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Quicksilver; A Greyhound at Sea By Cdr Jack Wells, USN, Ret. 2008, Infinity Publishing, $ 19.95 ISBN # 0-7414-4059-8 Reviewed by Andrew Lubin Few readers today know what the Navy did off the Vietnamese coast in the 1960’s, but “Quicksilver: A Greyhound at Sea” will quickly educate them. Author Jack Wells, a retired Navy Commander, has written a historical fiction novel based on his time at sea during the Vietnam War. He’s placed a crew of officers and enlisted men on a Gearing Class Destroyer and given the reader a front-row seat of their year away from home. Although Vietnam was primarily a land war, the Navy conducted multiple missions, and Wells brings both the tedium of sea duty interspersed with the exhilaration of combat. This is a well-written book. A former mustang officer, Wells has an eye for detail and writes from the viewpoint of one who has “been there.” His characters come alive and are believable; no small feat for a first-time author. With so few books on the market about Navy actions in Vietnam, “Quicksilver: a greyhound of the sea” would have made an excellent memoir of a time, place, and actions that few people know occurred. Recommended !
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