As an undergrad at Rutgers I took Images of Vietnam as an elective. The Things they Carried was one of the books I read during that course.
While it was a very good book, I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to read A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo. For me, A Rumor of War is the not only the greatest war memoir I’ve ever read, but the greatest book I’ve ever read period. Caputo was a 1st Lieutenant in the Marines during Vietnam and he, along with his platoon, were in country during some of the most intense fighting. Caputo is an incredible storyteller. If I remember correctly, he received the Pulitzer Prize for A Rumor of War and not long after he received the Pulitzer he suffered a nervous breakdown. He said all of the interviews he conducted after winning the Pulitzer forced him to have to recall the traumatic events he experienced during his tour in Vietnam.
If you like The Things they Carried, then you will love A Rumor of War.