Norwegian Col. Henrik ‘Hank’ Lunde published a book about his experiences in the U.S Army as a senior military officer rank during the Vietnam War.
Lunde was born in Norway in 1936 and moved to the US as a teenager. The first part of his memoir is a glimpse of his time in Norway with his family. Whilst living on a small island in western Norway, he watched fights between British and German planes overhead. Once he even had a dangerous encounter with German officers searching his family home during World War II.
As a boy he liked stories involving military history and leadership. He read the Old Norse Kings Sagas by Snorre Sturlason, played military-oriented games, crafted bows and arrows, and even (without his parents knowing) experimented with gunpowder, according to History Net.
A new career
In the US he struggled adapting to the new country and language. Overtime he overcame his challenges and eventually pursued a military career to serve his new nation. Those warfare experiences is then exactly what Lunde’s autobiography is about.
Particularly interesting about his book is his wisdom on human nature in warfare. For instance, he wrote this about human emotions in war:
“The emotion of hate has no place on the battlefield, despite what Hollywood movies portray. It interferes with a soldier’s logical reasoning process, leads to loss of self-control, self-respect and pride in the unit. Hate is ruinous to discipline and morale.”
History Net declares this book as a ‘must-have’ for anyone who’s interested in military history.
“If I were ever again to find myself in a tight and dangerous combat situation, Hank Lunde is the one man that I would most desire to have at my side,” Lunde’s comrade, late Lt. Gen. Henry Emerson wrote about the author.
Read more about the book here.
