Rock 'n' Roll Soldier: A Memoir

By Dean Ellis Kohler and Susan VanHecke

"During a time when none of us knew for sure if we would live or die, I came to know the true power of music."

Dean Kohler is about to make it big—he's finally scored a national record deal! But his dreams are abruptly put on hold by the arrival of his draft notice. Now he's in Qui Nhon, Vietnam, serving as a military policeman. He keeps telling himself he's a musician, not a killer, and that he's lucky he's not fighting on the front lines. When Captain orders him to form a rock band, it's up to Dean to find instruments and players, pronto. Ingenuity and perseverance pay off and soon the band is traveling through treacherous jungle terrain to perform for troops in desperate need of an escape—even if it's only for three sets. And for Dean—who lives with death, violence, and the fear that anyone could be a potential spy (even his Vietnamese girlfriend)—the band becomes the one thing that gets him through the day. During one of the most controversial wars in recent American history, this incredible true story is about music and camaraderie in the midst of chaos.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Release date: Sep 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9780061948831

Reviews for Rock 'n' Roll Soldier

[rosa.mill · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When Dean Kohler was 19 years old he was drafted to Vietnam. While serving as an MP he was asked by his commanding officer to start a band, to help soldiers keep their moral up. This is the story of Dean's year in Vietnam and the band The Electrical Banana told in his own words.

The story is interesting and Dean does manage to give an idea of just how bad it could be in Vietnam; however I don't think he really manages to stress just how lucky he really was. There is mention of people he met who were stationed in Pieku, one of the most dangerous duties of the time, and how they were going home in body bags or missing chunks of themselves. I just felt he could have acknowledge how lucky he truly truly was.

The writing is a little uneven at times. There are people who were minor characters in his life, such as the Goodridge from Detroit. He only knew the man for two days, and yet from the two conversations the reader really feels like he comes away with an idea of what this person was like. However I didn't feel like we really came away knowing much about the guys in the band with Dean. These are guys mentioned on every page and yet I felt I really didn't know anything about them as people.

That all being said, Dean really describes the difficult he had adjusting to coming home well. Anybody who has ever found themselves at a crossroads in life, not quite sure where to go from here will be able to relate to that part of the story. This should also remind people of how important the little things are to soldiers stuck oversees and perhaps bring home how one thing can completely change your life.