The GREATEST BEER RUN EVER

By John “Chick” Donohue & J.T. Molloy

Sometimes all a man needs is an American beer and a bear hug from a buddy from the neighborhood.

The Ugly Truth:

Wow, this caused a tidal wave of emotions. The Greatest Beer Run Ever is the first ever war memoir that I not only was able to follow along with but get so into that I laughed, cried, rejoiced, and was able to end feeling fulfilled and in awe. John “Chick” Donohue was able to tell a tale in a way that felt as though you were attending a backyard barbecue with your closest family friends and reminiscing on the good times despite the fact that the tale was actually chock-full of history and recognition for those who served in the Vietnam war.

I will admit, for a good majority of the book, and even now, I have to question if Chickie was slightly delusional. Here is an everyday seafarer currently on a break from work being told by his barkeep that someone needs to get to Vietnam and offer some support to his fellow neighborhood guys from Inwood, New York… and instead of questioning the insanity of the quest, he decides he will be on the next boat out. Chickie does an exceptional job of explaining his journey with elements of humor interjected into each page, despite the many terrors that he and his fellow friends faced, allowing the book to be a quick and almost light read even with the heavy topic at hand.

The book uses all of its 243 pages to explain the energy and emotional state of those involved in the war and around during the time. Right away, as a reader, you are shown the true bonds and connections that families and neighborhoods all over the country established to survive the chaos and loss that came with the Vietnam War. From women writing newsletters to the boys fighting, to moments in bars laughing about childhood memories, to the hugs shared during times of trials, this book captures each and every moment beautifully.

Despite the story focusing on his bond with a few of his local friends, Chickie and New York Post Staff Reporter, J.T. Molly, took the time to research and include information on individuals who helped in the great beer run, or were involved in situations that Chickie found himself caught in the middle of, including the invasion of Tet. To expand on this more, Chickie focuses a large majority of the novel on bringing the stories of the men and the seven women who fought to life. He reiterates time and time again that the thousands of young soldiers who went over to fight were not always properly honored after their deaths with mentions of their backgrounds or their personalities, sometimes even having their last names left off the news channels and memorial plaques. He used this book as a way to correct that mistake.

Even having studied this War and many other wars in history classes, this was the first time in my life that I actually felt attached to these young men and women going overseas and fighting on behalf of our leadership. It was an eye-opening and tough read at times, but it focuses more on love and brotherly bonds than the death and destruction that was happening all around these young individuals.

Overall, I cannot recommend this book enough. For those who do not read normally, this is fast and entertaining with amazing history interwoven to make it one of the more exciting reads of your life. For those who love to read, this will be one you will want for your bookshelf. At the end of this all, I hope you feel as I do - changed, energized and thankful.