By Honor Bound: Two Navy SEALs, the Medal of Honor, and a Story of Extraordinary Courage

First to those honorable Navy Seals, thank you for your service. My husband is a Mustang Officer who served in the Navy in Viet Nam. He and I sit during cocktail hour as he tells his war stories, and I am in awe and respond by saying are you sure?At one time I was single, working for a Congressman on Capitol Hill and was fortunate to meet some members of the Navy. I have never met anyone who served in the Navy who has not loved it and who has not spent hours talking about it. Many who got out early regret it.The book flows well and familiarizes the reader about the workings of the Navy Seals. The requests the teams received in Viet Nam sometimes were to go far north to rescue pilots left me in suspense!! Tom your are one lucky Dude! Their hoisting you into the ship seemed impossible, but then nothing is impossible for a Seal. It is a fantastic book about two Medal of Honors recipients who served with the same Team.This makes this book a "gotta read". There was a difference in the Teams who served in Viet Nam and the Middle East. The difference, Viet Nam needed more Teams. Tom, I held my breath the entire time they were rescuing you. Quite a rescue!!! You are one lucky Dude.

I really like the style the author uses throughout the book with two interviewees and him as the narrator. He presents the factual accounts of both MoH recipients along with their service and post service lives. No bluster, no theatrics or drama, just the way it was, pure and simple. The author did a great job of avoiding the urge to embellish and let the facts of the story be enough. And they are enough. This book is a good window into the lives of two amazing men and the close nit SEAL community they are a part of.

I am honored to be allowed to read about the greatness of these Men. I was about 8 when I watched Mr. Mike receive his Medal. The honor was greater in meeting this great person.

The 571st MI Detachment relayed intelligence to the SEALs, via the NILO in Da Nang, during the Easter Offensive of 1972, and I find it interesting that there are no references given in this book at all.Also odd was the statement (p.9) that “Neither of us knew much about what was going on up north, but we knew a major battle in Quang Tri Province just south of the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) was in progress.” Odd because their meeting took place on 9 Apr 72, which, by that time, NVA activity was taking place in every corps area and not just in I Corps where the Easter Offensive began on 30 Mar 72. Virtually every day, the Stars and Stripes ran articles about the offensive, as well.The SA-2 was not “a forerunner of the SA-11” (p.11), either – the SA-6 was the forerunner of the SA-11. The closest SAM system to the SA-2 (considered a strategic system) is the SA-10.The sometimes repeated nonsense about Hambleton having special knowledge making it imperative to rescue him doesn’t wash. If he was so valuable a resource, he wouldn’t have been sent to fly over Vietnam. There is little doubt that the VC and agents inside the South Vietnamese military and government knew where most U.S. intelligence units were in-country and could have attempted to kidnap personnel as they wished.The no-bomb zone was automatically imposed by the Air Force, too. The 27km circle over Hambleton was immediately applied without the knowledge of what exactly was occurring in the ground. The Army and Marines of both countries were not at all happy as the NVA tanks, APCs and infantry made their southward trek, almost risk free. Aircraft that should have been used to kill the enemy were diverted elsewhere and enemy forces had to be addressed on another day.I enjoyed reading the book.

I knew the stories of these two men for more than 40 years. But, to read both stories and as well written as it could be by another former Navy SEAL and best selling author. I truly enjoyed it and had a hard time putting it down. The format was different as well. The author referred to himself as the narrator, which was very fitting from this reader’s perspective. I hear there is going to be a movie made about this, I’ll be first in line!

I am almost speechless after reading this book. In the interest of full disclosure let me make clear I am a retired Special Agent of the FBI. I only mention that because after recovering from his horrific head wound Tommy Norris went on to become a Special Agent of the FBI. The fact we carried the same little gold badge around in our pocket is the only similarity between Tommy and the rest of us little boys and girls who served our country in that job. Him and Mike Thornton are giants among men. They are on the same level as Superman. Don't believe me, just read this book.Until recently I have been somewhat depressed as to what the political process is bringing this country in who will be the next commander in chief (no capitalization on purpose) either dumb or dumber. I am not sure which one is which. A clueless buffoon and draft dodger who had the audacity to mock John McCain, or a vile ill tempered lying crook who has shown nothing but disdain for our military her entire life.After reading this book I now realize it does not matter. As long as we have men like Tommy Norris and Mike Thornton walking among us. Drinking the same water and breathing the same air as the rest of us. Rising to the occasion when necessary and doing what has to be done. As long as we have men like that in this country we will be just fine.Thank you men. Thank you for your service and dedication to this country and your fellow comrades.Wow!

A Medal of Honor winner saved by a future Medal of Honor winner,what more can you say.The book covers the background and make-up of these two Navy SEAL heroes,then covers both MOH winning actions.This book was a huge eye opener on another famous episode of the Vietnam War,BAT-21.The real story of BAT-21 is here and it is the first MOH winning story-the movie was all Hollywood and barely some form of truth to it.If you like military history,books on SEAL actions in Vietnam,rare courage-you will enjoy this book.