Saigon Warrior: From the Saigon Good Life to the Long Binh Jail

Cynic. Opportunist. Weasel.

“A brutally honest and darkly funny take on the Vietnam War.” “McDonald’s memoir is as raw and real as they come.” “An irreverent journey through the Vietnam War’s lesser-known stories.” These are some of the nicer comments about Al McDonald’s military service. However, in 1966 the young airman only wanted to get the hell out of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, the worst Air Force base in the country. He finally gets out by volunteering for Vietnam. As a Saigon Warrior and black marketeer, he revels in all the hedonistic pleasures the city offers. The good life comes to a screeching halt when he ends up in the notorious Long Binh Jail. This short memoir is a compelling read for all those people who were skeptical about the Vietnam War. It turns out that they were absolutely right. 

"McDonald’s memoir is as raw and real as they come."

"An irreverent journey through the Vietnam War’s lesser-known stories."

These are some of the nicer comments about Al McDonald’s military service.  However, in 1966 the young airman only wanted to get the hell out of Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, the worst Air Force base in the country.

He finally gets out by volunteering for Vietnam.  As a Saigon Warrior and black marketeer, he revels in all the hedonistic pleasures the city offers. 

The good life comes to a screeching halt when he ends up in the notorious Long Binh Jail.

This short memoir is a compelling read for all those people who were skeptical about the Vietnam War.  It turns out that they were absolutely right.