Book Reviews

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  “Gus Kappler’s book is a remarkable work….It has many lessons essential for Americans in today’s world - - personal courage in adversity, how to  understand and function in foreign cultures, the need to cultivate social responsibility for those who serve their country and more….Dr.Kappler’s own story is inspiring and his insights on the larger context in which it unfolds have a vital message for all those concerned about America at home and abroad.”   

 - RALPH BUULTJENS     New York University and Cambridge University (UK)  

 “Welcome Home is a riveting and bitting memoir by one of the corps of unsung heroes of the unpopular Vietnam War: the medical professionals who struggled to save the lives of America’s gravely wounded young soldiers. Dr. Kappler’s gripping account of the daily life or death challenges facing Army medical teams working in remote and difficult conditions makes for compelling reading. His commentary about the inadequacies of PTSD treatment are still very timely now that America is involved in even more conflicts around the globe.”   

 - CAPTAIN CHARLES CONNOR, USN (RET)   

“It has long been my opinion that each Vietnam veteran’s experience is unique to the veteran. Never has a book come so close to my personal experience as this one. Thanks Gus, for taking the time to get the ‘welcome home’ right.”     

- PHIL KRAFT - SP5 US ARMY LONG BINH 1970 

 Executive Director - National Veterans Service Fund   

“Welcome Home From Vietnam, Finally is an autobiography of a compassionate, dedicated, Army trauma surgeon who highlights the carnage of war and the lasting effects of post traumatic stress disorder (PTS). A thoughtful insight by Dr. Kappler as to how this disorder may be managed is worth considering.”   

 - ROGER KING, M.D. – TRAUMA SURGEON 85TH   EVACUATION HOSPITAL, VIETNAM, ’70 - ‘71  

Retired General and Vascular Surgeon, Morgantown, WV     

 “One of the best books I have read about Viet Nam. I was a Navy combat Corpsman (8404) with the 1st Marine Division in VN. I am a 2 time Purple Heart recipient. I got to see both sides of the story as a first responder and as a patient. The parallels between Dr.Kappler’s experience and that of mine and other Army medics and Navy Corpsmen are similar but different in the stages at which we became involved with patients. My job was to keep them alive long enough to evac them to Dr.’s like Gus so he could get them stabilized and on to more definitive care.”              

- DAVE DEVRIES - USMC CORPSMAN (HM2 )  ’65 – ‘72  

     “Well said.” “I was a GMO   with the 5th/4th Arty in Quang Tri, RVN, 3/70-11/70, then at the 93rd Evac   until 3/71. I experienced many of the   conflicting emotions you related. It is   undeniable that the Vietnam experience has shaped my life and my psyche, and   this book gives voice to the brutality and reality of that war and our loss   of innocence.”   

- ROBERT JOSEPH, M.D. – GENERAL   MEDICAL OFFICER (GMO) QUANG TRI and 93rd EVACUATION HOSPITAL,   VIETNAM, ’70 – ‘71 

Retired Medical Oncologist,   Longview, WA