VICTOR SIX: The Saga of America's Youngest, Most Decorated Officer in Vietnam

The strident, truculent memoir of a former infantryman who, having earned a chestful of medals for valor in Vietnam, has continued to fight home-front battles on behalf of his fellow vets. The third-person narrative is notable mainly for its vivid accounts of Christian's military service in Southeast Asia. During his 1968-69 tour of duty, he was the commander (Victor Six in radio parlance) of a reconnaissance platoon that operated behind enemy lines in Cambodia as well as South Vietnam. The teen-aged lieutenant's combat exploits won him a flock of decorations, including the DSC and seven Purple Hearts. Seriously wounded once too often, he was invalided back to the States to be discharged from the Army as a captain at age 21. Despite being rated 100% disabled and enduring 33 operations for napalm burns, Christian made it through Villanova. Denied a law degree by Rutgers, he engaged in consulting and worked for the Carter Administration on veterans' affairs until a highly publicized speech got him fired. Considered as a possible head of the VA after Reagan was elected President, Christian took himself out of the running on grounds the post could limit his freedom to speak out on Agent Orange and allied issues. Twice an unsuccessful candidate for Congress (on the Republican ticket), Victor Six (as he still calls himself) now tends his business interests (from a base near Philadelphia) and soldiers on in the cause of Vietnam veterans. Not one to underrate his own accomplishments or capacities, Christian--here writing with the prolific Hoffer (coauthor, Cop Hunter, p. 792, etc.)--emerges as a demonstrably courageous but awesomely aggravating and fractious fellow. In brief: an I-did-it-my-way chronicle whose cocksure, self-congratulatory tone may harm the very campaign it purports to advance.