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Through the Valley: Vietnam, 1967-1968 1999 Published by Lynne Rienner Publishers, Inc.; 1800 30th St., Boulder, CO, 80301 |
Review by Gary L. Noller
James F. Humphries served two tours with the 196th Lt. Inf. Bde. in Vietnam. In 1967-68 he commanded the reconnaissance element and Co. D of the 3/21st Inf. Bn. In 1970-71 he served on the brigade staff and later as 3/21st Operations Officer (S-3).
Humphries' diverse experiences certainly qualify him to write about the combat actions he witnessed. However, he does not rely only on his own observations. His thorough research and attention to detail result in a work that is scholarly as well as compelling.
Official military records help bring authenticity, completeness, and clarity to the combat narration. Humphries is able to name and describe the VC/NVA units opposing the Allied forces. He also goes through great pains to provide maps and sketches of the battles he describes.
Military documents do not tell the personal stories of those that fought and died in the jungles and paddies. Humphries calls upon the soldiers who were there to give their accounts of what they endured. Their gripping tales of horror and bravery are equal to anything that has been written about Vietnam combat.
In 1967 the three infantry battalions of the 196th Lt. Inf. Bde, the 2/1st, 3/21st, and 4/31st, were sent to the northern part of the newly formed Americal Division's Area of Operation. Hiep Duc valley and Que Son valley were longtime strongholds of hardened enemy forces. The mission assigned to the Americans was to locate and destroy the enemy and to secure Highway 1 and the provincial capital of Tam Ky.
The mission was not easy. Large enemy units moved in broad daylight to attack American firebases and infantry units. Humphries describes the January, 1968 battles in Hiep Duc valley that lasted for eight days. The enemy took heavy casualties and finally broke off the advance. However, the Americans had also suffered severely including the taking of several POWs.
Battles large and small were fought throughout Humphries' tour. He describes the combat of Phu Binh and March 11 in the Hiep Duc valley. Later, units of the 196th were sent north of the Cua Viet River to assist the U.S. Marines near the DMZ. Fierce and deadly fighting resulted in the villages of Nhi Ha and Lam Xuan.
Humphries does not fail to recognize the contributions of combat units other than the infantry. The exceptional efforts of aviation, artillery, and cavalry are well noted. Air support was especially critical and it was provided by crews of Rattler, Spooky, Helix, and Moonglow aircraft.
On June 12, 1968 Humphries was wounded in a battle on Hill 104. He was on his last scheduled combat mission. He served another twenty years in the Army and retired as a Colonel. He now lives in Germany and is researching another book on Vietnam.
Through the Valley is another piece in the puzzle of the history of the Americal Division in Vietnam. It is a must-read for anyone claming to be knowledgeable about Vietnam combat. Humphries is to be commended for the excellence and professionalism he exhibits in his superlative work. With it he honors those who served.
A personal note about March 11, 1968
My twin brother and I were born on October 13, 1947. We were six weeks premature and underweight so we had to stay in the hospital for a while to gain our strength. At the end of the first week of November we were joined by another baby. He was James Leo Nufer.
My brother and I grew up with James in Dodge City, Kansas. 
We attended the same church and schools and ran around together during our teenage years. James was my lab partner in 10th grade Biology. The first time I bought hard whiskey I was with James. We were eighteen at the time.
James was a good friend and we had a lot of fun running around together. His father owned an auto repair business and we spent many summer nights in the shop. We worked on his '57 Ford or his '66 Mustang. On weekends he raced the cars at area dragstrips. I was his pit crew.
James left college after our first year and was drafted into the Army later that year. He was home for Christmas, 1967 and left for Vietnam just after our New Year's celebration. He was assigned to Co. B, 3/21st Inf., 196th Lt. Inf. Bde., Americal Division. (Right: 1965 photo of James Leo Nufer).
I received an e-mail this past summer from COL James Humphries announcing the publication of his book Through the Valley. He said that he was writing about the 3/21st Inf. in 1967-68. I asked him if he was going to include March 11 in his book. He replied that he was.
I acquired a copy of the book as soon as it was published. When it arrived I immediately went to Chapter 20. It was titled 11 March. I quickly read the description of the battle that took place that day.
On page 182, the words of SFC George Fritz simply said, "I had one dead and one shot through the jaw. When I asked what happened, I was told they decided to expand the perimeter and had stepped up on the next terrace for a better view of the situation. That's when Charlie opened up, killing one while wounding another."
Fritz didn't give the name of the dead soldier. He didn't have to. I already knew who it was. It was James Leo Nufer.
I had literally known James my whole life. I could not believe he was gone. I have never allowed myself to grieve for him, for to do so would require my admitting to the truth. For years I had dreams that he finally returned home, that his reported death was a tragic mistake.
I am glad that James served with good soldiers like George Fritz and Jerry MacDonald and Tony May. Years ago they told me about March 11 and how they wish they could have brought everyone back. Those of us who were there, we all feel that way. We will always feel that way. We always wish our dreams would come true.
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For more reading material related to the Americal Division, there's the Army's Official History of the division and additional bibliographical information.