Platoon leader is a 1988 cannon films film set in the vietnam war and directed by aaron norris. Along the way, mattis recounts his foundational experiences as a leader, extracting the lessons he has learned about the nature of warfighting and peacemaking, the importance of allies, and the strategic. A remarkable memoir of small unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. Army nco leaders book item covering the deployment sequence of events counseling data sheet suggested u. Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, mcdonough has produced a gripping account of his first command, a u. May 20, 2018 this makes it all the more important for platoon leaders and company commanders to study recent army history. Al bumbry, former oriole, learned lessons in vietnam. Love is not always a two way street, sometimes you give more than you get, and love is a choice. Platoon leader details mcdonoughs time in vietnam commanding an undermanned platoon assigned to protecting a village in the strategic hamlet program. Mcdonough, chronicles the authors experiences as an officer in the vietnam war from 197071. The film is about a newly commissioned infantry lieutenant who arrives in vietnam to take over his first platoon. The combat vignettes of former platoon leaders flow along the arc of a typical 12month tour in iraq. Lessons learned handbooks newsletters news from the front other products.
A history this book discusses the history of combat films since 1945. This month, we feature excerpts from advice applicable to 2lts as they transition from being cadets to leading soldiers. As leaders it is imperative to foster an environment of property discipline. If you dug platoon, check out this book about all about oliver stones films. This means youll have to solidify the type of leader you want to be and establish a plan for how youll develop your soldiers and officers. Nov 29, 2017 as stated in the video, just some personal history about me.
It can be pretty overwhelming when you sit in on your first training meeting. Knowing junior leaders abilities allows platoon leadership to delegate the right task to the right junior leader. But, at its best, i find a treasure trove of new reading material. It is narrated by mcdonough in first person view and tells of his story in the vietnam war as a lieutenant in command of 2nd platoon, bravo company, 4th battalion, 503rd infantryairborne plot introduction. Having equipment signed down to the user level creates a sense of ownership. Every marine is a rifleman something we were all told since boot camp. Anytime leaders ask me what military history book i would. Platoon leader is a vivid first hand account of leadership of an infantry platoon defending a vietnam village. I was a supply platoon leader pl for 8 months in a brigade support battalion bsb and deployed to kuwait with them. Over the course of the book, mcdonough forms very strong relationships with his men. Advice for new lts things to know as a platoon leader.
It read, when was the last time you heard a unit commander ask for feedback, consider the input, publicly admit hes wrong, and change his opinion. In the field, squads are taskorganized and given a task and purpose. Youre not going to be the greatest platoon leader ever this is hard to come to grips with for new lieutenants. Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, mcdonough has produced a gripping account of his first command. Apr 23, 2014 i n his 2014 article, army first lieutenant scott ginther related 20 lessons from his path from west point cadet to platoon leader in afghanistan. There are a lot of good books, a few really important books, but outlaw platoon is a. Advice for new lts things to know as a platoon leader youtube. However, if you ignore your career, then you will soon find yourself stuck on the backside of the battalion staff headquarters in a windowless room lit only by the glow of a dying laptop. First, and most importantly, all equipment needs to be signed down to the user level. And as a platoon leader, all of your energies should be focused on getting the best training for your soldiers that you can find. I tend turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership. Platoon leader download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi.
A memoir of command in combat ebook written by james r. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of truong lam. Secondly, the platoon leader must ensure proper property management happens. Lessons learned at the expense of blood and sweat, if forgotten, must be relearned at a greater cost. Nov 09, 2017 after all, there may be nobody in the history of this country, let alone baseball, that won american league rookie of the year honors 1973 and a bronze star as a tank platoon leader responsible.
Lessons learned at the expense of blood and sweat, if forgotten, must be relearned at. This makes it all the more important for platoon leaders and company commanders to study recent army history. Instead, we focused on putting together a collection limited to 15 of books spanning history, fiction, and military, that provide a firm foundation for engaging leaders at the companylevel. Platoonlevel leaders manage and delegate tasks to their squad leaders for execution. This month, we feature excerpts from advice applicable to 2lts as they transition from being cadets to. Call sign chaos is the account of jim mattis storied career, from wideranging leadership roles in three wars to ultimately commanding a quarter of a million troops across the middle east. One comment often heard from ibolc cadre, is that students become too familiar operating with their peers as subordinates. Vintage military history books offer a timeless look at strategies, personalities, and failures. This book presents some of his experiences as he grows as a leader. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read platoon leader. A tactical decision game tdg is a situational exercise that is driven by a narrative that provides basic mission, intent, and resources available, allowing leaders to work through their decisionmaking processes tlps, mdmp, etc. Discover military books, the history of war abebooks. Mcdonough retired is an impecable example for future and current young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. Platoon leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young army leader in vietnam.
Army nco leaders book item covering team squad section and platoon training deployment sequence of events suggested u. What is the platoon leaders course in the us marine corps. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the united states military academy, department of the army, or department of defense. College students can enroll in plc when they are fre. I grasp a new understanding of what makes great leaders within our corps. Reading lists the company leader leadership lessons from. Reading the book leading marines shed some light on the marine corps for me. Army nco leaders book item covering team squad section and platoon training. Army combat in iraq sourced from incountry interviews of this generations platoon leaders from 20032008. Mcdonough, introduces the book as a story of an american platoon leader in combat. James starts the book as a freshfaced leader fresh out of west point who chose to. A military theorist who has helped shape the postcold war armys thinking, he is also the author of the defense of hill 781 and the limits of glory. You should capture thoughts and lessons, then share them with your expanding network. Reading lists are very common to the profession of arms.
Black hearts is an unflinching account of the epic, tragic deployment of 1st platoon. The book takes place in and around a fort near a vietnamese village in binh dinh province. Mcdonough had spent the year after west point graduation assigned to bases where he could take the specialized training necessary to a member of an airborne. I do turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership. Much credit goes to 1lt ginther for clearly learning the right lessons as a young leader, and for taking the time to capture and share them with the force. Drawing on hundreds of hours of indepth interviews with black heart soldiers and firsthand reporting from the triangle of death, black hearts is a timeless story about men in combat and the fragility of character in the savage crucible of warfare. The film is about a newly commissioned infantry lieutenant who arrives in vietnam to take over his. They have been used throughout history dating back to before the 1800. College students can enroll in plc when they are freshmen, sophomores, or juniors in college. In all, at least 45,000 vietnamese men and women are said to have died defending the cu chi tunnels over the course of the vietnam war.
The platoon leader and platoon sergeant are two of the most important leaders in the u. James starts the book as a freshfaced leader fresh out of west point who chose to serve in the vietnam war. I read platoon leader by james mcdonough because it was a firsthand account of a rookie. I have never come across one that i did not like at its worst it is a collection of books that i have already read or do not think apply. He acted as a guest instructor throughout the pcbc, observing, assessing, and evaluating newly commissioned second lieutenants recently graduated from the royal. The articles and other content which appear on the modern war institute website are unofficial expressions of opinion. As the author states he cannot claim to have written a definitive history of the vietnam conflict, instead his is. In one of the most compelling combat narratives ever written, staff sergeant david bellavia, an army infantry platoon leader in iraq, gives a teethrattling, firsthand account of 11 straight days of heavy housetohouse fighting during the climactic second battle of fallujah. Book recommendations, author interviews, editors picks, and more. An oral history of the vietnam war by black veterans, by wallace terry. In some of the best prose this side of tim obrien or tobias wolff military history quarterly, tripp tells of how he learned as a platoon leader to become something of a father to the men in his care, how he came to understand the strange trajectory of his own mentally unbalanced fathers life, and how the lessons he learned under fire helped him in the raising of his own sons. Reading lists the company leader leadership lessons. Jul 16, 2015 r eading a post on the military leader one day, a question reminded me of a critical leadership lesson i learned from my time in command. Readers weighed in on the best books about the vietnam war.
Essentially a knock off of platoon, this bloodsoaked war drama chronicles the experiences of a west point graduate and his colleagues in the ruthless vietnamese jungles. Last year, the author of this article participated in operation persistent venture, a bilateral exchange program between the british and us armies, during which he observed one classcycle at the platoon commanders division. Lessons from platoon leader by james mcdonough dzone agile. As a commander, my platoon leaders and i strayed from this list at times tackling books like pat lencionis the ideal team player and jim collin. Platoon leader quotes showing 11 of 1 the roads that lead young men to war are not political roads, or national and international roads, but individual roads. Mcdonoughan is a noholdsbarred examination of the authors tour in vietnam.
The military leader reading list the military leader. Army nco leaders book item covering the deployment sequence of events. The latest heres a popular new book about one of the earliest units in vietnam, a unit that went over in the same year 1967 as chris taylor. You have the ability to mold men and make our country stronger 24 hours a day. Especially considering the competitive spirit among most west pointers. The marine corps platoon leaders course plc is an alternative for nrotc or ocs for college students who wish to become commissioned officers in the united states marine corps.
Battlefield assessments archives modern war institute. In the beginning of the book when the platoon is being assembled the entire platoon is made of young black men and right away they are sent into the heat of battle. Enjoy every minute of it, even the difficult times, and give of yourself freely to your mission and your men. This is not an account of the airborne helicopter search and destroy campaign. These are the books that have shaped me and imprinted lessons that. Now retired from active duty, mcdonough lives with his family in tallahassee, florida. Platoon sergeants mentor future platoon leaders article.
All great leaders throughout history share common characteristics and attributes that not only made them unique, but also helped them lead great movements with innovative ideas. After perrys platoon leader died in a firefight lieutenant gearhart took over. The life of the black soldiers is shown as less valuable as the life of a white solider. Platoon leader was a book my dad gave to me saying, here. Home of the infantry chief of infantry reading list junior ncos topic. James mcdonough graduated from west point and served in vietnam as an infantry platoon leader in the legendary 173d airborne brigade. The way platoon leaders and sergeants work together as a. This book is both a historical insight into the vietnam war from the perspective of the american infantry and a veritable lesson on leadership.
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