Tour of Duty by Douglas BrinkleyThis book will be controversial among brown water navy sailors. John Kerry's experience with swift boats are very similar to those of many PBR sailors the only difference is the size of the boat. The descriptions of survival school, searching river traffic and combat could have easily been written by and about a PBR sailor. I certainly don't agree with all of his conclusions or opinions on the war. For the most part I liked the book and I like John Kerry and think it would be great if one of ours made it to the presidency. .
Faith of My Fathers by John McCainJohn McCain was not a PBR sailor however he was a naval vietnam veteran. I liked this book it describes prewar navy life and exploits of his father and grandfather both famous navy admirals. In addition it describes his early years of less then perfect performance. It also describes his experience in the fire aboard the U.S.S. Forestal and as a prisioner of war.
When Computers went to Sea by David L. BoslaughThis book is an excellent history of how the U.S. Navy leveraged radar technology and naval intelligence to become a leader in the development of modern computers. Although it is unrelated to the brown water navy, many of the officers and men involved in the brown water navy were also part of the blue water Navy's amazing digital transformation.
Ghost Soldiers: The Forgotten Epic Story of World War II's Most Dramatic Mission
by Hampton SidesThis book is the history of the hardships and rescue of the Marines captured during the fall of Bataan and Corregidor. As a good Navy man I wouldn't normally recommend a book about marines. But since my Uncle (whom I hold in very high regard) was a China Marine in this POW camp, I am forced to acknowledge the book was very interesting and that occasionally other branches of the service have good stories to tell.
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