TAPS: The Silent Victims of the Vietnam War: The Families Left Behind

Product Description

Reflections of a US Army Casualty Notification and Survivor’s Assistance Officer assigned to the Lowcountry of South Carolina at the height of the Vietnam War (1964-66). George M. Motz’s experiences as a young US Army lieutenant stationed at the Charleston Army Depot in the mid-1960s, where he performed the often difficult task of being the first to inform a local family that their loved one had been killed in action in Vietnam.

Review

Set in Charleston, South Carolina in the mid-1960’s, “Taps: the Silent Victims of the Vietnam War – the Families Left Behind” chronicles the author’s experiences as an Army Casualty Notification and Survivors Assistance Officer. Of special note, Motz discusses the impact of that war on Southern black families, set against the severe racial tensions of the mid-1960’s. An assignment to go undercover to a KKK meeting and his surprise at rejection by the parents of a prospective date because he was a Catholic Yankee in the military, personalized the degree of prejudice. Motz’ writing style is eloquent and engaging. There is a lot to like about this book, and I wholeheartedly rate it 4 out of 4 stars. It will appeal to fans of memoirs and readers who enjoy books about civil rights and the Vietnam War.

Cecilia L. Online Book Club

From the Author

When I finally sat down to write “Taps”, I imagined it to be a pure memoir of my unusual experience as an officer in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. Once completed; however, I came to realize that the message it offered was far more important than the story of one soldier serving stateside in a very unpopular war. 

Almost every story written about that war has focused on the difficulties on the battlefield and the heroic challenges met by brave young men and women. “Taps”, on the other hand, is entirely focused on the terrible effect of war on the families of those sacrificed on those bloody battlefields. 

As the first person standing face-to-face with the next-of-kin and immediate family on their front porch, giving them the worst news of their life, I was in a unique position to fully grasp the depth of despair caused by war. Black or white, rich or poor, city dwellers of country folks, the reaction never varied. Shock, disbelief, horror, anger, and beneath all, always a sense of pride for their son or daughter’s sacrifice for their country.

 My wise commanding officer, realizing that dealing with death on a daily basis would be tough for anyone, especially for a 23-24 year old, threw in several part-time assignments designed to lighten things up a bit including: an undercover assignment as a ‘potential recruit’ at a KKK rally; a judge at a Miss America beauty pageant; best man at a quickie wedding; and an evaluator  of “OFF LIMITS” houses of prostitution, including the legendary Sunset Lodge. For pure fun, he he also included: an underwater trip in a nuclear submarine, and a flight aboard an F-4 Phantom fighter jet used by the Navy Blue Angels aerobatic teams. In turn, I have strategically included those experiences in “Taps” to  lighten the readers load.

From the Back Cover

Lieutenant George Motz spent his time on active duty first notifying, and then consoling and guiding the families of soldiers killed in action during the Vietnam War. Families whose dreams were destroyed and hearts broken by the news he was obligated to give them. I may have bench-pressed well over 400 lbs., but he was the strong man here. This is a story that needed to be told and George has told it with compassion and a depth of feeling that should make all who read it mindful of the true cost of all wars — the loved ones left behind. WELL DONE!!! 

Rear Admiral Thomas R. Richards, US Navy (Retired) Commander of Naval Special Warfare.

As producers of musical tribute concerts starring veterans, we are blessed to learn about the guts of a veteran deployment.George Motz’ role in the Vietnam War at such a controversial t