Uncommon Bond Reviews
Thankfully all the things that happened to Hanson did not happen to me. The travel to Vietnam, check in, etc. was from my experience. The units involved were mine as well including the duty assignments for 2/20th Aerial Rocket Artillery and Division Artillery. I flew somewhere almost every day to check on troops at firebases and the pilots of the Cobras stationed at Tay Ninh, Quan Loi, and Phuoc Vinh. Because of the frequent travels I conversed with pilots, crewmen and also the artillerymen at the firebases. I gained a lot of knowledge from them. Several of my best friends were Cobra pilots and furnished me with harrowing tales of firefights around the bases.
Although I didn’t know him personally, a flight surgeon from the 1st Cavalry was taken prisoner from his downed helicopter and eventually was taken to Hanoi. I think he spent 5 years there.
I saw many tunnels including one underground hospital complex. I expanded on my knowledge by reading several books.
I never met an NVA surgeon but did spend time with captured VC and NVA soldiers when I examined them for illnesses. The language barrier limited our conversations but I did learn a little of their daily struggles.
I learned much about the usual Vietnamese life from my contact with villages near my unit’s base camp. My commander allowed me and my medics to use a truck to take medical supplies to the villages and perform MEDCAP (medical civil action programs) We treated men, women and children for all types of diseases. We went so frequently that I developed friendships and learned much about their daily struggles just to survive.
I was subjected to rocket and mortar attacks just like all the 1st Cavalry troopers but was never involved in a firefight and for that I am most grateful to the excellent soldiers who protected our perimeters.
Thanks to my unit assignment I spent time in almost every type helicopter including the Huey, LOH, and Cobra mentioned in the story. I frequently watched Sky Cranes and Chinooks in action as they transported their massive loads including howitzers.
— Dr. John House, author of Uncommon Bond
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John House’s Uncommon Bond is a unique and interesting story set in the jungles of Vietnam.
Captain Hanson is a flight surgeon who finds himself shot down shortly after arriving in Vietnam. He is quickly captured, and finds himself in the care of a surgeon of the North Vietnamese Army in an underground hospital. Both the captor and the prisoner, though patriotic and loyal to their respective countries, realize that they are more medical professionals than soldiers, and build a friendship based on mutual respect. Soon, however, that will be tested when Hanson faces a poignant dilemma. Does he follow the code of conduct that forbids giving comfort to the enemy, or does he honor his Hippocratic Oath to alleviate suffering wherever he finds it?
I especially enjoyed the character development in this book. House calls upon his own experience in Vietnam to enhance Hanson’s character, and does an equally wonderful job with the NVA doctor. Both jump from the pages as people deserving of good fortune, so much so that I found myself wanting a happy ending for both of them, which is difficult in a book that features two “enemies.”
Well-written, authentic, and entertaining, this is a fast-moving, enjoyable read about the more human side of war. Those interested in the medical profession, military medicine, or the POW experience in Vietnam will find plenty to appreciate in this book.
MWSA Reviewer: Rob Ballister (Feb 2017)
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MWSA Review
“This book feels and sounds like an actual combat adventure mainly because the author, John House, knows a thing or two about the Vietnam War. He served there as a flight surgeon and his expertise to detail shows. The book is a fictionalized accounting of the POW experience of a doctor but the emotions and drama played out is as real as it gets. It is moving with both action and in its detailed story telling. It is a book that once you have begun to read it, you stay with it into the darkest hours of early morning trying to find out what is going to happen next. A FIVE STAR BOOK!”
- William ”Rev. Bill” McDonald, Founder of the Military Writer’s Society of America
Author, International Motivational Speaker, Poet, and Purple Heart Vietnam Veteran
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Military Writer’s Society of America (MWSA) Awards the Bronze Medal to the historical fiction, Uncommon Bond by Dr. John House! http://www.mwsadispatches.com/library/2018/uncommon-bond https://loiaconoliteraryagency.com/military-writers-society-of-america-mwsa-awards-the-bronze-medal-to-the-historical-fiction-uncommon-bond-by-dr-john-house/
What an incredible story about humanity in the midst of the hell called the Vietnam War. Dr. House’s exemplary prose and storytelling makes you feel like you are experiencing each character’s trauma and elation. I highly recommend this book and all his books. Fantastic author!
- CJ Loiacono