DOGFACE CHARLIE by Patrick M. McLaughlin

DOGFACE CHARLIE

A book review by JC Sullivan

Robert (OB) O'Brien's September, 1985 funeral in Florida began an unforeseen chain of events that reverbate to this day.  Only two of his military comrades attended his funeral. Patrick (Mac) McLaughlin and John (OC) O'Connor. Both had served with him in Vietnam in the “Big Red One”, the First Infantry Division.  Although Mac had been in touch with OB in the intervening years since their respective separation from the Army, they had disconnected with others with whom they had served. “Only John O'Connor and I attended OB's funeral,” said McLaughlin, “but if we had been able to notify the others, many would have come to pay tribute to a fallen brother and offer condolences to his wife and son.”

Out of that sad trip to Florida, and more than forty years since they had seen others from the unit, the idea of a reunion was spawned. Tom Mercer, another Dogface Charlie veteran, took a leadership role and searched intensely for others. Eventually many with whom they had served were located. Planning moved ahead and a joyful reunion was held in Tennessee. Out of it came the idea of a book of their various experiences. That idea became Dogface Charlie.

This book is the story of individual American men of courage who sweated, bled, cried, prayed and killed. They lived through emotionally intense moments, unlike any of us will ever feel. They are the ones who survived the hell that was Vietnam. After World War II, Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy was asked if he remembered the battle action that earned him America’s highest award. He replied, “Like a nightmare.”

Veterans, especially combat veterans, are most comfortable discussing their “war stories” with other veterans about what they’ve lived through. Outside of veteran circles, who’s going to know who’s legitimate and who’s not? After all, we’ve all seen phonies who have “stolen valor.”

The reminiscences in this book are just that – legitimate war stories from legitimate veterans. It’s as if we outsiders are eavesdropping on their conversations about what happened to them. If they told these stories to civilians about what they actually went through many would think they were making them up. It's just that - they are incredible stories of humanity, bravery, friendship and they’re almost unbelievable. Readers of Dogface Charlie will come away with a larger measure of respect for these men for the horrors they never talked about. Until now.

The chapters in this book have been contributed by the men of Dogface Charlie, family members of those who did not return and those who did return. I had chills go throughout my body while reading about the death of fellow Buckeye Kim Deeter. His sister Dalene described a dream their father had on the night of Kim's death. He awoke in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. Kim was standing at the foot of their bed.  “Oh my God, Dad, I'm going to die” he told his father. He blinked and when he opened his eyes, the apparition (Kim) was no longer there. Later, when his remains were returned to St. Mary’s, Ohio, his Dad viewed them. He saw the wounds on Kim, just where he had seen them in his “dream.”  

Sgt. Mac, now a Cleveland attorney, penned several chapters in the book, one being ‘The Price of a Smile.” It describes his encounter with a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) machine-gunner in an irrigation ditch on a rubber plantation. “He waited until my eyes met his; pleased by the shock he saw in my face...his smile was big and sinister.”  McLaughlin vividly describes how in a split second his life flashed before his eyes. He thought of what his mother’s reaction to his death would be and yet somehow managed to survive the moment while the smirking NVA machine-gunner did not. 

After finishing the book I came away with several distinct impressions. The men who have contributed to this book were very street smart; they learned quickly in the jungle of Vietnam. Their contributions in the emergence of this book, the idea of which came from one of their reunions, have been a catharsis for many them. Those who have suffered Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for years have experienced somewhat of a healing in finally having a platform to speak of their noble contributions in the war - to their comrades and to their nation.

 Perhaps Bob O'Brien’s demons might have been purged if he had contributed to the book. But, then again, he did.  He inspired it, in an unlikely fashion.

Reviewer's Notes. The book can purchased at the First Division Museum, Cantigny Park, IL or on Amazon.com or other on-line booksellers. 

Sullivan is a resident of northeast Ohio and is an internationally-published writer. He is a U.S. Army veteran of the 2^nd Armored Division who served in KY, TX, CA, AZ and  USAEUR. His writing credits are  too numerous to mention but include the Irish Echo Newspaper, Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine and, Irish America Magazine.