The review, written by Curt Nelson, said, in part, "McGrail’s two-volume set ... is a treasure chest of well-organized and carefully researched, alphabetized biographical sketches of more than two hundred veterans from Maine’s Boothbay area. The books provide many unique personal wartime experiences.

"Many of the entries deal with the heat, humidity, monsoons, and the smells and dangerous creatures in Vietnam. Army Infantryman Ernest Carver, for example, encountered pit vipers, wild pigs, red deer, rats, mosquitoes, monkeys, elephants, and tigers. 'The leeches were terrible,' the author notes. 'During the rainy season, or monsoon season, Ernie said it was impossible to keep dry.'

"In addition to the first-person accounts, these volumes also include addenda on subjects such as the history of the POW/MIA bracelet, song lyrics, photo albums, and poems."