| E Mess is about some extraordinary young men doing a job in Viet Nam that most did not want, being a 3371. 3371 is the military occupation for a cook. Most are 19 the average age in Viet Nam. The story is written from some of their thoughts but basically from the experiences of Dave Woods. Dave is from Chicago and of course the gangster label is an automatic. The label started in boot camp and continues through Nam. There is not a class of people that he does not run into. The labels put on different ethnic groups and races stays with one after the lovely days of boot camp.All new guys are considered rookies or newbies. The label sticks until someone new arrives or there is a confrontation. Marines fighting Marines is not a new story but none the less is still a sad one. As the days drag by the reader will meet some unusual characters. Some are funny, some are sad and some are very sad. The reader will also experience real life situations such as the ammo dump explosion, the sweep of the ville for American deserters and a",skivvie", run into the ville to meet some ladies of the night.E Mess offers some comic relief which is very much needed during war time or was it just a conflict. But at times one might want to cry for the poor grunts on the front line. The grunts are never far from the cooks' minds as they go about their daily routines. Dave Woods starts as a rookie, becomes Chief cook and then becomes a rookie again after his transfer to a new unit. He meets more characters in his new assignment and one who is a full bird colonel who never reveals his identity to Dave. Of course the names in the book have been changed to protect the guilty. |
