When my Gunnery Sgt. pal Ron suggested, or should I say commanded me, in “WTF” language, to get my namby pamby fanny to the local library and check out a copy of Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, like the good jar head that I am I followed orders and reserved a copy that afternoon. Three days later I borrowed a CD player from my daughter having never owned one. I still read books. The next day I dove headlong into my first ever audio book.
For the next two weeks I was transported to Vietnam on a daily basis–firefights, ambushes, night patrols, listening posts, c-rations, permanently wet socks, 70lb of gear, boots that sort of fit, an M-16, bandoleers and a bad attitude, for 562 pages of the most riveting narrative of war I have ever encountered.
Very little was changed from an actual month in combat for a Marine Company, save the real names of the Units and the exact locations. No matter, so few of us can remember much of what we did anyhow, at least not until Matterhorn and Karl Marlantes delivered us there with sights, sounds, smells, dark humor and language, only known to a grunt, that is as real as this mornings breakfast.
There is no grunt alive who has experienced enemy mortars and AK-47 bullets breezing by that cannot testify to the exhilarating detail of this novel.
The recipient of the Navy Cross, Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valor, two Purple Hearts and ten air medals, tells reviewers that it took him 30 years and an original manuscript of 1600 pages to complete the work that no publisher would touch for its length. While Marlantes writes like the late Norman Mailer, no reader will sit for that long with one book, not even War and Peace. One may say that it took many of us 30 years to be able to read a novel like this of any length. Particularly one that is so close to home.
Author Marlantes leads us into the jungles of Vietnam in 1969, by way of his fictionalized Lt. Waino Mellas. The Marine Company’s mission is to secure the hilltop Matterhorn. Through incessant monsoons, mud that does not move, tigers, leeches and monkeys the Marines discover themselves to be completely surrounded and out-manned by a fully equipped and backed, ready to rock and roll, North Vietnamese Regiment. The whole scene is very reminiscent of the well known area known as the Rockpile, south of the DMZ and near the Laotian border. I was about 20 miles south of this battle torn area with our very own NVA Regiment to play with.
The battle for Matterhorn that ensues is the gruesome plot of the novel. This assuredly autobiographical portrayal, by way of fiction, is as close to the real Nam as one can be.
The pure mettle of a couple of platoons of Marines who led an assault against fortified bunkers packed with an extraordinarily well trained and armed enemy affords some of the most spellbinding narrative of any war novel to date. The narrator so aptly captures the horror, agony and casualties that follow,with an omniscient point of view-internal dialogue and all, that I can still call these men by name as if they were here. In fact in recent phone conversations with Gunny Ron we have referred to the characters in Matterhorn as if they were fellow Marines. I say, like the motto of Vassar girls, “it all relates.”
The Navy Cross citation for Marlantes reads:
“His heroic actions and resolute determination inspired all who observed him and were instrumental in a decisive rout with minimal casualties. By his courage, aggressive fighting spirit, and unwavering devotion to duty in the face of grave personal danger, First Lieutenant Marlantes upheld the highest tradition of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.”
Karl, it was worth waiting 41 years to grasp what we really did on a daily basis. I am ready to hear it now. I hope my family and friends are too.
Merry Christmas Sir! Today is the anniversary of Operation Meade River in Quang Nam Province. I lost my memory there. You sir, gave it back.
Reader, be sure to get the audio version along with a copy of the book that includes a 31 page glossary of saucy language, military terms and Vietnamese slang.