Life of a skytrooper in Vietnam

By Joshua and Wilbur Bowe

Books and other materials used as sources in The Ground You Stand Upon:

ON THE TIGER’S BACK

1994, by Bernard E. Grady - Captain Bernard E. Grady (Ret) served as both the Executive Officer of Bravo Company and Commander of Charlie Company, 5/7th Cav during the battalion's initial tour of duty from August 1966 to August 1967.

1966 THE YEAR OF THE HORSE

2009, by Robert K. Powers - Robert K. Powers was an Indirect Fire Infantryman assigned to the mortar platoon of Bravo Company, 5/7th Cav. He was drafted in January 1966 and sent to Vietnam as an early replacement in October of the same year.

TRUE BLUE, A Tale of the Enemy Within

2007, by Joe Sanchez - Joe Sanchez was an infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 5/7th Cav. After being turned away from enlistment in nearly every branch of service, including the Army, he volunteered to be drafted in 1965. Although his book is primarily written about his experiences as a cop in New York City and the corruption within the department that he fought to expose, it also contains many of his memories of training with Alpha Company at Fort Carson and their deployment to Vietnam, where he would eventually be wounded in action.

BETTER TIMES THAN THESE

1978, by Winston Groom - A work of fiction by a fellow veteran of the Vietnam War, it was written about an infantry company, Bravo Company, 4th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, that traveled to Vietnam in August of 1966. A large portion of the story details their voyage aboard the USNS Gaffey and was actually inspired by that of the non-fictional 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry.  In 1986, Winston Groom would write another novel entitled Forest Gump.

THE 1ST CAV IN VIETNAM, Anatomy of a Division

1987, by Shelby L. Stanton - Captain Shelby L. Stanton (Ret) served in the 82nd Airborne Division in Southeast Asia and was wounded in action. The book covers the 1st Air Cavalry Division's development and implementation of the Airmobile concept in Vietnam.

THE RISE AND FALL OF AN AMERICAN ARMY, U.S. Ground Forces in Vietnam, 1965-1973

1985, by Shelby L. Stanton (see above)

DEAR AMERICA, Letters Home From Vietnam

1985, edited by Bernard Edelman - The book was also made into an HBO documentary. In the film, actor Michael J. Fox reads the letter written by SP5 Cantale about his friend Donald Rankin.

A WALK AMONG THE BRAVE

2011, by Tina Susedik - This book is a compilation of war experiences of veterans from Northwest Wisconsin. It features profiles of both Rodney Henning and Wilbur Bowe.

1ST CAVALRY DIVISION, Memoirs of the First Team, Vietnam August 1965 to December 1969

1970, edited by J.D. Coleman

WHERE WE WERE IN VIETNAM

2002, by Michael P. Kelley - A Comprehensive guide to the firebases, military installations and Naval vessels of the Vietnam War 1945-1975

BUYING TIME 1965-1966

2015, by Frank L. Jones

COMBAT OPERATIONS: Stemming The Tide, May 1965 to October 1966

2000, by John M. Carland

COMBAT OPERATIONS: Taking the Offensive, October 1966 to October 1967

1998, by George L. MacGarrigle

INTERIM REPORT OF OPERATIONS, 1st Cavalry Division, July 1965 to December 1966

Compiled by Charles S. Sykes, published by 1st Cavalry Division Association

OPERATIONAL REPORT - LESSONS LEARNED, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), Period Ending 31 July 1967

1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) Headquarters, Declassified 31 December 1973

AFTER ACTION REPORT (3 Sep 66 Attack on Camp Radcliff)

17 September 1966, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) Headquarters, Declassified 17 September 1978

OPERATIONAL REPORT - LESSONS LEARNED January to June 1967

USARV

BATTALION DAILY SITUATION REPORTS, September 1st 1966 to March 12th 1967

5/7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), obtained from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland

BATTALION DAILY STAFF JOURNALS, January 1st to August 9th 1967

5/7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), obtained from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland

PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION FOR PERIOD 30 SEP 1966 TO 30 MAR 1967, SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION

5/7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), obtained from the National Archives in College Park, Maryland

TOPOGRAPHIC MILITARY MAPS OF VIETNAM

University of Texas Libraries website