Enter and Die!

James W. Milliken

Jun 2009 · Xlibris Corporation

About this ebook

Enter and Die is a true war story about Jim Milliken and the Third Platoon, Delta Company, Second/Sixtieth, of the Ninth Infantry Division and their service in Vietnam. It is an accurate account of the historical facts and the time frame in which it occurred. The first-person soldier’s narration captivates the reader by becoming emotionally involved with the members of the Third Platoon. The author describes his feelings and thought processes when he is shot, kills the enemy, and witnesses the death and wounding of enemy soldiers and comrades. The book is characterized by one memorable event after another of graphic violence, unusual experiences, and comical episodes. People will wonder how Milliken survived the war after the many near-death situations revealed in the book. Readers’ comments range from “Wow! Wow!” “Easy to read,” “The book flows well,” “Extremely emotional—I began to cry,” “The detail and present tense make one feel he is experiencing the events” to “Gripping!” “You bared your soul,” “The honesty of the writer is apparent throughout the book.”

Ratings and reviews

James Milliken joined the Army in 1968 after graduating from college and working briefly. He was sent to Vietnam and became a member of the Third Platoon, Delta Company, going immediately into battle against the North Vietnam Army (NVA) and the Vietcong. Milliken writes of what he and the men of the Third Platoon faced each day. They learned to watch incessantly for booby traps, bombs, and Vietcong hidden in the dense jungle greenery or in the "hootches", the homes of local Vietnamese. Becoming water soaked was a daily event for them as all too often duty called for them to be submerged in rice paddie waters, waiting and watching for the enemy. Milliken and the men of the Third Platoon, Pete Wood, Clyde Poland, and Larry Boneck, among others, became a "band of brothers" in that day to day experience of the horrors they encountered in the Vietnam War. "Enter and Die" is an accurate recounting of a soldier's day to day life in the six months he served before being seriously wounded and hospitalized. Author Milliken writes honestly about his own feelings, of not enjoying "kills", and of speaking back to his Army superiors. He writes extraordinarily well of the men he fought with and the readers will feel that they are standing beside Milliken and the men of the Third Platoon through each maneuver. Post traumatic battle stress is well-dealt with in the pages of this book. Milliken makes it quite clear that back in that not so distant time, no one knew how a young man suffered, going from everyday life into that of a hardened soldier, trained to kill. That Vietnam veterans were called losers and often spit upon was not fair to say the least. "Enter and Die" is a thought provoking book and should be widely read by people everywhere.

About the author

Jim Milliken lived in Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, during his early childhood. In his teenage years, he relocated to West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he now resides with his wife, Linda. He received a BA degree in accounting from Grove City College and an MBA degree in finance from Widener University. Before retirement, he worked for Sunoco, Inc. at various financial and managerial positions. Enter and Die details his Vietnam combat experience as an infantryman; he attained the rank of sergeant.