Riding the Rails in Vietnam -- 1965 documents then Captain John Mason's year in Vietnam as an advisor to a Vietnamese railway security battalion. The book depicts the realities of an advisory assignment in an environment generally alien to American military and cultural experience. It details a year filled with the frustration of cross-cultural working, the "fun" of riding the rails, admiration for the reliance of the Vietnamese people and occasional moments of excitement. It was motivated by the continuing challenge for Americans in cross-cultural environments today.