Fallen Angels

Myers, Walter Dean. Fallen Angels. Scholastic Inc.:1988. ISBN: 0590409425.

Summary:
Upon high school graduation Richie Perry joined the Army and finds himself on a flight to the war in Vietnam. The year is 1967 and the rumor in country is that a truce will soon be signed and the war will be over. Richie meets Army nurse Judy Duncan and fellow squad mate "Peewee" Gates on the flight. Like Richie, Peewee is also an African American from a big city. Richie was not suppose to go to Vietnam. He has a medical 'profile' because of a problem with his knee, but because of a mix up Richie sits on this flight. Hoping the issue can be sorted out upon arrival, Richie pleads his case to various officers and is told to work it out once he arrives at his unit. Bringing up the profile to his new company commander is not easy and the commander assumes Richie is trying to avoid combat. Richie decides not to push it and just wait for the paperwork to catch up to him and meanwhile hope his knee holds out while on patrol. Patrols are terrifying. Everything about them, the helicopter ride, landing, being on alert is immensely stressful. Confusion, combat, boredom and waiting make up the Vietnam experience.

Evaluation:
A stark, realistic view of what combat is like physically and mentally. Walter Dean Myers gives an unflinching look at what war really is and what being a soldier in war entails. Written for a young adult audience, this novel is powerful and enlightening for adult readers as well. Do seventeen and eighteen year old young people really understand what they are signing up for when they enlist? Richie states, "You tell people what this is really like and who's going to come to the next war" (page 268). The author sheds light on these questions in a way that blends with the story and doesn't sound didactic. He also shows the enemy as people, not just an idea that is threatening our ideals or political agendas. "Saying you were trying to stop Communism or stuff like that was different than shooting somebody"(189). Richie learned that the 'enemy' he was killing was just boys his age. He was trapped, kill or be killed. The point is also made that the younger enlisted ranks are filled with minorities, and youth from urban and those living in poverty.This circumstance has not changed. Today's ranks are full of youth looking for a better life and opportunity and who like Richie, feel they can't achieve that in the World. A young adult who is considering joining the military would benefit from reading this book and Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick. It may not change their mind, but at least they will have clearer understanding of what is being asked of them.

Reader's Annotation:
War is not the same as an ideal. It is a harsh reality.

Bibliotherapeutic Uses:
This novel could be used with someone who is considering joining the military or someone dealing with issues after getting out. Shared experiences can be validating and make us feel like we are not alone. Richie will have nightmares for a long time. The soldiers in his unit wondered if their reactions to the inhumanity of war were normal, for example seeing the enemy and reacting when nothing was actually there. These circumstances are universal and not specific to a particular war or country.

Genre:
Issue Novel/Death and Deadly Disease

Why I Chose This Book:
I have been interested in reading a book by Walter Dean Myers for some time, but my school schedule has prevented it. Also, my son joined the Marine Corp at age 21 after deciding college wasn't working out for him and he needed a break from our family situation. I have struggled with this decision and cried through deployments. I have been reading war related books because I want to know what he has been through so I can be there for him.