A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. Platoon leader a memoir of command in combat powells books. New platoon leader ebook for platoon leaders in the army national guard and army reserves. In combat, this means quickly identifying techniques to subdue the enemy and safeguard soldiers safety. 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. What, in your opinion, is the most important book for a young. Advanced platoon leader apl takes the basic game platoon leader to a whole new level. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read platoon leader. In an ambush, for example, a platoon leader must issue orders rapidly to find and eliminate enemy forces, call in for backup and ensure medical attention for. The timbre and sound of his voice is that of a man old enough to have been a.
Stephanies plan for taking charge was to lie low at firstto assess the situation and get to knowher people before taking action on any of the february 2009 army 55 platoon leaders stories to. 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. The busy platoon commanders reading list grounded curiosity. Platoon leader captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the battlefield including the unforgiving nature of combat and the seemingly randomness of combat. This is one of the best books ive ever read, when it comes to documenting the day to day events of a soldier in war. It reflects the current thought of the school and conforms to published department of the army doctrine. After reading this book it is obvious why the army chose it as required reading for officer candidate school. 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. Special forces field manual unconventional warfare operations 6. 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. I tend turn to books written by people who have fought in the army for lessons on tactics and leadership.
Mcdonough, chronicles the authors experiences as an officer in the vietnam war from 197071. His platoon is charged with manning an outpost next to the village of truong lam. 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. Platoon leader is a noncard driven, non combat results table system that utilizes sectors and zones to regulate possible german. There is a pyramid of authority within most organizations. Mcdonough random house audio, march 2003 abridged audio pages. A memoir of command in combat kindle edition by james r. Gone is the single map which is replaced with terrain cards that will allow you to configure a ton of map variations. James r mcdonough a remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. The most common question i get from young lieutenants is what specific actions to do when you become a platoon leader. A memoir of command in combat click here book 0891418008.
Pdf download platoon leader a memoir of command in combat download full ebook. One wishes it would go on a little longer, but enough is said in a brilliant way in the time it takes to read the book. From simple remembrances of crations and malaria pills, to major battles and the loss of friends, lannings book. Jun 07, 2017 8 platoon leader hacks for your first 90 days the most common question i get is what should i do as a new platoon leader. Marine corps pcn 144 000042 00 distribution statement a. I read platoon leader by james mcdonough because it was a firsthand account of a rookie. Learn some secret advice to help you develop a cohesive team of trained warriors. The detail and number of options have also been ramped up such that this game is guaranteed to be better than ever. This publication is provided for resident and nonresident instruction at the us army armor school.
The narrator pronounced the s in corpsman near the end of the book though. Mcdonough retired is an impecable example for future and current young lieutenants that are preparing to take command of their first platoons. Platoon leader s philosophy orders line of duty equal opportunity officer candidate school preparation warrior leadership course preparation useful vocabulary recommended army readings survey sop chain of command sexual harrassment us repneo warden. 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. Well i found a book that ranks with macdonalds company commander, the best military memoir ever. The asl is a squad leader in the making, and he should be able to take the squad leaders job when necessary which, combat being what it is, comes sooner and oftener than we would prefer. Discover how to be an effective, excellent and efficient leader while balancing your family time, civilian job and military career. Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, mcdonough has p in january 1969, one of the most promising young lieutenant colonels. 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. Detailed instructions for completing the marine corps mentoring program mcmp guidebook, but here are some general guidelines for budgeting. Platoon leader was a great book to give you a concise glimpse into the reality of one young army leader in vietnam. If your basic expenses not including debt payments are greater than your income, attempt to reduce your expenses or supplement your income to bring these figures into balance. Mcdonough once stated that his story is not a comprehensive documentation of the vietnam war, but a mere account of an american platoon leader in battle.
A memoir of command in combat audiobook by james r. A remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in. The story of a young mans indoctrination into combat as an infantry platoon. A memoir of command in combat from the worlds largest community of readers. A great memoir by a vietnam war lieutenant i first read james mcdonoughs platoon leader about 17 years ago, as i was watching thencol. The scout platoon sop is available on computer disk in. Platoon leader photos view all photos 2 movie info. Asija polic and jakov karin, croatian army, 4th army corps, divulje introduction wars are lead and won by people, notmachines. A remarkable memoir of small unit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam. The busy platoon commanders reading list posted january 5, 2018 september 7, 2019 chris hall there are many reading lists available to the military professional and an increasing focus on professional military education within army.
Mar 01, 2012 in 2006, parnell was a neophyte army airborne ranger with the storied 10th mountain division, assigned as a new platoon leader in afghanistan, desperate to prove himself. A memoir of command in combat ebook written by james r. 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. Lessons from platoon leader by james mcdonough dzone agile. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. As the author states he cannot claim to have written a definitive history of the vietnam conflict, instead his is. Platoon leader a remarkable memoir of smallunit leadership and the coming of age of a young soldier in combat in vietnam.
Read platoon leader a memoir of command in combat by james r. This may involve ordering the troop to carry out specific maneuvers under fire. Mcdonoughs platoon leader did for a platoon leader in vietnam in his book what charles macdonald did for the company commander in wwii in his company commander. Jan 25, 2012 i read the number three book, platoon leader. The other reason for the second sgt in the rifle squad is that a squad without a qualified, trusted nco in charge is basically a school of stunned mullets. Some other marines have suggested the following ways to look for books and photos. At the time of the deadly attack on combat outpost cop keating on october 3, 2009, staff sergeant romesha was assigned as a section leader for bravo troop, 361st cavalry, 4th brigade combat team, 4th infantry division.
Setting his goals straight mcdonough looked forward to gain the loyalty of his platoon, as well as completing the mission with minimal or no casualties on their part. This person is usually a junior officer a second or first lieutenant or an equivalent rank. S games presents platoon leader, an infantry based ww2 hex and counter game with semisolitaire engine and optional german ai. The human dimension in war operations, will from now on be the factor that decides the victor. Its not only a great look at what combat was like in the late vietnam war, but a detailed examination of the decisions small unit leaders have to make, sometimes under horrendous conditions. Down to earth, no sensationalism in this well paced title, platoon leader.
Platoon leader book memoir in combat by james r mcdonough lessons for new army officers when i was a young lieutenant, my enterprise commander gave me the assignment to read the book platoon leader. Using a lean style and a sense of pacing drawn from the tautest of novels, mcdonough has. A platoon leader or platoon commander more common in commonwealth militaries and the us marine corps is the officer in charge of a platoon. Listen to platoon leader a memoir of command in combat by james r. Desirable characteristics of platoon commanders in peacetime or wartime conditions authors. The officer is usually assisted by a platoon sergeant. Most of the time, there will be 2 4 marine corps boot camp platoon books listed. Identify the principle that in every effective military unit there must be only one commander who has authority and responsibility for all that unit does or fails to do is called. You have dropped behind german lines and must use your platoon leaders to command squads through various missions.
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