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Book Review

Book: The Other Casualty Of War
Author: Paul J. Bylin

Reviewer: Bill McDonald

A No-Holds Barred Memoir of a PTSD Vietnam Veteran

Author Paul Bylin doesn’t try to portray himself as some sort of innocent angel who is lead off into war in the 1960’s nor does he claim to be any kind of a hero. He does however; show us in his gripping book, “The Other Causality Of War” the human failings of a young high school drop-out from the inner city, trying to come to grips with the life and death reality of the Vietnam War! To Paul it became a lifelong battle between inner rage, guilt and at times, sanity and sobriety.
Most of us veteran advocates knew little of the man, Paul Bylin, who in the 1990’s did so much to call public attention and awareness to the MIA/POW cause. All most of us knew about Paul was that he was emotionally charged with getting the facts out about those missing men in Vietnam. But there is so much more about this man that you will learn when you read his brief memoir. He really hangs it all out there and exposes himself to the reader and to the public at large. His personal and emotional confessions show courage and at times, some very hard learned wisdom that his experiences have gifted him to understand.
He battled back from drugs and booze and depression to share his personal tale. I think many veterans will be able to relate to his words and what he has gone through. More than half of the book deals with his time on his two “tours of duty” in Nam but the most moving stuff comes when he returns states side again and has to face the rest of his life.
This book is not suitable for all readers but it is highly recommended for families, friends and the veterans themselves who are dealing with PTSD issues. There may be a message and some life lessons to be learned within these pages.

Possibly the first reaction for most readers of The Other Casualty of War, would be "Wow, I didn't know"! For fellow veterans it is a mixture of tough memories and humorous GI escapades. The Vietnam War was a very stormy period in our history and Paul Bylin takes you honestly and brutally into the very eye of the hurricane. This is real, and it will raise as many questions as it will answer. The author has truthfully and candidly allowed us to enter the privacy of his shattered world, when a youngster suddenly and violently became a man, and served his country with honor. This war may be controversial, but there can be no controversy about the honest portrait painted by the pen of, not a hired journalist, but by an American Hero! He's been there/done that! Unfortunately the war is not over for many of these brave soldiers, but comes marching back into their frontal lobes again and again. God Bless Paul and all of his peers.

B. Davis Greer
MSgt. USAF Retired
Author of "The Pegasus Affair"
www.publishedauthors.net/b.d.greer

The Vietnam War. It is a subject that inspires strong, yet vastly differing opinions in almost everyone. And the soldiers who lived through this time are no exception. Paul Bylin’s The Other Casualty of War is an honest account not only of his experiences in Vietnam, but also of his experiences trying to recover from this event. He gives the reader a sense, not only of who he is, but also of the emotions and trials that he experienced. So often, this war is held up as an example of the negative effects of war. Bylin’s no-nonsense account puts a personal face on the war, and makes it impossible to consider that these boys who were sent to war were ever anything more than boys who did as they were told, and who, in many ways, never came home.

At seventeen, a young boy is sent to Vietnam where overnight he will have to grow into a man. In The Other Casualty Of War, Paul Bylin describes his experiences in Vietnam and life afterwards. Too many of our Vietnam vets have been treated as a disease by our society, only hearing one side of the story and turning a deaf ear and blind eye to what really happened over there. Many of our vets, like Paul Bylin, still have to carry the terror and horror of Vietnam with them. Paul Bylin tells what really happened over there and gives a unique and completely unforgettable view into a Vietnam vet and an America Hero's life. You will not be able to put this book down! Most of the vets from Vietnam did not get the homecoming they deserved, with this book we can finally say WELCOME HOME.

All my best,

Charlie Sherman

The Charlie Sherman Show

WGIR AM

New Hamsphire's Information Station

(The comments that have a "point" rating they are, 1 through 5, 5 being the best)

Name = Derek Bracer
Narrative author = The Other Casualty Of War by Paul Bylin
Points = 5 points
Opinion of the narrative and author = Very powerful narrative. You brought the entire story out in a simple, complete style.

Name = Jerry Lewellen
Narrative author = The Other Casualty Of War by Paul Bylin
Points = 5 points
Opinion of the narrative and author = What I liked about this story is that you surrounded your story of Vietnam with the before and after viewpoints. The scene when you are looking for a job and had to lie that you were not a vet. shows how sad life is/was for Vietnam vets.

Name = Ken Bushnell
Narrative author = The Other Casualty Of War by Paul Bylin
Points = 5 points
Opinion of the narrative and author = I gotta give this a 5 for honesty. Thank you for putting it on paper.

"I think this is an important piece of work, giving us civilians an insight into the horrors of war faced by an ordinary teenage boy. Thanks for sending this to me, Paul. I'm sure it will help others to also have a better appreciation of what armed forces personnel face..."

"Thanks Paul! It takes a lot of courage to relive and share this kind of 'story' with us!"

Comments: Maybe this message has been posted before. Your stories are hard hitting and true to life but not unique in the art of warfare. They are posted and barring an Earthly calamity will remain so. Be proud of your experiences, all carried out with the push of goodness. You did right mate, you're a good person and your words are for the future.

I have read most of your work and think it is a hard hitting personal recount of your unfortunate experiences. But then you were a soldier. My Father was an involuntary soldier in the 2nd world war, his experiences equaled yours. Please don't carry this mantle of having a dreadful experience never to be equaled, but be content with the fact that you have served your country, with the best of your ability, under your circumstances. I think your stories are so well told and illustrated in a fashion, that will, in this modern world, go down in history.

Hello Paul - I was fortunate to be speaking with a fellow friend, Tim McCole, who informed me that he was at a recent book signing event with the release of your book "The Other Casualty of War". He obtained a signed copy for me and sent it to me in Detroit.

Growing up in a similar time frame as you, and faced with many of the challenges and fears you faced regarding the "conflict" in Nam, I felt it necessary to send you this note in appreciation of your sincere and personal approach to educate others of what those times and conditions did to many of us. Hopefully, society will learn a valuable lesson, at the cost of many unfortunate, as to the after effects many have dealt with since this ordeal was called to a halt. Only time will tell -

My sincere best wishes to you and your family.

Greg Dreyer

Comments: "This narrative was very moving. My husband was in Vietnam and had experiences like yours. When was the incident you described? My husband was on Vung Chua Mountain in 1969."

An Email I received:

Paul, I have finished reading your book and just wanted to comment as you requested. To tell you I enjoyed reading your book just doesn't describe my feeling about it. You just would not believe how much our experiences mirror each others.

I also arrived 1st of April 1968 and went exactly the same as you to Phu Tai. I spent several weeks hauling Vietnamese from our compound to their Ville's. One big difference I knew how to drive a truck. I also remember the Transportation Company ordeal.

Your book did rekindle a lot of thoughts of that time in my life. I even had a dream of VC trying to get into our compound. That happens from time to time.

I sure hope you find someone to publish your book. Your story need to be told. Keep the faith. Good things happen to good people.

Take Care,
Dennis Helm

You are one those men that we read about as young boys. The guy that got sent off to war, experienced the terror and horrific fear. You survived and you are sharing your experience with all of us who will never know what that could've been like.
Bob Upton
www.reverebeach.com

I just finished reading your book a few minutes ago, and I was very impressed and moved, by your writing style, abilities, and by the content of what you wrote.

I wish you luck in finding a publisher, your story deserves to be told. You are a very remarkable person, Your wife and daughter are just as amazing. You were indeed blessed the day Dale agreed to share her life with you, but I'm pretty sure you already know that.
Lisa Trinemyer

Dear Paul,
Thanks for sending the PDF file of your manuscript. Personally I really like stories like yours. I always find so much that reminds me of own experiences, and it's great to see what other guys did in Vietnam and hear real stories about real guys instead of some of the over-written professional stuff.

Best wishes for your future success, and thank you for the opportunity to read your story.

Christian Nelson
VietNow National Editor