Will I Die Today

Raw & Uncut just the way a story should be told

Straight-forward account of a regular soldier's tour in the pre-TET days of Vietnam. Interesting photos throughout the book. All vet's stories are interesting and important. For other reading check out "Duster Duty, 1967".

"Will I Die Today" should be required reading for anyone who thinks being in combat would be "cool" - like a video game - free of moral and mental consequences. Ret. SGT Rick York dispels this assumption in his excellent autobiography that takes the reader on a journey of bravery and death through the jungles of Viet Nam, in 1967. Unlike today's all-volunteer Army, in 1967 most of the soldiers in the Viet Nam had been drafted; ordered by their government to report for duty; to fight and kill, if so commanded. And like so many other brave men, 20 year-old Rick York answered his country's call to duty. Often amusing and entertaining, we follow this uncomplicated, fun-loving young man's journey through basic training - full of pranks and oddball characters you'd only encounter in the Army. But the mood changes and things get more serious as PFC. York is sent to Viet Nam and assigned to a small "reconnaissance platoon" in the Central Highlands. Their job; to spy on the enemy and gather intelligence. And this information was usually gained through deadly, up-close-and-personal combat and the barrel of a gun. We follow York as he volunteers and excels as a "tunnel rat" - a guy who crawls into the enemy's dark, hidden tunnels alone - with just his .45 - looking for trouble and intel. His bravery and leadership skills command respect and he quickly become the leader of his squad - a band of brothers alone in the jungle without electricity, running water, telephone or news from the outside world. We live and die with his squad. We come to understand how men are willing to sacrifice for each other: How war forges bonds and friendships that are unique and special; that supersede the individual. And we completely comprehend the question that permeated SGT. York's mind from sun up to sun set ... Will I Die Today? But for me, Mr. York's powerful narrative transcends the combat and killing and finally comes to meditate on the price the soul has to pay to preserve oneself and survive the horrors of war. Apparently, it's a mighty price, that pays dividends the rest of a person's life. And therein lies the rub, not only for the soldiers of Viet Nam, but for today's heroes as well. I commend SGT. York for sharing his story and how he managed to deal with the aftermath of the war. He's one of the lucky ones. And we're lucky to have a memoir as honest and as moving as "Will I Die Today".

Being a girly girl reader I was apprehensive when picking up this book to begin the read. I am not into blood & guts and was sure there were going to be more than I cared to read about in this book but determined to read it just the same. Why? For several reasons, first the author graduated from the same high school I attended and being a self published author myself I felt it my duty to support him in his endeavor. Second, I have a very close friend that lost her brother in the Vietnam war and even though I lived during that time, that is as close as I came to feeling the loss of life and devastion of those years. She had already read the book and recommended I give it a try knowing it would not be offensive to me. After that I was convinced and was pleasantly surprised at all the information that Mr. York included in his book. It left me with a feeling of great graditude that there where such highly dedicated young men that gave up so much of their youth to go to war in a country so far away but came home to an America that didn't always appreciate their contributions.

Many of us grew up during the Vietnam era listening to the media reports and the politically correct views they wished us to receive. Little did we know what was really happening. Reading Rick York's book was truly and eye opening experience for me. As a boy, Rick grew up with no contact with guns or no thought of war until he received his draft notice. He recounts his Army experience from training to his return from Nam. He talks of friendships, pranks, and partying, but Rick's platoon's ability to cope with the danger and hardships of the almost daily patrols into the hidden caves, tunnels and mountains in search of the enemy is what I find most enlightening about the book. Even though highly trained, the soldiers had to develop a shoot first attitude or, like those who didn't, become a casualty. After reading "Will I Die Today?", I understand why it took over 40 years for Rick to talk about the experience. I'm grateful that he did. This "no holds barred, tell it like it happened account" of one man's year in a hell called Vietnam makes me proud of our military heroes and the sacrifices they have made for us. God Bless Rick York for writing "Will I Die Today".

"Will I Die Today?" is a gritty, pull-no-punches, diary of Sgt. Rick York's one year foray into the jungle combat hell hole that was Vietnam. Told in his own words, "Will I Die Today?" is the raw, unvarnished wartime story of a bright, athletic, young man from Dayton, Ohio, who, with the help of his army trainers, turned himself into a battle-hardened, savvy, highly lethal instrument of war and, by extension, a faithful and highly efficient enforcer of America's foreign policy. Sgt. York's story is uniquely his own, unfettered by editors and publicists, who surely would have diluted its impact and lessened its legitimacy by insisting upon more politically correct accounts of combat, less mention of his dozens of kills, and toning down the profanity that is the common parlance of soldiers in wartime. But Rick York's story is more than his highly decorated, highly honorable combat history. It is also the story of his successful adaptation to civilian life after Vietnam. It is the story of Rick's struggles to suppress in his memory the horrible combat images that haunted him daily. It is Rick York's poignant personal catharsis which he is now graciously sharing with others, like myself, who only viewed the Vietnam War on TV in the comfort of our homes. Thank you for your courageous service, Rick, and thank you for the wonderful telling of your story.

Iwas there i know . thanks for helping our brothers come home after 40 years alot of us are still trying but cant always find the words

If you've ever wanted to step into the past to experience the hushed reality of a Vietnam soldier's blood, sweat and tears, this is the book for you. As you turn the pages of Rick's amazing story, you walk with him, you suffer with him, you fight with him, you laugh with him, and you cry with him, because what he says really happened, and it's just as real to him today as it was back then, and in the soldier-like way Rick tells it, it becomes just as real to you. After reading Rick's story, you will be left with nothing but the highest honor and respect for not only the Vietnam Vet but for every soldier who has ever worn the uniform of service to his country. May God's grace rest the fallen, and may His mercy uphold the living.