JUNGLE GHOSTS by Ed Mann (epub)(Nonfiction)

Jungle Ghosts by Ed Mann (ePub) (Nonfiction)
Full Title: Jungle Ghosts: Walking Point in Vietnam
Author: Ed Mann
First Published: May 16, 2025

Jungle Ghosts: Walking Point in Vietnam is a gripping, immersive memoir by Ed Mann, recounting his harrowing year as an infantry soldier in the famed 1st Air Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War (June 1969–June 1970). Mann specialized in “walking point”—the most dangerous position in a patrol, leading the way through the jungle, exposed to ambushes, mines, and enemy fire.

Mann was wounded several times and received multiple decorations, including the Silver Star, Bronze Star with “V” device, Army Commendation Medal with “V” device, and two Purple Hearts. His story is not just one of survival, but of transformation: as the months passed, he became more attuned to the jungle, his senses sharpened, and he grappled with the psychological toll of war. He describes the adrenaline, the pride in performing a vital role, and the seductive pull of danger—even as he was repulsed by the war’s senselessness and brutality.