Richard Burns had a unique war, as befits as unique MOS. The Pathfinders have a storied history; they were the first units to jump into Normandy, setting guidance equipment for the main waves of paratroopers to arrive later. Burns was a Pathfinder in the 1960s, and as well as paratroop techniques, he was trained in the management of a helicopter landing zone, the delicate dance of landing and extracting troops as quickly and safely as possible under fire, in bad weather, or any other circumstances.

Burn's memoir is a chronological account of his time as a Pathfinder, from training stateside through his first deployment. There are plenty of interesting pieces, from him refusing an order from a Colonel to execute an extraction from an unsafe firezone, a unit dog named Torch, helping build firebase Bastogne near the A Shau valley, and training at the Recondo school, where graduation involved a deep patrol against the active enemy. As a special unit, the Pathfinders wen't a lot of places and did a lot of things, and Burns volunteered for more duties, including Recondo school and a couple of runs as a Huey door gunner.

Burns is clear, journeyman-like writer. Better than many, while not quite in the top tier of truly great memoirists. But this is still a good book, and well worth a read.