By DAVID WILLIAMSON
UNC News Services

CHAPEL HILL -- The U.S. Army Historical Association has awarded its 1999 Distinguished Book Award to Alex Vernon, a doctoral student in the University of North Carolina’s English department, and four friends who co-wrote "The Eyes of Orion; Five Tank Lieutenants in the Persian Gulf War."

In its October 2000 issue, Military Heritage magazine called the volume, "the single best book on the Persian Gulf War on the market today." Kent State University Press published the 330-page book late last year. Other contributors were Vernon’s fellow tank lieutenants Neal Creighton Jr., Greg Downey, Rob Holmes and Dave Trybula.

The five young men commanded U.S. tank platoons during Desert Shield and Desert Storm -- the nation’s defense of Saudi Arabia and subsequent liberation of Kuwait -- and teamed up to write about their experiences. Vernon oversaw the effort, served as editor and wrote more of the book than the others. He and his four friends have split the $1,000 prize.

"This book is perhaps the best depiction of what a young officer may face in a combat zone," the foundation staff wrote. "The physical, emotional and ethical situations faced by the authors are well written and should be communicated to every cadet. ...This book is highly recommended ... as an excellent preparation for assuming command of troops."

"...A story of courage, dedication and agonizing self-doubt as these young officers faced the gut-wrenching responsibility of leading platoons through the enormous confusion, fear and physical fatigue of high-intensity combat operations," wrote Gen. Barry R. McCaffrey, U.S. Army, Ret. in his preface. McCaffrey, now the nation’s drug czar, commanded the 24^th Mechanized Infantry Division during the war, which he called "one of the most violent and rapid military attacks in the history of mankind."

Before deploying to Saudi Arabia, like countless others before him, the introspective Vernon worried that he "did not have the stuff to lead soldiers in combat. I had myself convinced that soldiers would die because of me, that I would panic, think too much, seize up, make a critical mistake. I did not want to go." He and the others went anyway and experienced months of preparation in the desert and several days of fierce combat.

"After all the difficulty of putting together a memoir with five authors, each with different ideas about how to go about it, it’s a thrill to have the book validated in this way," Vernon said.

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Note: Vernon can be reached at (919) 962-8482.

Contact: David Williamson, 962-8596.