It's not the writing that is short form; the thinking is short form. People don't ponder. They start with the conclusion, and then find dots to connect that will prove they're right. And to hell with all those other dots..
A recipe for madness and nihilism. Our century needs a social media break because it is turning up this dot connecting to warp speed. Thank you for taking this theme even further.
Sam, they made the novel into a made for TV movie in 1976. Sam Elliot played Sam Damon and some other guy Massengale (did a great job of being sublimely evil!) It was must see TV! It lead to reading the book. It’s worth trying to find and view the movie, I think. It shaped me, my thinking about how I would lead my Marines when the day came and it did come. There were and you saw them as well Officers that were popinjays and always currying favor looking for the next rank. Two come to mind in the last 20 years, David Petraeus and Stanley McCrystal, perfect Massengales. I would also say in addition to reading good fiction that poetry isn’t a bad fix either. My favorite is TS Eliot’s “Four Quartets”My favorite of the four quartets is “Dry Salvages” I suspect if you read it you’ll see why I like it so much but the others are great and since starting to read them at age 15 the meanings and so forth have changed and grown with me, I learn something new even at age 69.5…ahhh yessss that’s what he meant!
Lastly your choice of photo of the epic Battle of Tarawa hits home. The Marines thought it a bad idea and it was, and further it gave rise to the use of underwater demolition teams, we needed recon of the beaches after the carnage on the low tide reefs. So Frogman, thus
came the SEAL’s and thank goodness for someone having the vision to create frogmen from tadpoles. We knuckle dragging 03’s know where our bread is buttered! Never cross a beach you know nothing about! Hmmm maybe a metaphor of life in that statement! Great post!
I need to dig into the Four Quartets, I have never heard of them. I could not agree more with your estimation of our senior leaders—we can add a few more names to that list as well. It is as if some of them read Once an Eagle like a tutorial on how to become Massengale. And the heritage is strong; I loved hydrographic reconnaissance in training, though actually doing that in war with 10,000 Japanese trying to kill me is quite different from war in the mountains and the only water in sight a shallow river. Thank you for leaving me some things to think about.
Also very important to time your landing with the rising Tide to just about one hour before the peak so that you have maximum thrust of ocean energy towards Shore, minimal exposed beach area, and a couple of hours of options to change trajectory as needed.
Sam: this essay is strong. It hits hard, and the comments reinforce that. If given a choice I’ll “lose” with the other Damons; the modern day Massengales can have the clicks, likes, and glitter. Tim
Again, outstanding Sam, it is the reasons you list that I have gotten into writing military fiction nine months ago. The first book should be out soon, samples are on my Substack page.
I am absolutely stoked to read it, Don. Fiction needs a resurgence, and the more vets like Myrer writing, the better our understanding of these fundamentally human themes.
Once an Eagle is so good — and, Sam, I think you extrapolated it perfectly. These books you live in for days, weeks after you finish them — these, we need to hold closely.
One of the best books I ever read. Very inspiring and shaped what I thought great leadership truly was. I gave everybody a copy of it when I left the training center. I don’t know how many guys read it because it’s about 8000 pages long. Lol.
Myrer's book--which I have not read--must be a modern variation perhaps on David stealing Uriah the Hittite's wife then sending him to die in battle...Indecency is never in short supply and the powerful are not necessarily virtuous. The question you pose about 'indecency at the top' is an essential one to consider. Thanks to you I think Epictetus had something to say about that--we can denounce it, but we don't control it. We can mock it though, as he did. Part of me thinks Damon's death made no dent on the great meaning he gave to the life he pursued. And so, it is also a victory. Not the easy win of instant justice, but the more muted and inscrutable bliss of alignment with the cosmos, with one's purpose, one's fate. In the guise of an essay on the short form vs long form, you've supplied a Trojan Horse's load of subversive thought. Beautifully done, sir.
Thank you kindly, Anthony. Even now my mind is reeling from Myrer, his message, and his prose. I enjoy it greatly you've brought Epictetus into this conversion, for he definitely belongs here.
Thanks, just trying to be helpful. In writing, two things come first, ahead of style if not everything else: accuracy (or truthfulness) and clarity. Without them, even the greatest or most powerful idea can get lost in the shuffle.
I read this book a few weeks ago and thought it was great. I found the whole book fascinating including the portrayal of army life during peacetime. I also love James Salter's novel 'The Hunters' as it has a similar subplot of two contrasting Korean War fighter pilots, with similar results. If you haven't read it, highly recommended.
It’s a hard truth that the most ruthless or conniving often rise to positions of power, and the attack on attention eases their transition to the post.
The warriors of us- the DOERS- are rarely looking back, naively (if justifiably) believing that the spear will only come from forward. It’s beyond tragic when the fatal wound comes from behind, and for a gain so petty as ego, status, or prestige. Most cannot accept that it has happened, is happening, or is about to occur. Where do we get this notion?
The shroud removed, there is no going back- once this lesson is learned, it cannot be unlearned, and THIS is where the war for attention is so effectively exploited. If I’ve lost the ability to deeply contemplate, to focus the deeper questions behind the act, then how will I ever see the betrayer for what they truly are? It’s easier to accept the rote explanations for the repugnant behavior than to investigate further and learn from it.
Per usual, you pose the universal questions through the most resonant lens, each post keeping the wheel spinning in search of the truth.
I hope you dig it, Tim, I appreciate the words as well. Its resonance is stronger for those who have boots on the ground in one way or another, who are focused on the mission and yet see those focused on power rise to higher ranks and then negatively impact the mission, and who then see their purpose and those among us who are the most admirable get screwed again and again. Sorry for the massive sentence, but it could have been ten times longer... you already know what I mean based on your writing, and it will become even heavier when you dig into this book.
Hail Sam ! Again you have entered the reactor core to reveal the innate source of human unlimited power and creativity with its inseparable entangled flaws and vulnerabilities. That takes guts admitting and and not shrinking from purpose. I consider this core reading material as I have shared with all of my adult children.
Great piece, Sam. I have harbored the same feelings over the last 4 years. Settling in and reading a book, and cultivating the processing and thinking skills of making judgements & predictions in Chapter 3 only to have them be revised, refined and recalculated in Chapters 13, 23, & 33 is what this world is jettisoning with the addiction to short forms.
This is part of the epic journey in every epic book. For my part, I have found that as I get older this judging and predicting becomes even more interesting and engaging. Thank you, Chuck.
I'll be damned, Sam. You never cease to astound. That was far and away the best review and analysis of Once an Eagle I've ever read. Only slightly less astounding to me is that Myerer was able to create that masterpiece, given his limited exposure to the military.
It's not the writing that is short form; the thinking is short form. People don't ponder. They start with the conclusion, and then find dots to connect that will prove they're right. And to hell with all those other dots..
A recipe for madness and nihilism. Our century needs a social media break because it is turning up this dot connecting to warp speed. Thank you for taking this theme even further.
Sam, they made the novel into a made for TV movie in 1976. Sam Elliot played Sam Damon and some other guy Massengale (did a great job of being sublimely evil!) It was must see TV! It lead to reading the book. It’s worth trying to find and view the movie, I think. It shaped me, my thinking about how I would lead my Marines when the day came and it did come. There were and you saw them as well Officers that were popinjays and always currying favor looking for the next rank. Two come to mind in the last 20 years, David Petraeus and Stanley McCrystal, perfect Massengales. I would also say in addition to reading good fiction that poetry isn’t a bad fix either. My favorite is TS Eliot’s “Four Quartets”My favorite of the four quartets is “Dry Salvages” I suspect if you read it you’ll see why I like it so much but the others are great and since starting to read them at age 15 the meanings and so forth have changed and grown with me, I learn something new even at age 69.5…ahhh yessss that’s what he meant!
Lastly your choice of photo of the epic Battle of Tarawa hits home. The Marines thought it a bad idea and it was, and further it gave rise to the use of underwater demolition teams, we needed recon of the beaches after the carnage on the low tide reefs. So Frogman, thus
came the SEAL’s and thank goodness for someone having the vision to create frogmen from tadpoles. We knuckle dragging 03’s know where our bread is buttered! Never cross a beach you know nothing about! Hmmm maybe a metaphor of life in that statement! Great post!
I need to dig into the Four Quartets, I have never heard of them. I could not agree more with your estimation of our senior leaders—we can add a few more names to that list as well. It is as if some of them read Once an Eagle like a tutorial on how to become Massengale. And the heritage is strong; I loved hydrographic reconnaissance in training, though actually doing that in war with 10,000 Japanese trying to kill me is quite different from war in the mountains and the only water in sight a shallow river. Thank you for leaving me some things to think about.
Also very important to time your landing with the rising Tide to just about one hour before the peak so that you have maximum thrust of ocean energy towards Shore, minimal exposed beach area, and a couple of hours of options to change trajectory as needed.
It's a beautiful science.
Ordered and looking forward to slow reading.
Let’s go. I can’t put it into words. Literally a stunning work of art and soul. Let me know what you think, I’m genuinely curious.
Sam: this essay is strong. It hits hard, and the comments reinforce that. If given a choice I’ll “lose” with the other Damons; the modern day Massengales can have the clicks, likes, and glitter. Tim
I’m here for it. I’ll take a trench over a tent any day, a book over a social media platform.
Again, outstanding Sam, it is the reasons you list that I have gotten into writing military fiction nine months ago. The first book should be out soon, samples are on my Substack page.
I am absolutely stoked to read it, Don. Fiction needs a resurgence, and the more vets like Myrer writing, the better our understanding of these fundamentally human themes.
Once an Eagle is so good — and, Sam, I think you extrapolated it perfectly. These books you live in for days, weeks after you finish them — these, we need to hold closely.
It can be painful. The same thing happened to me with Musashi. It is gut wrenching in the best way. Thanks Lou.
One of the best books I ever read. Very inspiring and shaped what I thought great leadership truly was. I gave everybody a copy of it when I left the training center. I don’t know how many guys read it because it’s about 8000 pages long. Lol.
I wish it was standard issue even to enlisted guys. Really remarkable. Who knows? Maybe they dug in—Myrers writing is incredible.
Myrer's book--which I have not read--must be a modern variation perhaps on David stealing Uriah the Hittite's wife then sending him to die in battle...Indecency is never in short supply and the powerful are not necessarily virtuous. The question you pose about 'indecency at the top' is an essential one to consider. Thanks to you I think Epictetus had something to say about that--we can denounce it, but we don't control it. We can mock it though, as he did. Part of me thinks Damon's death made no dent on the great meaning he gave to the life he pursued. And so, it is also a victory. Not the easy win of instant justice, but the more muted and inscrutable bliss of alignment with the cosmos, with one's purpose, one's fate. In the guise of an essay on the short form vs long form, you've supplied a Trojan Horse's load of subversive thought. Beautifully done, sir.
Thank you kindly, Anthony. Even now my mind is reeling from Myrer, his message, and his prose. I enjoy it greatly you've brought Epictetus into this conversion, for he definitely belongs here.
I've ordered "Once An Eagle." Thank you, Sam.
I hope you enjoy it!
Thanks, just trying to be helpful. In writing, two things come first, ahead of style if not everything else: accuracy (or truthfulness) and clarity. Without them, even the greatest or most powerful idea can get lost in the shuffle.
I read this book a few weeks ago and thought it was great. I found the whole book fascinating including the portrayal of army life during peacetime. I also love James Salter's novel 'The Hunters' as it has a similar subplot of two contrasting Korean War fighter pilots, with similar results. If you haven't read it, highly recommended.
I’ll check this out, thank you.
The book’s been ordered.
It’s a hard truth that the most ruthless or conniving often rise to positions of power, and the attack on attention eases their transition to the post.
The warriors of us- the DOERS- are rarely looking back, naively (if justifiably) believing that the spear will only come from forward. It’s beyond tragic when the fatal wound comes from behind, and for a gain so petty as ego, status, or prestige. Most cannot accept that it has happened, is happening, or is about to occur. Where do we get this notion?
The shroud removed, there is no going back- once this lesson is learned, it cannot be unlearned, and THIS is where the war for attention is so effectively exploited. If I’ve lost the ability to deeply contemplate, to focus the deeper questions behind the act, then how will I ever see the betrayer for what they truly are? It’s easier to accept the rote explanations for the repugnant behavior than to investigate further and learn from it.
Per usual, you pose the universal questions through the most resonant lens, each post keeping the wheel spinning in search of the truth.
Thank you.
I hope you dig it, Tim, I appreciate the words as well. Its resonance is stronger for those who have boots on the ground in one way or another, who are focused on the mission and yet see those focused on power rise to higher ranks and then negatively impact the mission, and who then see their purpose and those among us who are the most admirable get screwed again and again. Sorry for the massive sentence, but it could have been ten times longer... you already know what I mean based on your writing, and it will become even heavier when you dig into this book.
I'm convinced. Ordered the book.
I hope you love it. It lives in the back of my mind now. Enjoy.
Hail Sam ! Again you have entered the reactor core to reveal the innate source of human unlimited power and creativity with its inseparable entangled flaws and vulnerabilities. That takes guts admitting and and not shrinking from purpose. I consider this core reading material as I have shared with all of my adult children.
Well said, and I am stoked you shared this with your kids. Long live fiction. Thank you for the comment.
Great piece, Sam. I have harbored the same feelings over the last 4 years. Settling in and reading a book, and cultivating the processing and thinking skills of making judgements & predictions in Chapter 3 only to have them be revised, refined and recalculated in Chapters 13, 23, & 33 is what this world is jettisoning with the addiction to short forms.
This is part of the epic journey in every epic book. For my part, I have found that as I get older this judging and predicting becomes even more interesting and engaging. Thank you, Chuck.
I'll be damned, Sam. You never cease to astound. That was far and away the best review and analysis of Once an Eagle I've ever read. Only slightly less astounding to me is that Myerer was able to create that masterpiece, given his limited exposure to the military.
This is heavy praise, Marshall. I genuinely appreciate it.