Charlie Company's Journey Home: The Boys of

In 1967, the United States increased its presence in Vietnam from 300,000 to 500,000 troops, 40 percent of whom were married. Wiest (history, Univ. of Southern Mississippi) follows up his powerful work The Boys of '67 with a sequel of sorts: the perspectives of the wives and families left behind. Using oral interviews, letters, diaries, and other primary resources, Wiest provides a compassionate look at how the conflict impacted these individuals to the present day. Although specific to this Vietnam experience, readers will appreciate the common threads that run through the sacrifices of military duty during conflict: loneliness, striving for balance upon return to civilian life, and coping with physical and mental illnesses related to wartime service. Although there are plenty of other works that discuss the home front, the uniqueness here lies in the cohesive yet distinctive experiences of the Charlie Company itself, offering a deeper understanding of the soldiers through the actions of their wives during their year away.