Walking Point

By: Michael H. Cunningham

Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne

Length: 9 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

Que Son Valley is actually a large area of hills and valleys just to the west of Da Nang, Viet Nam. During the 1960s, units from the US Marines and US Army engaged the 2nd North Vietnamese Division in heavy and close combat. Our mission was to keep the enemy from capturing the cities of Da Nang, Tam Ky, and Chu Lai and to pacify the area. We did prevent the enemy from capturing these vital cities, but the area was far from pacified.

Many young, brave Americans were killed or seriously wounded in these hills and valleys in the belief they were helping the Vietnamese obtain freedom and peace. Although our altruistic beliefs might have gone astray, it was my honor serving with these fine men and women. I wrote this book in honor of them and to keep their memories alive.

©1997 M. H. Cunningham (P)2016 Tantor

Critic Reviews

"The author does an admirable job of telling his story...for readers interested in learning what life was like for a grunt during the Vietnam War." (John Podlaski, author of Cherries: A Vietnam War Novel)

This sounds bad but... Annoying

Narrator not terrible. Some combat but the guy got into 3-4 firefights and saw some booby traps.

Maybe I’m a jerk, but books like this that lament about not getting deserved medals, admitting that they happily and purposefully avoided ambushes (that they were supposed to set up) once away from their superiors, and complaining that the VC were whooping their butts gets on my last nerves. I get the sacrifice and even reluctance, or being scared. But title the book Being Scared in Vietnam, or My Deployment Wasn’t That Bad. The guy’s story isn’t a walk in the park but there are SO many others with more combat, more heart wrenching stories, more tragedy. 2/10 if that.

Be patient

It started off a little slowly, with not much action, and I thought I wasn't going to enjoy this book. Things started to pick up and then I was hooked. Lots of very scary episodes. This guy went through hell.

Respect

The author does not attempt to glorify or boast his experiences. He lays out his feelings and emotions at the time and makes no excuses for his shortfalls or misgivings. Can’t imagine the resiliency and focus it must have taken to walk point day in and day out in that war. Respect!

Good book overall

Detailed look into the life or lives of infantry men in the Vietnam war. Well written and narrated. I really enjoyed the book. Thank you for your service and story. God bless you

amazing story without the fluff

it is a good story but when you have someone reading it, they need to make sure they know how to pronounce certain words like Hue which is pronounced whey. This happens throughout the story on several words.

one of the very best of VNW.

one of the best of hardship stories imaginable in the VNW. what pure hell he and his best buddies went through. I picked out and was stationed in Germany but totally totally knew how lucky I was. I cannot imagine being a infantry guy in Nam. pure hell. Please listen to this book.....you will appreciate the very least of what you appreciate, let alone how great your life is. I cannot get enough of listening to the hard life our troops went through in that useless war. Love and respect every one of them. so glad I did not have to experience such a nightmare.

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Why would you choose someone so soft and delicate to narrate this subject matter. Didn't even show enough respect for the situation related to learn some of the proper pronunciations.

Egregiously, irresponsible, criminal behavior

Narration; clear but the lack of appropriately disturbing, disapproving intonation vitiates seriousness of recollected criminal behavior.

Content: incredible!!! Throwing ammo away to lighten rucks??? Unbelievably stupid, criminal behavior, Why wasn’t command informed??? In what sense were the sargents and platoon leaders aware of this and command informed??? What is wrong with the gutless author for not having done all he could to report this outrageous behavior???

I,m not sure I can believe this memoir. The information revealed defies credibility.

Highly rec ommended as highly disturbing recollections that if even only remotely true present truly disgusting, dishonorable behavior we should acknowledge. Unless the author can substantiate these accusations he should be sued for libel.

Good story not sure on the narrator.

Good story, enjoyed it but not sure the narrator was right for telling a grunts story. None the less good book.