Not Quite Men No Longer Boys Aboriginal Soldier In Vietnam War

Biography & Memoir History Australiana

Not Quite Men No Longer Boys by K.C. Laughton is a powerful Australian memoir that follows an Aboriginal teenager who enlists to fight in Vietnam and returns home to a country still wrestling with its own identity. Set against the backdrop of 1960s Australia and the jungles of Southeast Asia, this 352-page paperback gives voice to an Indigenous serviceman navigating mateship, racism and the shock of combat.

Laughton’s 1999 biography blends military history with personal reflection, offering young-adult and adult readers an unfiltered look at frontline life and the quiet battles fought after the welcome-home parades ended. The narrative captures the tension between boyhood bravado and the hard-won maturity forged under fire, making it a compelling addition to Indigenous, Australian and Vietnam War collections.

This used copy shows light cover scuffing and creasing yet remains clean inside: no writing, no dog-ears, and a tight, smoke-free binding. A solid reading copy for anyone exploring Aboriginal military stories or seeking an authentic soldier’s perspective on a conflict that reshaped Australia.