that depict violence and chaos, Tallon’s writing remains stoic. Not that he ever needed any evidence to prove this, but this writing style assures the reader that this is not some exploitative pulp filled to the brim with torn-up limbs and grenade explosions. This is the real deal. Just like the subject matter, the history of the book’s writing adds a whole world of depth as well. It becomes all the more meaningful when you find out that his co-writer, Matthew Tallon, is a fellow veteran and the son he almost did not get to see grow up.
I enjoyed this authentic and compelling memoir and felt that the writing eschews action oriented writing in favor of straightforward storytelling that makes the book easy to follow but sometimes monotonous. The grounded retelling of events is broken up with news clippings that help establish the reader in the time period of the book.
100 Days in Vietnam is a stirring memoir that will stick with you for days. I would recommend this book to readers looking for an authentic and emotionally-resonant military biography that dictates facts and leaves nothing out. This is an intriguing historical novel with an end result that is nothing short of rewarding.
For a book about war, reading 100 Days in Vietnam feels like a quiet and serene meditation. Even in scenes that depict violence and chaos, Tallon’s writing remains stoic. Not that he ever needed any evidence to prove this, but this writing style assures the reader that this is not some exploitative pulp filled to the brim with torn-up limbs and grenade explosions. This is the real deal. Just like the subject matter, the history of the book’s writing adds a whole world of depth as well. It becomes all the more meaningful when you find out that his co-writer, Matthew Tallon, is a fellow veteran and the son he almost did not get to see grow up.
I enjoyed this authentic and compelling memoir and felt that the writing eschews action oriented writing in favor of straightforward storytelling that makes the book easy to follow but sometimes monotonous. The grounded retelling of events is broken up with news clippings that help establish the reader in the time period of the book.
100 Days in Vietnam is a stirring memoir that will stick with you for days. I would recommend this book to readers looking for an authentic and emotionally-resonant military biography that dictates facts and leaves nothing out. This is an intriguing historical novel with an end result that is nothing short of rewarding.
December 21, 2021
This is a complicated book covering three generations of a military family, plus an additional soldier. The main character Joe is shot down the last day of the war in Vietnam, ejects from his plane a burning mess, and no immediate knowledge of whether or not his observer, also in the plane, survived.
After his discharge Joe is involved in a variety of entrepreneurial ventures, ends up teaching history in high school.
SNAFU, the fact that he was wounded in hostile action was not recorded, perhaps for political reasons. In order to get his Purple Heart Joe relives the day his plane was shot down. Subsequently, there is a search to see that his observer also receives his Purple Heart.
What is extraordinary to me -- a retired physician -- is the excoriating burns over much of his body, the years of pain, many of them faced without morphine; the years of skin grafts. It is more than enough to have experienced that pain, but to have entered into it again in order that people like me can understand what a man went through to grow his integrity. I am in awe!
After his discharge Joe is involved in a variety of entrepreneurial ventures, ends up teaching history in high school.
SNAFU, the fact that he was wounded in hostile action was not recorded, perhaps for political reasons. In order to get his Purple Heart Joe relives the day his plane was shot down. Subsequently, there is a search to see that his observer also receives his Purple Heart.
What is extraordinary to me -- a retired physician -- is the excoriating burns over much of his body, the years of pain, many of them faced without morphine; the years of skin grafts. It is more than enough to have experienced that pain, but to have entered into it again in order that people like me can understand what a man went through to grow his integrity. I am in awe!
November 6, 2024
I am sure it took many hours of effort to get this book put together to tell the story of Joe Tallon and his family. I thought how they inserted the headlines from the media that coincided with his last days in Vietnam gave texture and context to what he was going through and seeing. I could have done without so many of the personal letters and correspondence between Joe and his wife and family. But they do tell the story that makes it real that so many had to go through. The sacrifice is paramount with Joe and all those that served and gave the ultimate sacrifice of their life. Certainly, how things transpired and how the military operated is obviously a telltale sign of why we did not accomplish what were supposed to in Vietnam. The most amazing part was his injury, survival of the crash and how he recovered from those injuries and eventually fought for and obtained the recognition that he and is comrade deserved after all those years. Interesting that Senator Tim Scott is a part of that story and Charleston Southern both of which I am very familiar with.
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August 9, 2021Wonderful story of service and survival after 100 days in Vietnam.
Joe and Matthew Fallon have put together an excellent story of Joe's ordeal from the first day to the final mission . I couldn't wait to get to the next day as I turned Pages. Joe there are no words I can say that will ease your burden you have endured these last 50 years. You survived and you accomplished things in your life that make us proud to know your story. I recommend this book .. Captain Charles DeLORME , USMC, Shorter Class 1971
Joe and Matthew Fallon have put together an excellent story of Joe's ordeal from the first day to the final mission . I couldn't wait to get to the next day as I turned Pages. Joe there are no words I can say that will ease your burden you have endured these last 50 years. You survived and you accomplished things in your life that make us proud to know your story. I recommend this book .. Captain Charles DeLORME , USMC, Shorter Class 1971
July 29, 2021
A perfect combination of love, history, and determination covering 4 decades. Southern humor and family commitment are ever present in this retelling of a true hero’s quest for truth and honor. A great read!
November 13, 2021
I identified strongly with this book because I served in the US Army at the same time as the author; LTC Joe Tallon. I graduated from OCS at Fort Belvoir the same as Joe Tallon and retird from the
Army Reserve as a LTC the same as he did. The only differecnce is I never went to Vietnam.
Army Reserve as a LTC the same as he did. The only differecnce is I never went to Vietnam.
July 16, 2022
Great read. Should be mandatory reading for junior officers and all enlisted.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews