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When Can I Stop Running #2
Death in the Triangle: A Vietnam War Story
2025 International Impact Book Award Winner.
John writes powerful descriptions of people, places, and things.
Gripping story that keeps you in the moment. The author paints a vivid picture that has you right in the middle of the action.
Thrilling with a lurking sense of constant danger and death.
In this page-turning story of bravery, fear, anger, and determination, the soldiers come to life.
Realistic and gritty. The author is a great storyteller
“When Can I Stop Running?” is the forerunner to this book.
Only a couple of hours had passed since returning to the firebase. Now, the sleep-deprived and weary First Platoon soldiers must go back out on another patrol to search through two areas of hostility from the night before. A thorough search may reveal items that were overlooked in the dark.
It was thought to be an easy patrol – two klicks out and two klicks back, count the dead bodies, and then return by lunch. At least, that was the plan.
The soldiers soon found themselves surrounded and in serious danger, all because their battalion commander’s thirst for body counts and fame drove them to take unnecessary risks. Outgunned and alone. Will they all survive? Get your copy to find out.
Sixpack, Polack, LG, and the bunch are back in this new installment from the award-winning author of “Cherries: A Vietnam War Novel.”
John writes powerful descriptions of people, places, and things.
Gripping story that keeps you in the moment. The author paints a vivid picture that has you right in the middle of the action.
Thrilling with a lurking sense of constant danger and death.
In this page-turning story of bravery, fear, anger, and determination, the soldiers come to life.
Realistic and gritty. The author is a great storyteller
“When Can I Stop Running?” is the forerunner to this book.
Only a couple of hours had passed since returning to the firebase. Now, the sleep-deprived and weary First Platoon soldiers must go back out on another patrol to search through two areas of hostility from the night before. A thorough search may reveal items that were overlooked in the dark.
It was thought to be an easy patrol – two klicks out and two klicks back, count the dead bodies, and then return by lunch. At least, that was the plan.
The soldiers soon found themselves surrounded and in serious danger, all because their battalion commander’s thirst for body counts and fame drove them to take unnecessary risks. Outgunned and alone. Will they all survive? Get your copy to find out.
Sixpack, Polack, LG, and the bunch are back in this new installment from the award-winning author of “Cherries: A Vietnam War Novel.”
148 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 6, 2021
95 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
John Podlaski
11 books68 followersJohn Podlaski served in Vietnam during 1970 and 1971 as an infantryman with both the Wolfhounds of the 25th Division, and the 501st Infantry Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, two Air Medals, and a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry. "Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel" is his first book, published in 2010, it is faring well with over 300 combined reviews with an average of 4.6 stars. The story is a memoir of his time as as infantry soldier during the Vietnam War.
John spent the years since Vietnam working in various management positions within the automotive industry and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2002. John is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154 and lives with his wife of 51 years, Janice, in Sterling Heights, Michigan. They both retired in 2013 and enjoy riding their 1997 Harley-Davidson Heritage.
Mr. Podlaski published his second book, "When Can I Stop Running?" in 2016. It's a spinoff from his first novel, and follows two soldiers during a terrifying night - alone in the jungle - on a listening post. Some of the characters from Cherries are also included in this story.
John is currently busy managing a website featuring weekly articles/stories, movies, videos, and photos about the Vietnam War. The address can be found below.
John spent the years since Vietnam working in various management positions within the automotive industry and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2002. John is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154 and lives with his wife of 51 years, Janice, in Sterling Heights, Michigan. They both retired in 2013 and enjoy riding their 1997 Harley-Davidson Heritage.
Mr. Podlaski published his second book, "When Can I Stop Running?" in 2016. It's a spinoff from his first novel, and follows two soldiers during a terrifying night - alone in the jungle - on a listening post. Some of the characters from Cherries are also included in this story.
John is currently busy managing a website featuring weekly articles/stories, movies, videos, and photos about the Vietnam War. The address can be found below.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 11, 2022
John Podlaski's short story Death in the Triangle continues the riveting story that began in the Vietnam War story, When Can I Stop Running? In the previous story, USA night patrols encounter enemy soldiers moving past them. A listening post (LP) reports movement to their front and, perceiving it is an enemy attack, they throw grenades at the shadowy figures jumping from the trees. A family of rock apes, they discover.
Death in the Triangle picks up the story the following morning when the commander orders the weary men from the night patrol to investigate the area where they had encountered enemy troops. What the weary soldiers don't anticipate is a massive Viet Cong basecamp hidden in underground tunnels, putting them in dire straits in Vietnam's Iron Triangle. Surrounded by the enemy, they must think on the spot about how they can survive the assaults.
Author John Podlaski masterfully uses the omniscient point of view to help the reader understand the chaos and terror of fatigued soldiers overwhelmed by enemy attacks. It felt like I was with a TV anchor televising the area as each life-threatening situation rolled out unexpectedly at every turn. The author does not hold back on graphic details of what it is like for a soldier to look death in the eyes but still follow unreasonable orders from his commander.
In one scene, the soldiers are ordered, against their best instincts, to dig up graves to ascertain the number of dead and possibly weapons buried with them. "On their knees, both used entrenching tools to scoop away the dirt on top and pull the dark soil toward them. Removing only a few inches of dirt exposed the black pajama-like uniforms used by VC soldiers. Dropping their shovels, they used both hands to scoop away the remaining dirt. The stench escaped into the air making some of those nearby soldiers gag."
The author puts the reader in nonstop action full of twists, alongside soldiers fighting for survival. You can feel the steamy heat and smell the odor of sweaty men. The dialogue is realistic and sprinkled with acronyms that sound foreign to a civilian. Fortunately, a glossary of terms is an added bonus to help the reader comprehend the soldiers' vernacular.
I highly recommend the gripping story of Death in the Triangle to readers who want to understand better what it was like to march in a soldier's boots and to fight in the sweltering jungles during the Vietnam war.
Death in the Triangle picks up the story the following morning when the commander orders the weary men from the night patrol to investigate the area where they had encountered enemy troops. What the weary soldiers don't anticipate is a massive Viet Cong basecamp hidden in underground tunnels, putting them in dire straits in Vietnam's Iron Triangle. Surrounded by the enemy, they must think on the spot about how they can survive the assaults.
Author John Podlaski masterfully uses the omniscient point of view to help the reader understand the chaos and terror of fatigued soldiers overwhelmed by enemy attacks. It felt like I was with a TV anchor televising the area as each life-threatening situation rolled out unexpectedly at every turn. The author does not hold back on graphic details of what it is like for a soldier to look death in the eyes but still follow unreasonable orders from his commander.
In one scene, the soldiers are ordered, against their best instincts, to dig up graves to ascertain the number of dead and possibly weapons buried with them. "On their knees, both used entrenching tools to scoop away the dirt on top and pull the dark soil toward them. Removing only a few inches of dirt exposed the black pajama-like uniforms used by VC soldiers. Dropping their shovels, they used both hands to scoop away the remaining dirt. The stench escaped into the air making some of those nearby soldiers gag."
The author puts the reader in nonstop action full of twists, alongside soldiers fighting for survival. You can feel the steamy heat and smell the odor of sweaty men. The dialogue is realistic and sprinkled with acronyms that sound foreign to a civilian. Fortunately, a glossary of terms is an added bonus to help the reader comprehend the soldiers' vernacular.
I highly recommend the gripping story of Death in the Triangle to readers who want to understand better what it was like to march in a soldier's boots and to fight in the sweltering jungles during the Vietnam war.
December 31, 2021
Author John Podlaski‘s experiences serving in Vietnam in the 1960s are portrayed in stark realism within this historical fiction. Readers’ senses are invoked with the vivid descriptions of the war zone. I read Unhinged and I knew I’d found a new author to follow. John writes powerful descriptions of people, places, and things.
In this book he shares the bonding of young men from American thrust into a world of killing. When you meet Sixpack, LG, Pollack, Scout, and more you’ll pick up their personalities and know they relate to one another like brothers. The bravery, camaraderie, fortitude, and loyalty come through page after page. This war was very different from other wars the United States has been engaged in, but the men who fought should be honored for their service to our country.
The conditions within the war zone were a challenge. I appreciated the author’s descriptions that helped me feel the experience at least in my mind. This example will give you a flavor of the writing style.
The engineers used Rome Plows to push back the jungle 200 meters beyond the wire, providing those bunker guards on the perimeter an unobstructed view and open fields of fire in the event of enemy ground attacks. However, last night’s rain created puddles and made the clay slick as ice. The ground was uneven and covered with large, deep tracks from the heavy equipment. Exposed tree roots, pieces of tree bark, branches and bowling ball-sized chunks of clay added to the obstacle course. Soldiers performed rare ballet steps as they tiptoed, teetered and pirouetted across the bulldozed landscape. During this portion of the trek, a few soldiers lost their balance and slid through the red mud; two fell and were immediately covered in slime. Those behind helped them up and then continued as if nothing happened. Miraculously, nobody twisted an ankle or got hurt during the short hump through the wasteland.
I have not yet read When Can I Stop Running?, the forerunner to this book, however it is on my list. I knew many young men who served in this war. Some came home and some did not. Those that returned have scars both inside and outside. I respect John’s ability to tell his stories and touch the hearts of other vets. I highly recommend this story for people who enjoy war history with characters that come alive with John’s words.
In this book he shares the bonding of young men from American thrust into a world of killing. When you meet Sixpack, LG, Pollack, Scout, and more you’ll pick up their personalities and know they relate to one another like brothers. The bravery, camaraderie, fortitude, and loyalty come through page after page. This war was very different from other wars the United States has been engaged in, but the men who fought should be honored for their service to our country.
The conditions within the war zone were a challenge. I appreciated the author’s descriptions that helped me feel the experience at least in my mind. This example will give you a flavor of the writing style.
The engineers used Rome Plows to push back the jungle 200 meters beyond the wire, providing those bunker guards on the perimeter an unobstructed view and open fields of fire in the event of enemy ground attacks. However, last night’s rain created puddles and made the clay slick as ice. The ground was uneven and covered with large, deep tracks from the heavy equipment. Exposed tree roots, pieces of tree bark, branches and bowling ball-sized chunks of clay added to the obstacle course. Soldiers performed rare ballet steps as they tiptoed, teetered and pirouetted across the bulldozed landscape. During this portion of the trek, a few soldiers lost their balance and slid through the red mud; two fell and were immediately covered in slime. Those behind helped them up and then continued as if nothing happened. Miraculously, nobody twisted an ankle or got hurt during the short hump through the wasteland.
I have not yet read When Can I Stop Running?, the forerunner to this book, however it is on my list. I knew many young men who served in this war. Some came home and some did not. Those that returned have scars both inside and outside. I respect John’s ability to tell his stories and touch the hearts of other vets. I highly recommend this story for people who enjoy war history with characters that come alive with John’s words.
July 23, 2021
After reading "When Can I Stop Running?", I knew I had to pick up this story, and I wasn't disappointed. This story picks up right where the first one left off. The author does a great job describing the soldiers' exhaustion and the ways they had to push their bodies and their minds during the Vietnam War. He also shows the risks the soldiers were forced to take, even when the higher ups knew they were in no condition to carry on.
The beginning of the story introduces new characters and helps new readers understand what took place in the first story while also setting the scene and explaining the artillery at their disposal. Once the soldiers set out to investigate the areas that were attacked the previous night, the action is nonstop. Podlaski puts the reader right in the thick of the danger and action in this short story! It truly gives an outsider a better understanding of what the Vietnam War was like.
There were a couple of minor typos and a little bit of head-hopping, but none of that pulled me away from enjoying the story. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys war stories or wants to catch a glimpse of life during the Vietnam War.
The beginning of the story introduces new characters and helps new readers understand what took place in the first story while also setting the scene and explaining the artillery at their disposal. Once the soldiers set out to investigate the areas that were attacked the previous night, the action is nonstop. Podlaski puts the reader right in the thick of the danger and action in this short story! It truly gives an outsider a better understanding of what the Vietnam War was like.
There were a couple of minor typos and a little bit of head-hopping, but none of that pulled me away from enjoying the story. I would recommend this story to anyone who enjoys war stories or wants to catch a glimpse of life during the Vietnam War.
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April 7, 2024MWSA Review
Death in the Triangle: A Vietnam Story by John Podlaski is a novella that tells the account of a significant mission for First Platoon. Although listed as fiction, the story has the ring of reality, with the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of combat. After a night of assignments on listening post duty and ambush duty, the platoon rolls out on a short mission to view the effects of the previous night’s ambush and destruction of an ammo dump. Unfortunately, the colonel overrides the mission (which should have ended around noon) and insists the platoon go further and do more. And that’s when all hell breaks loose. Action is nonstop, and death hovers in the air. In three short days, much is accomplished and the platoon finally gets a well deserved rest.
Readers are advised to read the first novella in the series (When Can I Stop Running?) before this book, so that the characters are already known, and the mission makes more sense. Readers will also need to navigate some misspellings as well as quite a few punctuation errors.
Review by Betsy Beard (March 2024)
Death in the Triangle: A Vietnam Story by John Podlaski is a novella that tells the account of a significant mission for First Platoon. Although listed as fiction, the story has the ring of reality, with the sights, sounds, smells, and emotions of combat. After a night of assignments on listening post duty and ambush duty, the platoon rolls out on a short mission to view the effects of the previous night’s ambush and destruction of an ammo dump. Unfortunately, the colonel overrides the mission (which should have ended around noon) and insists the platoon go further and do more. And that’s when all hell breaks loose. Action is nonstop, and death hovers in the air. In three short days, much is accomplished and the platoon finally gets a well deserved rest.
Readers are advised to read the first novella in the series (When Can I Stop Running?) before this book, so that the characters are already known, and the mission makes more sense. Readers will also need to navigate some misspellings as well as quite a few punctuation errors.
Review by Betsy Beard (March 2024)
November 1, 2025
"Meh" is the term I ascribe to this book. I mean, it has action, and good ol' Nam writing. The book, as it's written, could be better, a lot better, and perhaps expanded. As such, it is a book about war, and therefore, I can't knock it too much, hence a three-star rating. It has its good points; the author either served or conducted thorough research, as there is little to poke holes in the descriptions. He even included the difference in sound that the AK and M16 made, which made me recall a video I saw about Iraq, where you can aurally discern what is what. So that was a nice touch. As for the rest? I think less generalization would be the key word. The action keeps it going, but yeah, maybe a little more work on this book, and I'll give it a higher rating.
May 19, 2025
Excellent Read
Death in the Triangle is an excellent read by one of the guys who was there. Thrilling with a lurking sense of constant danger and death, it’s hard to imagine what all the guys there had to deal with. I can’t imagine, yet this book succeeds by putting the reader mentally in that place - and it will shake you up just by vicariously living the author’s experiences and those of his fellow soldiers. Amazing is all I can say.
Death in the Triangle is an excellent read by one of the guys who was there. Thrilling with a lurking sense of constant danger and death, it’s hard to imagine what all the guys there had to deal with. I can’t imagine, yet this book succeeds by putting the reader mentally in that place - and it will shake you up just by vicariously living the author’s experiences and those of his fellow soldiers. Amazing is all I can say.
August 31, 2021
Excellent Reading
Gripping story that keeps you in the moment. The author paints a vivid picture that has you right in the middle of the action. I highly recommended reading this book and any others by this particular author.
Gripping story that keeps you in the moment. The author paints a vivid picture that has you right in the middle of the action. I highly recommended reading this book and any others by this particular author.
January 5, 2023
Brings back memories
This was a well written and factual book that took me back over 50 years to my time in the bush. I am now able to read others stories of their time there. It makes me remember those that I left there and those that kept me alive. Thanks, John.
This was a well written and factual book that took me back over 50 years to my time in the bush. I am now able to read others stories of their time there. It makes me remember those that I left there and those that kept me alive. Thanks, John.
August 21, 2023
Good Read
For me the story was to short, seemed like I had just started reading and getting Into it when it ended. Still a good read, I am going to try and find d and read your other books
For me the story was to short, seemed like I had just started reading and getting Into it when it ended. Still a good read, I am going to try and find d and read your other books
July 28, 2025
Great Story!
I was there in I Core November 1968-April 1969 with the 101st Airborne, 1st of the 506th, B Company. I thoroughly enjoyed and could identify with Mr. Podlaski account of the triangle. Very similar experience to my time in the A Shau Valley. Thanks!
I was there in I Core November 1968-April 1969 with the 101st Airborne, 1st of the 506th, B Company. I thoroughly enjoyed and could identify with Mr. Podlaski account of the triangle. Very similar experience to my time in the A Shau Valley. Thanks!
September 14, 2022
My father spent 1967-68 at cu chi and reading this book and “Cherries” brought me closer to what he experienced there. Excellent Story.
August 27, 2023
We are losing too many of these men. We need to hear their stories.
December 14, 2025
Good Story, easy to read and be enjoyed.
The writer is a good story teller, very relatable characters, some hot action and a fast read. Thanks for sharing this event.
The writer is a good story teller, very relatable characters, some hot action and a fast read. Thanks for sharing this event.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews