---
product_id: 4529627
title: "The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War"
price: "₨814"
currency: SCR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 8
url: https://www.desertcart.sc/products/4529627-the-killing-zone-my-life-in-the-vietnam-war
store_origin: SC
region: Seychelles
---

# The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War

**Price:** ₨814
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War
- **How much does it cost?** ₨814 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sc](https://www.desertcart.sc/products/4529627-the-killing-zone-my-life-in-the-vietnam-war)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War [Downs Jr., Frederick] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War

Review: DON'T GO PAST THIS BOOK !! - I read this book on Kindle and for a pleasant change the Kindle edition did not have many typos. Frederick wrote the book in order to give people an impression of what it felt like to serve in the Vietnam War. He says he wrote the book because some-one scoffed off at his being physically maimed in the Vietnam War. The negativity that ran through our society both during and after that war was intense. Frederick had been badly wounded and maimed in the Vietnam War and then went to university to complete some studies. It was some gutless little academic twit, that had no idea of the difference between a government ideological policy setting for war and a tragic personal human situation that had a go at him; a worm with no compassion. Frederick's writing is somewhat bland and there is a requirement to use your imagination when reading this book. The account is some-thing like an outline of events that happened to him in his time in Vietnam. Nonetheless, for those of us who have served in the army at about that time the account is quite gripping. This is not a pleasant Sunday in the Park story and if you're thinking that you might like to read something like that then don't read this book; go and read some Mills and Boon. The story starts rapidly as Frederick is posted to his unit in Vietnam and then off up to his divisional command where he is assigned a bridge on Highway 1 to guard from Vietcong, who are continually mining the highway. You get the impression that the troops in Vietnam although supported by a large military apparatus were in many respects really on their own, isolated, in enemy territory and living in a state of perpetual fear. But the guarding of the bridge is merely a prelude to actually walking around stalking the enemy in the hills and mountains behind the bridge. The physical circumstances of this situation are alluded to but not necessarily spelled out in detail and this is where your imagination needs to be used; the heat; the dampness; the bug life; the physical stress; the lack of sleep; the enemy; all come together in a setting of human against the elements and human against human. There is a brief interlude of R&R and then back to the jungle further north in an even more extreme situation. The ease with which someone could become lost and alone and under enemy assault is pretty amazing. The fact that an area could be cleared and then as the rest of the troops moved through, a booby-trap of some sort go off, ads to the tension in the book. The attrition rate, of the men in the platoon, in one way, shape or form is pretty high due to the extreme situations that they faced. It is important to remember that most of these men were only 19 to 23 years of age. In fact near the end of the book, Frederick mentions that the platoon he went in with, was not the one he went out with and of course, he didn't go out himself, rather, he was taken out in a medical dust off badly wounded and near death. If you want to read a history of the Vietnam War then there are plenty books that you can find to satisfy that desire, "A Ten Thousand Day War" comes to my mind. If however, you want to get an armchair feel for what it was like to actually experience life in that situation then Frederick's book is a five-star solution. For those interested in the Vietnam War I heartily recommend this title as part of your reading effort to understand what it was like to be on the front line in Vietnam.
Review: I highly recommend this book for a true glimpse into the soldier’s perspective of the Vietnam war. - The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War is easily one of the best Vietnam war books. Based on the true story of Frederick Downs’ deployment to Vietnam in 1967-1968, the book reads like a diary and articulates his experiences in detail. It provides amazing insight into what was going on in his mind (and around him) as he learns to adapt to the chaos of combat while keeping his men alive. Right from the book’s preface I was pulled in to the story when he described his post-deployment encounter with a man at the University of Denver in which the man sees his amputation above his left elbow and says, “Serves you right.” Wow. It’s easy to question another person’s morality when yours has never been truly tested. One of the most powerful passages for me was also the following: “Man’s beginning and man’s end would always be attended by only a few. Those that bore him at birth and those that bore him at death. The only important thing was what he did in between.” I read the updated reprint of the book and found the Afterword provided an insightful look into the after effects of his deployment, from his career with the VA to his closure revisiting Vietnam 20 years later. He also provided pieces of after action reports that described the fate of his fellow soldiers after his war-ending encounter with a “Bouncing Betty”. I highly recommend this book for a true glimpse into the soldier’s perspective of the Vietnam war.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN  | 0393310892 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #166,709 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #88 in Southeast Asia History #122 in Vietnam War History (Books) #4,329 in Memoirs (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (945) |
| Dimensions  | 5.6 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches |
| Edition  | Reissue |
| ISBN-10  | 9780393310894 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0393310894 |
| Item Weight  | 8.8 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 272 pages |
| Publication date  | February 17, 2007 |
| Publisher  | W. W. Norton & Company |

## Images

![The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71QhaYR+97L.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ DON'T GO PAST THIS BOOK !!
*by B***H on November 14, 2011*

I read this book on Kindle and for a pleasant change the Kindle edition did not have many typos. Frederick wrote the book in order to give people an impression of what it felt like to serve in the Vietnam War. He says he wrote the book because some-one scoffed off at his being physically maimed in the Vietnam War. The negativity that ran through our society both during and after that war was intense. Frederick had been badly wounded and maimed in the Vietnam War and then went to university to complete some studies. It was some gutless little academic twit, that had no idea of the difference between a government ideological policy setting for war and a tragic personal human situation that had a go at him; a worm with no compassion. Frederick's writing is somewhat bland and there is a requirement to use your imagination when reading this book. The account is some-thing like an outline of events that happened to him in his time in Vietnam. Nonetheless, for those of us who have served in the army at about that time the account is quite gripping. This is not a pleasant Sunday in the Park story and if you're thinking that you might like to read something like that then don't read this book; go and read some Mills and Boon. The story starts rapidly as Frederick is posted to his unit in Vietnam and then off up to his divisional command where he is assigned a bridge on Highway 1 to guard from Vietcong, who are continually mining the highway. You get the impression that the troops in Vietnam although supported by a large military apparatus were in many respects really on their own, isolated, in enemy territory and living in a state of perpetual fear. But the guarding of the bridge is merely a prelude to actually walking around stalking the enemy in the hills and mountains behind the bridge. The physical circumstances of this situation are alluded to but not necessarily spelled out in detail and this is where your imagination needs to be used; the heat; the dampness; the bug life; the physical stress; the lack of sleep; the enemy; all come together in a setting of human against the elements and human against human. There is a brief interlude of R&R and then back to the jungle further north in an even more extreme situation. The ease with which someone could become lost and alone and under enemy assault is pretty amazing. The fact that an area could be cleared and then as the rest of the troops moved through, a booby-trap of some sort go off, ads to the tension in the book. The attrition rate, of the men in the platoon, in one way, shape or form is pretty high due to the extreme situations that they faced. It is important to remember that most of these men were only 19 to 23 years of age. In fact near the end of the book, Frederick mentions that the platoon he went in with, was not the one he went out with and of course, he didn't go out himself, rather, he was taken out in a medical dust off badly wounded and near death. If you want to read a history of the Vietnam War then there are plenty books that you can find to satisfy that desire, "A Ten Thousand Day War" comes to my mind. If however, you want to get an armchair feel for what it was like to actually experience life in that situation then Frederick's book is a five-star solution. For those interested in the Vietnam War I heartily recommend this title as part of your reading effort to understand what it was like to be on the front line in Vietnam.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I highly recommend this book for a true glimpse into the soldier’s perspective of the Vietnam war.
*by E***S on December 24, 2018*

The Killing Zone: My Life in the Vietnam War is easily one of the best Vietnam war books. Based on the true story of Frederick Downs’ deployment to Vietnam in 1967-1968, the book reads like a diary and articulates his experiences in detail. It provides amazing insight into what was going on in his mind (and around him) as he learns to adapt to the chaos of combat while keeping his men alive. Right from the book’s preface I was pulled in to the story when he described his post-deployment encounter with a man at the University of Denver in which the man sees his amputation above his left elbow and says, “Serves you right.” Wow. It’s easy to question another person’s morality when yours has never been truly tested. One of the most powerful passages for me was also the following: “Man’s beginning and man’s end would always be attended by only a few. Those that bore him at birth and those that bore him at death. The only important thing was what he did in between.” I read the updated reprint of the book and found the Afterword provided an insightful look into the after effects of his deployment, from his career with the VA to his closure revisiting Vietnam 20 years later. He also provided pieces of after action reports that described the fate of his fellow soldiers after his war-ending encounter with a “Bouncing Betty”. I highly recommend this book for a true glimpse into the soldier’s perspective of the Vietnam war.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very honest, very gritty. Downs explores his inner thoughts.
*by B***S on April 13, 2011*

Frederick Downs was a an infantry officer in Vietnam from late 1967 through early 1968 when he was severely wounded and ultimately lifted out the war. His story, written in 1978 is honest, gritty and full of inner thoughts. From the writing style, he comes across as smart, determined and a good soldier. There is no gung-ho, let me at em type of rhetoric but more of there's a job to do, let's do it and not be stupid. His concerns for the men in his command grow over his time in country and as more of his men are killed, wounded or rotated out of Vietnam he takes the pain more and more personally. It wears away at his inner soul. He's honest to a fault insomuch as he refers to all Vietnamese as "dinks" whether friend or foe. He castigates the ARVN soldiers as useless, afraid to fight and more than willing to let the Americans die in their place. He highlights many problems about the whole Vietnam episode but, even at his lowest point, there's a job to do and men to protect. More than likely, the welfare and protection of his men is what kept him sane and on task. I've read many, many Vietnam memoirs. All the writings are guttural and honest but, somehow, Downs' memoir goes a little further in exploring his inner thoughts. The tone of the book is one of someone who has a job to do and isn't too concerned with the politics that got him to where he is. His job is to make sure his men survive by employing sound, sensible and tested tactics against an enemy that is cunning, dirty and determined. Vietnam seemed to have a way of turning young boys into men quickly in that, spit, shine, patriotism and gung-ho are replaced by survival in a hurry. Down's was injured severely and the original book ended where his heart stopped on an operating table. In 2007 he added an afterword that goes on to detail his unit's missions after his untimely departure due to his injuries. He also brings us up to date on the whereabouts of his men since Vietnam. Also, the afterword details his many trips back to Vietnam as a U.S. envoy trying to open dialogue aimed at learning more about U.S. MIA, POW. It's a great story that, for me, is one of the better ones. Thank you for your service Mr. Downs and thank you so much for writing it all down for us.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sc/products/4529627-the-killing-zone-my-life-in-the-vietnam-war](https://www.desertcart.sc/products/4529627-the-killing-zone-my-life-in-the-vietnam-war)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Seychelles*
*Store origin: SC*
*Last updated: 2026-02-16*