Walking Point: A Vietnam Memoir

by Robert E Kunkel, Jean Matua (Editor)

Robert "Bob" Kunkel entered the U.S. Army as a young farm boy from Minnesota. He spent a year in Vietnam with the 5/7th Cavalry, 1st Infantry (AirMobile). He emerged a very different and much older man. This memoir is his story, one of many thousands that could be told of that tumultuous time. It is a compelling read, and it likely will change your perceptions of the Vietnam War, and of soldiering.

515 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 23, 2022

Reviews

[Mark K. White · Rating 4 out of 5]

My experience walking.point was different than Bob's.

I walked point the first day I was with the Company In fact, I was walking polnt on a squad sized patrol as soon as the platoon Sargent found out! was from Texas. Little did they know I was a city boy from Dallas. I had spent time in the woods hunting dove, rabbits, deer, and just about everything else on four legs. But I don't think that qualified me to lead 8 men through the jungle. Luckily, I learned rather quickly the thing's I needed to know to keep me out of trouble. I was always lucky enough to see or sense trouble before it bit me on the ass. I walked polnt on a regular basis for three months and lived to tell about it.

[Roger P. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Memoir So Complete

That this veteran can reconstruct so detailed experiences shows how much his time in Nam affected his life. As detailed as it is, it shows the wide range of emotions that many experienced. One of the best and complete stories of the impact of a soldier's life through his service.

[Mike Toyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walking Point, written by Robert E. Kunkel is a very good read for those interested in how Vietnam soldiers were affected by PTSD based on their experiences in Vietnam. It is based on a true story of Mr. Kunkel's' experiences and how difficult it was for him to adjust to civilian life after witnessing death. It really gives an appreciation of what these individuals went through.

[thomas a. potterf · Rating 5 out of 5]

very informative

Thank you Robert. I’ve read several books about the experiences of our soldiers in Vietnam. They usually don’t go into detail about their every day life ,assuming everyone knows or it isn’t interesting enough to write about. That couldn’t be further from the truth. You described it well enough that I felt as if I were there .

[Joe S Jacoby · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Really Good Read if You Missed the War in Vietnam

Very readable account by a trooper who was there with the First Cavalry Division, 2/5 Cavalry. The day to day grit, boredom, and occasional terror are all there. A fair and unvarnished story, if you ever wondered what it was like, this will answer many of your questions.

[bill marcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the better Vietnam war books I've read

A series of loosely linked short stories of detailed day to day life of a front line soldier. Well written. And helpfully includes explanation for the non military background readers like myself.
I sincerely enjoyed all of this book.

[Dawn L Yohannan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of a true gentleman hero

Bob Kunkle shares the story of a true gentleman hero’s year spent in the Vietnam war. He tells his story so well I feel as though I’ve met him in person. Good stuff from a good guy. Thank you for your service and welcome home!

[Ronald W Shaw · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would have given this book a 4 or 5 except the author told how a soldier was killed which isn't what is stated on military records and the wall. He should have used a fictitious name to protect his next of kin from any distress as to how the relative died according to the author.

[PAUL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best Vietnam era book by a veteran that I have ever read, & believe me that's saying something! The details are amazing, I felt the emotion coming off the pages. Thank you for your service, many blessings!

[Ben Celano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical document

A well written memoir of a grunts eye view of the Vietnam war. Couldn’t put it down. A truthful account of a soldiers life at the time. Bravo Robert Kunkel and thank you for your service.

[michael j baier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Common guy telling his story

This book s pretty good, its choppy in places but he tells about his war and that's what I wanted to read about

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good first hand account. Drafted at age 22, spending a year in Vietnam. A compelling read

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

Didn’t blow me away but it was interesting. Not to diminish his story at all. I can’t imagine what this could even be like to survive.

[Wharton Sinkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kunkel was a Minnesota dairy farm boy, so as a resident of Minnesota since 1984, I was naturally interested. He is inducted, placed on a train, which is to stop in St. Paul. He and a buddy grill the porter about the nearest bar to the stop, which the porter describes, but cautions that not much time is available. At the stop, Kunkel and a buddy run for the bar, pick up a couple cases each of Grain Belt beer, and make it back to the train in time for running jumps aboard, where they happily charge increasing prices for a can of beer. Well, already we know we have a calm operator, one who intuits where authority can be pushed, or not. And there are some nice phrases I associate with farmland. such as "he was a fair-sized boy." He seems to take naturally and competently to all aspects of military life, for example map-reading, which seems to elude some officers. He has a deep contempt of any who try to achieve respect by asserting their rank over others, failing to understand that in combat, respect is earned. I will not be a spoiler telling of several stories where the non-commissioned asserted themselves in different ways that knock officers down hills.

In a way that is unusual, Kunkel's post-Vietnam career was informed by his Vietnam experience: He became way more than just guard in the Minnesota prison system. Calm, knows the rules and when the rules should be bent, understands how men can mature.

As always, I am in awe of the work authors of war memoirs do on PTSD, which means you have to experience again what you went through, in order to this time name it for was it was.