April 5, 2024
Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

I’ve been on a Vietnam War kick lately, and I have such admiration (a big word for me to use) for those guys who served during this conflict. These men who went to Vietnam literally picked up their balls and walked with them. They faced some stuff that I don’t think has been written about or could be written about. 

First, I read The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien and now Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers; both were really good. The Things They Carried was more poetic or more symbolic with the words he used. 

Fallen Angels was a great story all around. It had combat scenes that showed how soldiers felt in Vietnam with emotion, how scared they were, friendships, and loyalty to the unit. From start to finish, it showed how soldiers lived in Vietnam and how they handled themselves in combat. The story focuses on a young kid from Harlem named Richie Perry and the guys in his unit. 

My favorite part was near the end of the book. I don’t want to ruin it for you, but it showed the bond soldiers have for their buddies in combat. 

I would put this book on any recommended reading list for Vietnam or any soldier wanting to read about what combat might be like. I know today’s wars are not fought the same way wars were fought back in Vietnam, but you never know. “Prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”