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I served in this same unit in 1968 when it was still called E Co (Long Range Patrol) 20th Infantry (Airborne) First Field Force Vietnam.
John Rotundo and Don Erickson were two young Vietnam Vets that served with one of the best units like this ever to serve in Vietnam.
It took them 2 years to write it and it was prehaps one of the first non-fiction books published about this type of unit in February, 1989.
They also had a unit roster in the back of the book and they put out a call to anyone who could prove they were in the unit, they would put their names in the back and update it in the future editions, which never happened after the first publication.
By the mid 90's there were dozens of books about the LRP's, Rangers and Special Forces. So I imagine that the publisher wanted to add a little flare to increase the visibilty and they put a man from ANOTHER Long Range Patrol unit on the front cover.
When I seen it I called John R and asked him abut the cover and the lack of anymore names ever being added to the roster and I was told he sent more than one list of names and asked about the cover and no one gave them any answers. IMO this was a disgrace to the men who gave their lives fighting in that unit besides taking advantage of a couple of returning Vietnam Veterans.
No on paid any attention to it and I imagine when they made the deal, the publisher kept control of the copyright so therfore nothing could be done.
It was a true account of what it was like to serve in that type of unit and the past episodes that they related to were also true since I was there and I was also the original unit historian. It's just a tragedy that they were not given the chance to give another picture from someone who had actually served in that unit and put that on the cover, rather then decieve people into believing that the cover had a member from the unit on there.
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Charlie Rangers by John L. Rotundo
brasso9, February 8, 2008
I served in this same unit in 1968 when it was still called E Co (Long Range Patrol) 20th Infantry (Airborne) First Field Force Vietnam.John Rotundo and Don Erickson were two young Vietnam Vets that served with one of the best units like this ever to serve in Vietnam.
It took them 2 years to write it and it was prehaps one of the first non-fiction books published about this type of unit in February, 1989.
They also had a unit roster in the back of the book and they put out a call to anyone who could prove they were in the unit, they would put their names in the back and update it in the future editions, which never happened after the first publication.
By the mid 90's there were dozens of books about the LRP's, Rangers and Special Forces. So I imagine that the publisher wanted to add a little flare to increase the visibilty and they put a man from ANOTHER Long Range Patrol unit on the front cover.
When I seen it I called John R and asked him abut the cover and the lack of anymore names ever being added to the roster and I was told he sent more than one list of names and asked about the cover and no one gave them any answers. IMO this was a disgrace to the men who gave their lives fighting in that unit besides taking advantage of a couple of returning Vietnam Veterans.
No on paid any attention to it and I imagine when they made the deal, the publisher kept control of the copyright so therfore nothing could be done.
It was a true account of what it was like to serve in that type of unit and the past episodes that they related to were also true since I was there and I was also the original unit historian. It's just a tragedy that they were not given the chance to give another picture from someone who had actually served in that unit and put that on the cover, rather then decieve people into believing that the cover had a member from the unit on there.
(3 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)