MWSA Book Review
Author: H. D. Guthre
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA
Dustoff Classic Memoir from Vietnam War
H. D. Guthre, a former Dustoff medic, writes a heartfelt and soul wrenching memoir of those experiences in a captivating book called “To Whom It May Concern.” This book was written much like a novel and the flow of the dialog and the action helps to visually implant the action scenes into the consciousness of the reader. His words make the story vivid and alive.
The author uses a unique writing technique and style that uses the third person to tell his personal story. He even changes his own character’s name in the book to help him cope emotionally and spiritually with the remembrances and having to deal with the past. It works well. Only at the end of his book when you read what happens to each person in his book that you put it altogether and realize that the author is SSG David Scalon from the story. He does not try to hide it as he goes on to write about the author where you see that what happened to Scalon is what also happened to Guthre; and they are in fact, one in the same. Not many professional writers could pull this off but Guthre’s use of this writing method only makes for a much better telling of the experience. The author is more able to expose and express his emotions and relate to the events as an observer. This affords the reader a closer an uncensored emotional look at what happened.
The book starts right off with combat action and violence, fear, courage and death. The book’s opening passages will hook you right away and you will not be able to put this book down until you find out who in the unit makes it out alive or at least what happens to everyone. One satisfying inclusion in his book is that the author gives the reader some brief up-dates in the lives of some of the men he wrote about.
This book also has several interesting side stories like the similarities between what is happening in Iraq now with Haliburton and what happened in Vietnam with Brown & Root Construction; which we learn is the old name for Haliburton. It seems they over charged and did business the same way then, making a huge amount of money from their friends in the White House.
Another interesting story, which would make a great book all by itself, is the story of the murder trail of an Army Medic from the same unit (The 82nd Dustoff). The author captures the essence of that event and weaves it into his book so that the emotional impact really hits hard on the reader.
The experiences of those in this Dustoff unit show a part of the war that many will never fully understand or appreciate for what it took to do this job. I know because I flew as a crew-chief/door gunner into many hot LZs to pick up wounded men. The major difference was that I also had an M-60 machine gun to defend myself and the Dustoff crews were naked of any weapons taking huge physical risks daily in Vietnam. My hat is off to all of them for a hell of a job! To me they are all heroes – every single one of them.
This book is riveting and will make you better understand a part of the Vietnam War that few have any real information about. This book has my personal recommendation. It also receives the MWSA’s highest rating for books of FIVE STARS!
The book is about the real heroes of Vietnam!
Reviewer: Joe Fabel – MWSA Review Board
Guthre invites the reader into the daily combat events facing pilots, Warrant Officers, Crew Chiefs, medics and the soldiers whose days are filled with conflicts against the Viet Cong. Daily they go into harm’s way performing over and above their duties.
This is a tale by one who was there and fully participated. It is a portrayal of men who fought and provided medical help in death threatening situations. Those who returned home carried within the images of friends who gave the ultimate sacrifice of young lives. It is a terrifying burden which is not easily shed by those so affected. There is the obvious need for our nation to provide the mental health needed.
A further message of the author is to question those who were responsible for the conduct of this “police action”, the politicians who decided where to fight, how to fight, what kind of equipment was needed. His conclusions are often quite damning. The fiction of “look at the body count to prove we are winning” should never have been propagated.
The book presents small and large battles as they actually happened. Of course, each soldier’s battles were large and fraught with danger and the possibility of sudden death if not frightful wounds. You give your all to protect yourself and your buddies around you.
These are the considerations which guide your every action.
If you want to know what Viet Nam was about from the view point of a medic, this is the book for you.