by C.M. Boyles (Author)
These Essays describe how a special operations officer learned that only a ripple of water would be the only evidence of his fleeting presence. And the Sandman was one of the notorious assassins of the Viet Nam War. The events described took place in the Mekong Delta, IV Corps, RVN in 1967 -1968.
The Sandman’s enigmatic persona was the bane of the NVA and Viet Cong.
Like the evening breeze upon the rice, the Sandman could not be stopped. From the tepid paddies and steaming jungles came an unknown soldier who made the soldiers sleep.
As with many legends, this tale allows the reader to discover kernels of truth interspersed in the miasma of terror that was inspired through the embellishments of the North and South Vietnamese.
"The Sandman" addresses the nature of combat from the perspective of those who are caught in the maelstrom of combat and their utter lack of preparation for that journey.
This tale offers readers a view of the soldiers’ paradox: Soldiers must do the impossible. But, as the soldiers adhere to the Rules of Combat, they must deny the existence of emotion–that which spurs them to do the impossible.
This is not the McNamara version of "winning the hearts and minds of the people. This account of the Sandman sets aside the aloof accounts of military operations and places them second to the emotional battles that were fought, lost, and seldom won.
Furthermore, not everyone will find The Sandman entertaining nor will they agree with its underlying message, but seldom does everyone agree with the truth.
As you read about the Sandman, you may find yourself laughing till the tears run down your cheeks, then notice you are weeping at the profound sadness.
And a word of caution to readers: It is neither, wise or acceptable to ask a combat soldier if or how many enemy soldiers they have killed. Those who do are going to dance in an emotional mine field. Per military doctrine, if you weren’t there, what happened is none of your business; and you don’t want to know.
This book was written in the vernacular of the day which incorporates U.S. Army and rural American slang of the late 1960s. There is also a liberal use of French, from the French Colonial days..
The Essays are dedicated to the Legion of the Damned, who returned to what they believed was home and were received as less than human and spat upon. For those who fell before us, may they rest in the arms of God.
This Author spent eleven months with MACV working under the direction of the Special Forces and was assigned to the B-Team in Chou Doc Province.
"The Sandman" addresses the nature of combat from the perspective of those who are caught in the maelstrom of combat and their utter lack of preparation for that journey.
As you read about the Sandman, you may find yourself laughing till the tears run down your cheeks, then notice you are weeping at the profound sadness.
And a word of caution to readers: It is neither, wise or acceptable to ask a combat soldier if or how many enemy soldiers they have killed. Those who do are going to dance in an emotional mine field. Per military doctrine, if you weren’t there, what happened is none of your business; and you don’t want to know.
This book was written in the vernacular of the day which incorporates U.S. Army and rural American slang of the late 1960s. There is also a liberal use of French.
There is no accommodation for any contemporary ‘community standards’ which pretend to insulate readers from history. The names of people referenced have been changed to ensure their privacy and anonymity. Any similarity of names is purely coincidental.
The Essays are dedicated to the Legion of the Damned who returned to what they believed was home and were received as less than human and spat upon. For those who fell before us, may they rest in the arms of God.
