Book Review: Bullets in My Bottom Drawer

For some, finding humor in war and combat might seem to make light of a very heavy situation. Some might even find it offensive. But those of us who have served in combat know that humor, even dark humor, is sometimes the only way to break the tension, ease the pain, and build the camaraderie that comes with fighting in a war. 

John Montalbano, a retired Vietnam veteran who was drafted into the Army in 1967, would not only agree that humor is important, even in war, but he literally wrote a book about it. Montalbano would spend some thirty years after the war writing and rewriting the manuscript for his book, "Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat," which he finally published to great fanfare in 2024. 

Montalbano served in Vietnam with the 1st Cavalry Division and later during an extended tour of duty as a courier for the 93rd Military Police Battalion Headquarters. Today, he writes about his unit’s experiences in-country and has been featured in Vietnam Magazine.

He would spend January-August 1968 in Vietnam with the U.S. Army’s 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), at a time when the 1st Cavalry was still fighting back against the infamous Tet Offensive. The 1st Cavalry Division and its 20,000 men would fight at Quang Tri, Hue, and later in the relief of Khe Sanh – and all that happened within the first four months of the year. 

"Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat" was initially written for Montalbono to offer his daughters and grandchildren some insight into his formative years in the Army. It also became an effort to choose camaraderie over carnage and a memoir that the author hopes can help those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. In the book, Montalbano recalls the daily life of the men with whom he served – the everyday life of U.S. Army grunts. 

Amid their myriad harrowing experiences, bleak tales, and misadventures, Montalbano and his friends found many sources of humor and entertainment, which he now offers to readers more than 56 years later. 

"Focusing on the positive lessons, the friendships, and the unexpected laughs shared with my brothers in arms, even in the heat of battle, has enabled me to push the good memories to the forefront of my mind, thus allowing the bad ones to be lost with time," Montalbano said in a statement.

Montalbano’s words are a sentiment that any veteran of any era can appreciate, and they will all find laughs in his surprising and relatable, M*A*S*H-like retelling of his Vietnam memories. "Bullets in My Bottom Drawer: The Lighter Side of Combat," can be found on Amazon and Barnes and Noble starting at $17.99 for paperback editions or $8.99 for Kindle eReader.