Michael Herr

Michael Herr writes his dispatches from Vietnam for Esquire magazine. He experiences firsthand the siege of Khe Sanh, the battle for Hue, and several other operations. Unlike the Marines, Herr has the freedom to leave the fight when possible and all of Vietnam if he so desires. Because of this, many of the soldiers consider him crazy to stay in a country that they would not hesitate to leave.

While preferring the company of enlisted soldiers, Herr tolerates the upper brass. He finds the rank of captain and below much better than the colonels and generals who feed him standard war propaganda. The author seeks realistic stories from the field, an honesty that the upper brass considers opposed to their goals.

Herr's dispatches paint the Vietnam War as an unconventional conflict, where the enemy has two parts—the regular NVA and the VC. The VC could...