With the passage of time, history has a tendency to soften its edges. Not so in Images from Vietnam 1969, the powerful new book by U.S. Army veteran James M. Stanish. This unforgettable photo memoir strips away nostalgia and myth to reveal the Vietnam War in all its uncompromising reality exactly as it was seen and felt by the men who lived it.
Through a gripping mix of original photographs and first-person narration, James M. Stanish immerses readers in the violent, volatile, and unfiltered truth of life on the ground. His camera captures the split-second blast of an M551 Sheridan tank’s gun, the smoldering wreckage of a downed C-130 cargo plane, and the haunted eyes of a soldier counting down his final days in the jungle. These aren’t curated images they’re lived experiences, preserved with grit and respect.
More than a battlefield tour, Images from Vietnam 1969 is an act of remembrance. It is James M. Stanish’s way of ensuring that what happened in the jungles of Tay Ninh, the tunnels of Cu Chi, and the firebases of An Loc doesn’t fade into abstraction. His photos and reflections serve as testimony not just to the physical war, but to the emotional weight it left behind.
“This book isn’t about glorifying war,” James M. Stanish explains. “It’s about documenting what really happened, and honoring those who carried it with them. Some of us made it back. Many didn’t. And the rest of us still remember.”
In an era when history is often filtered through distance or ideology, Images from Vietnam 1969 refuses to let the record blur. It gives readers not just a view, but a vantage point from the commander’s hatch, from the jungle floor, and from inside the mind of a young officer who witnessed too much to forget.
Inside Images from Vietnam 1969, readers will find dozens of original photographs taken by author and U.S. Army veteran James M. Stanish during his time on the front lines many of which have never been published before. These images offer candid portrayals of armored combat, jungle convoys, damaged tanks, and the battlefield improvisation that defined daily life in Vietnam.
But the book goes beyond war mechanics. It also documents rare cultural intersections, including scenes from remote Montagnard villages, stirring USO performances, and moments of human kindness during medical outreach missions. Each image is paired with clear-eyed, personal reflections from a man who didn’t just witness the war he lived through it. At a time when global conflict continues to shape our world, Images from Vietnam 1969 is a powerful reminder of what war truly looks like. With its brutal honesty and deep humanity, the book challenges us not to forget. It’s a work that speaks to veterans, students, historians, and anyone who understands the importance of bearing witness to truth.
About the Author
James M. Stanish was born on August 5, 1945 just one day before the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima making him, in his own words, a World War II “war baby.” He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Michigan University, where he also received his commission as an Army Second Lieutenant through the ROTC program. He later completed a master’s degree in Business Management from Central Michigan University.
James began his active-duty military service in January 1968 at Fort Knox, Kentucky, enrolling in the Armored Officers Basic Course. He remained at Fort Knox as Executive Officer in a Basic Tank Crew Training Company before receiving orders for Vietnam in October 1968. After completing jungle warfare training in January 1969, he arrived in Vietnam on February 14, 1969, and was assigned to the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (11 ACR). During his service, he led a combat platoon of 40 men and nine armored vehicles, later transitioning to a staff role as the 1st Squadron S-5 Officer in charge of Civil Affairs. These dual roles placed him in a unique position to observe and document a wide range of military and civilian life in Vietnam.
Following his military service, James joined Chrysler’s Manufacturing Training Program and was later assigned to the Detroit Arsenal Tank Plant (DATP), where he supported the design, engineering, and production of armored vehicles. Over the course of his defense industry career, he held key roles in program control, contract administration, and logistics support notably helping launch the M60A3 and M1 Abrams tanks, and later negotiating support contracts for the Stryker vehicle. He retired from General Dynamics in 2005, following the company’s acquisition of Chrysler’s defense business in 1982.
James M. Stanish combines a soldier’s eye with an historian’s purpose. His book, Images from Vietnam 1969, preserves a powerful visual record of war unfiltered, unforgettable, and deeply human.
James M. Stanish autobiography, “Images from Vietnam 1969 A Journey with the 11th Armored Cavalry,” is now available on the official website and on Amazon.
Contact James M. Stanish:
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Email: stanishj_45@hotmail.com.
Phone Number: 3133993494
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