The 19-year-old author arrived in Vietnam fresh out of training after having enlisted in the army only 5 months earlier. Learning quickly in the school of hard knocks, he became a Specialist 5 seven months after arriving and a Squad Leader before his first year in county was over.

After extending his tour and spending 15 months on the ground in Combat Engineers, he extended again and transferred to become a helicopter door gunner and began the steep learning curve process again, becoming a Huey Crew Chief after five months as a door gunner. After crashing on two totaled Huey Helicopters and being involved with the Top Secret Special Forces Project Delta missions, he completed his second tour and came home after 26 months in Vietnam.

After serving for 26 months in Vietnam, the author used the GI Bill to obtain a BS in Civil Engineering. He worked as a General Contractor for 25 years, then went back to school at the age of 50 and obtained a MS in Structural Engineering.

He is still working as a structural engineer at age 75. Along the way he got married, had 3 children, and 9 grandchildren.

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