Muddy Jungle Rivers is a close-up look at life on a gunboat during 1968, the bloodiest year of the Vietnam War. It's the story of a seven-man crew captained by a volatile pro-war enlisted man.
When Wendell Affield arrived in Vietnam in February 1968, the Tet Offensive was in full swing. Affield, cox'n on Armor Troop Carrier 112-11 and the rest of River Division 112 operated non-stop. They were subjected to ambushes, snipers, North Vietnam Army artillery, and river mines. Vampire mosquitoes, racism, boredom, and a volatile boat captain strained boat crew morale. On a Sunday afternoon, ATC 112-11, the platoon of army troops on board, and the boat crew were savaged in the opening moments of a Viet Cong Main Force ambush.
Like Philip Caputo's "A Rumor Of War," this narrative takes the reader into frustration, rage, terror, death, betrayal, and the search for redemption. Muddy Jungle Rivers has 29 chapters, maps,and photos.
"I could speak at length here about the merits of Muddy Jungle Rivers: its eloquence, its emotional generosity, its urgent and haunting prose. But the book's enduring virtue is that it records, with utmost fidelity, the unspeakable horrors of the author himself, as a young man adrift in the moral chaos of war."
~From the Foreword by Steve Almond, author of God Bless America: Stories, and many other works
Industry Reviews
"I could speak at length here about the merits of Muddy Jungle Rivers: its eloquence, its emotional generosity, its urgent and haunting prose. But the book's enduring virtue is that it records, with utmost fidelity, the unspeakable horrors of the author himself, as a young man adrift in the moral chaos of war." ~ Steve Almond, author of "God Bless America: Stories" and many other works
"I found this book compelling, chilling and intensely real. The experience of being there with a slice of American youth - good and bad, the tension of frequently being on edge, the horror of battle and being wounded severely is the start, but the rejection upon returning home and carrying all of those feelings for the rest of a vet's life sank even deeper. I found myself profoundly grateful that the author described his experience, and even more so that he was able to get this off his chest. As a fellow author, I understand the catharsis of pulling thoughts from within and describing them for others on a printed page. Congratulations and thank you Mr. Affield." ~Amazon review, "Harleysmith"
"I read this book because a friend and brother had spent time in the Brown Water Navy. He has never spoken of his service, and I wanted to have an understanding of what he had experienced. I learned that in the pages of this book. Wendell described what was happening in such a way that makes sense of a difficult time in his life, he doesn't pull any punches, or try to make things palatable for a wider audience. Every blue water sailor should read this story for their own edification. Thank you for your service Mr. Affield." ~Amazon review, Greg Peterson
