One Hell of a Ride: Inside an Armored Cavalry Task Force in Vietnam

One Hell of a Ride by Colonel (Ret) William C. Haponski tells the gripping, true story of one of the most controversial and tragic periods in world history: the thirty-five years from 1940-1975 that constituted the Indochina Wars. Known by Americans as “The Vietnam War,” the conflict originated long before the U.S. became involved when the French withdrew in 1956. Focusing on the area north of Saigon to the Cambodian border, Haponski chronicles these dark and dangerous days while telling the compelling, insider’s narrative of the armored cavalry task force he commanded and fought alongside. Lewis Sorley, author of A Better War, said of One Hell of Ride, “This authoritative account, brilliantly researched and reported with insight and compassion by an exemplary soldier, is destined to become an instant classic of small unit warfare." Written with soul and unblinking honesty, One Hell of a Ride stands witness to history and is a must-read for anyone who loves the soldier but abhors war.

In 1969, William C. Haponski commanded an armored cavalry task force of 1st Infantry Division north of Saigon. After a year of enlisted Naval Reserve service, four years at West Point, and twenty-two years in the Army, he retired as a Colonel. He earned a Ph. D. from Cornell University in 1967 while teaching full-time on the English faculty at West Point. After retirement in 1978, he was a college professor, dean, and vice president, publishing two books on adult education. His military awards include five medals for valor in Vietnam. He now lives in Florida with his wife of over fifty years, Sandra.