Review: The Frog Hunter by TB Stamper

Author TB Stamper launches a searing blast of wartime memory in The Frog Hunter: A Story About the Vietnam War, an Inkblot Test and a Girl, a relentless memoir of Vietnam and the aftermath it wreaked for those soldiers who managed to come home.

From the author’s very first steps into the unknown, the story is engrossing and immersive, plunging readers into the swampy murk of Vietnam, along with all its unknown horrors, both physical and psychological. This memoir is also revelatory on a personal level, revealing Stamper in his pre-war state of mind – a clever rascal and girl-crazy, but ultimately, a kid – followed swiftly by his descent into adulthood and the Army, on his way to the other side of the world.

Like many accounts of Vietnam, this narrative details the brotherly bonds of the military, and the emotional rollercoaster of freshly enlisted men, as well as the limbo of “home” in anticipation of shipping out: “…caught between two worlds: probable death in the near future, and a good time in the here and now.”

After being recruited by the Army Rangers, Stamper quickly realized how chaotic, unorganized and deadly the battlefields of Vietnam could be, alongside the rampant brutality of the conflict. His memories take readers into the insane theater of war, so visceral and real that you can hear the bullets whizzing by. Bouncing between the shocking accounts of battle to surreal days of peace and camaraderie, playing cards, telling tall tales, and quietly mourning the mounting lists of the lost, this narrative is a rollercoaster of energy and emotion.

Themes of religion, brotherhood, and duty intermingle with the scent of smoke and blood, as this fearless squad of rangers takes on days-long missions that result in both triumph and tragedy: “Loss, terror, and despair stacked up in layers, one after another in the soul of my being.” Finding himself stationed in California after taking shrapnel to the head, with fifteen months left to serve, Stamper is forced to reintegrate as a black sheep, struggling to find peace and meaningful connection after the indescribable trauma of Vietnam.

As war memoirs go, there are few so artfully written, featuring such breadth of detail and richness of character, as this downright poetic offering. Though there are many first-person accounts of this conflict, this one stands out, as it transcends observation and insight to reveal the dark depths of a warrior soul, exploring how the potential for redemption is never lost.

The storytelling is packed with personality overall, but there are some flat sections of narration and dialogue that feel out of place; the writing is always interesting, but the pace drags through wordy tangents. Some passages also feel unedited, or less polished than others, particularly near the end of the book. Aside from those small critiques, however, this is a brilliant read, from an author who is unflinching in his reflection, criticism, and observations across an unforgettable era.

Told with humor, heart, and humility, while holding nothing back from this exceptional soldier’s experience, this book is a must-read for anyone whose life has been touched by the terrible complexity of war.