"Dear Phil:  ...Your comments are well thoughtout and I generally agree with them.  It seems to me that you have written a worthy book and I wish it success.  Sincerely,  W. C. Westmoreland (General, United States Army, Ret.)

Cannon Fodder describes the experiences of an African-American soldier's US Army service during the Vietnam War from Induction - during the beginning growth of the anti-war movement in 1968 - to Discharge in 1971 - shortly before U.S. ground forces ceased active combat operations. The principle theme of Cannon Fodder are the series of friendly fire casualties on the night of 17-18 February 1970 [*], including the devasting friendly fire attack on a classified signal unit in Bien Hoa. This work was completed in 1980 and accepted by Paragon House Publisher in 1987. You are invited to take a trip back into time and experience, or re-experience, The Vietnam War.

[*] One incident this day was captured in the CBS film "Friendly Fire" (Carrol Burnett, Ned Beatty)

• Author's Website #1 (or #2)
• Company A44, Vietnam (Renamed 269th Signal Company, 04/1970)

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• Author's Notes
• Introduction
• Photos
• Goto Chapter 1 - This chapter covers pre-enlistment and enlistment
• Chapter 2 - covers Basic Training
• Chapter 3 - also Basic Training
• Chapter 4 - Advanced Individual Training
• Chapter 5 - Republic of V'nam orientation ("ROT" training)
• Chapter 6 - Waiting for departure 'Nam; disorganization, entrapment
• Chapter 7 - Flight to 'Nam; second thoughts about going; commitment
• Chapter 8 - Arriving in 'Nam; surprise
• Chapter 9 - Arriving at duty station; shock
• Chapter 10 - Orientation with duty assignment and living area; insecurity
• Chapter 11 - First exposure to a combat; professionalism
• Chapter 12 - Drug use in V'nam; corruption; Westmoreland assassination plan
• Chapter 13 - The dark side of human nature; disgust
• Chapter 14 - Saigon, CIA, Cambodia, American Indians; other adventures
• Chapter 15 - Friendly fire attack; betrayal; blind leading the blind
• Chapter 16 - Second friendly fire attack; stupidity
• Chapter 17 - Dealing with the worst of it
• Chapter 18 - Investigating the attack
• Chapter 19 - Coming home; second chance at life
• Footnotes

Books that Phill Coleman highly recommends to all veterans and all present and future soldiers:

• A Soldier's Story, by General Omar N. Bradley
• Crusade in Europe, by General Dwight D. Eisenhower
• A Soldier Reports, by General William C. Westmoreland

Please also visit the Vietnam War Friendly Fire Notebook

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