And a Story of Extraordinary Courage - the Medal of Honor

I have always been intrigued by the warriors of times long past. Partly out of respect and partly because I never served our United States by being in the military. That will haunt me for the rest of my life. These WARRIORS did it out of duty to God and Country. At a time when that actually meant something. The Spec Ops Warriors with that determination and grit I'm afraid are a thing of the past. Sure, there will still be those few who carry that honor for the rest of us but not like the previous generation did for me. These guys did it without thinking of themselves. They did it for the overall good of the mission, which is something the youngsters of this new generation know nothing about.

Want to thank all the men and women who choose to serve in the military. My freedoms mean so much to me and it is because of you that I am able to say these things. This book brings out the warrior mindset and the determination it takes to "complete the mission."

Medal of Honor Recipients Tommy Norris and Michael Thornton honored our Country at the Highest Level. This book describes in detail the sacrifice each made to protect their brothers in arms while standing tall for our Country. Pounded into you head through the pages-Leave no man behind.

Each parent should sit with their children 12 and older and read this book together noting what strength, conviction and Honor of Duty it takes to enjoy Freedom in America. The two stories are mesmerizing.
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There's nothing to add to other reviews lauding Tom Norris and Mike Thornton's eye-watering courage and exceptional ability. Their story is well told by fellow SEAL Dick Couch. Their watery escape under direct gunfire, told alternately from both points of view, is as compelling as any combat episode you are likely to find.

The rescue of "Bat 21," Air Force Lt. Col. Iceal Hambleton, has been well documented in fact and fiction for decades. The critical factor missing in those tellings--and here--is why he was flying combat at all. His knowledge of strategic targeting immediately placed him in the "must have" category for retrieval, and in fact he said that if he'd been captured he would have been on the next express to Moscow. Couch's text addresses the beyond-top-secret nature of Hambleton's value to the enemy, and further notes the high cost paid in men and planes to recover him. As I recall, an Air Force history stated that the airpower diverted to cover Bat 21 may have contributed to the loss of Quang Tri during the North Vietnamese offensive of 1972 (though the city was retaken.)

The text contains some factual errors, peculiar for naval officers. Two involve the attack carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19). One passage says that F-4 Phantoms off "Hanna" provided close air support to SEALs when in fact no Essex-class ships ever operated Phantoms. The fighters were Vought F-8 Crusaders, far better suited to smaller decks.

Similarly, the text states that Hancock was a three-war ship when she missed Korea entirely, being modified during that period before returning to service in 1954. And while there were in fact 24 Essex-class ships, 17 were commissioned during WW II, not all 24.

Meanwhile, Honor Bound screams for consideration as a major movie. Are you listening, Hollywood?

There are no words in our English vocabulary to express my deep, sincere, genuine gratitude for what Tom Norris and Mike Thornton have done to serve the United States and to protect our freedom! Dick Couch made me feel like I was right there in the action—what a well written narrative! At times while reading I felt my heart rate speed up, and I felt my adrenaline flowing! I can relate to much of the story since I am a 1958 Eagle Scout, a retired USAF enlisted Combat Control Team brother, and before that I served with the FACs from March 1970 to March 1971 at LZ Betty, LZ English, An Khe and elsewhere in Vietnam—and the reason I was there was because I seriously wanted to be there. By Honor Bound brought back many memories. Thank you, Dick Couch, for weaving in all the witnesses to develop the absolute truth down to every fact. This detail reminds me of how thankful I am to our God for all the Old Testament prophets and New Testament eyewitnesses whom He provided with His Word to prove the death and resurrection of our Savior back to life—and the same eternal hope He promises us. Thank you too, Dick Couch, sir, for your service for our nation as a US Navy SEAL. You and your brothers have my utmost respect.

Outstanding book about two men, military service, Brotherhood, and Valor. I cannot find the words to fully describe this book except to say it is as extraordinary as the two men whose story is told: Mike Thornton and Tom Norris, United States Navy SEALs. Thank you gentlemen for your service to America and, as you both say, for just doing your jobs.

Outstanding read. These are men who stepped up when no one else could, and they did so courageously without regard for their own safety. Humble, brave men. God Bless them and their brothers in arms.

The Vietnam Veterans of America originally published this review in vvabooks.wordpress.com
If you get your hands on a copy of By Honor Bound, start reading on the first page—"Part 1: Bat 21." Bypass the blurbs on the book's jacket as well as the Forward, Preface, Introduction, and Epigraph. The book's subtitle—Two Navy SEALs, The Medal of Honor, and a Story of Extraordinary Courage—provides all the background you need.
Dick Couch tells the story of Tom Norris and Mike Thornton so completely and seamlessly that, if you are the least bit militarily inclined, he will instantly capture your full attention. His narration unreels with mounting suspense.
I was continually dazzled by the selfless dedication of Norris and Thornton, recipients of the Medal of Honor for carrying out rescue and reconnaissance missions behind North Vietnamese Army lines near the Cam Lo bridge and inside the Demilitarized Zone in 1972.
Couch took me into the SEAL world and I simply could not stop reading. In one sitting, I finished the book's first one hundred seventy pages, which describe Norris and Thornton's greatest heroic efforts. The magnitude of their dilemmas and feats left me teary-eyed and speechless, incapable of reading the best passages aloud to my wife.
Their operational principle was "Hope for the best but plan for the worst." They encountered the worst of the worst. I refuse to say more about their war because I might lessen the impact for you of the surprise, awe, and admiration produced by their actions. It is better for you to hear the facts from Couch.
Yes, other people have previously written about these men but never with so much depth and detail. Norris and Thornton told their stories to Couch, and he expanded them with interviews from eyewitnesses to the events and his own expertise as a SEAL combat veteran in Vietnam. He also flawlessly interwove history lessons relevant to their heroic actions. By Honor Bound is his twenty-second book related to military activities, eleven nonfiction and eleven fiction.
The last part of the book describes the post-Vietnam lives of Thornton and Norris, which include Navy and Federal Bureau of Investigation adventures as fascinating as their earlier experiences. These accounts also present eyewitness testimony.
In a final tribute to Norris and Thornton, Couch says, "Not only were they incredibly heroic during these events, but they were almost superhuman—even by Navy SEAL metrics." If you read the book, I predict that you will agree with him.
Lt. Col. Henry Zeybel, USAF (Retired)