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Thanks for reading this short excerpt from the paid post! Fancy buying it to read all of it?
“What’s the name of the plane, again?” he asked. “The captain didn’t ask the name of the plan.” Did you mean to say “What’s the name of the plan, again?”
Thanks for the help Mark. I am on it…
Semper fi,
Jim
I feel for you at the loss of your friend Zippo. It is not easy to lose Brothers. They mean so much to you, and still do. Hard.
Yes, that was a tough one and tougher than I thought it would be to write!
Semper fi,
jim
James, the last segment I’ve seen is the Twentieth Night Second Part. Have you gotten any further or have I missed them.
Cary Vice
DUSTOFF Medic 70-71
Central Highlands
The ground prospective is new and extremely interesting to me, bringing memories of bad missions, hoist missions and tears.
Cary, If you go this page and following the prompt at the bottom to “Next Chapter”
you will catch up to latest.
Twentieth Day Second Part
Semper Fi
Jim
Hey Lt. Reading the comments accompanying 24 Night 2nd part, I picked up on your reply to Jack Samson snow flake bit. Snowflake my ass!!! I agree fully with Jack. Have been trying to come up with something that satisfies my desire to describe Trump. To quote you “Trump is something none of us have ever met, known or ever will know.” And the man who returned the books really “Gave up reality for mythology”. Another turn of a phrase I must thank for Lt. Am aware that some will not like slipping over onto more modern references so will let it go at that and will say no more about it here. Thanks again Lt. and as always; Take care..
Thanks Charles. Some come to believe that I am more than I am and also that I must hold certain political beliefs to come from where I have been.
That they don’t understand is part of the burden of knowing when they do not.
Thanks for the depth of your comment and the compliment within it.
Semper fi,
Jim
16 friends engraved on that wall and many more passed from agent orange. It is a place that you can just sit and think of lost friends. I found it healing in its own way. Just the fact they this country finally acknowledged a generations sacrafice helps us heal.
Waiting for the next Chapter, and enjoying another Christmas at home.
Thanks for this so meaningful comment Gordon…
Semper fi,
Jim
Interesting. Seems I recall you macking a comment about having the Third Ten days available in publication by Christmas. Good thing is you didn’t say what year! God Bless you. I’m sure the end of this is not easy to put on paper. So, in the meantime, keep throwing up the Cat and Island in the Sand. Search daily for all you have to offer. Take a break…enjoy your time with family and friends through the Holidays. Myself as well as many others will wait patiently for the time to come for you to March on.
Semper Fi
I won’t make it by Christmas or even New Years. I apologize and I thank you for the granting of the time…
And the compliments….
Semper fi,
Jim
I do not care how long we have to wait for the next chapter —- it is worth the wait!! No apologies needed. Never read anything so searing and memorable. Please enjoy the holidays and send the next Chapter in 2019.
Thank you for the support and kind words, David.
More coming soon.
Semper fi,
Jim
Have been with you on this journey for over 2 years. Was going to chide you over the reduced pace of writing but after reflection that would be wrong. Take your time. As you approach the end I assume it is getting very difficult. A friend of mine join ed the Marines in ’67 and somehow avoided Nam. My God bless you and grant you the peace you deserve.
Thanks Fred, much appreciate your support. So many men and women like you have come forth to
write comments on here (your are # 17,261! Wow. And so many supporting with the kind of genuine writing you are doing here…
Semper fi,
Jim
LT Jim, I can see you broke thru a couple of weeks ago. You got your feelings about the fight and the fight itself real to all of us once again. i miss Zippo if only thru the story you are telling. Await the fate of the next Company CO descending into the corner of this hell with the next telling. Thank you Sir. Poppa J
Thanks Poppa. I am writing on past the holidays now.
Semper fi,
Jim
james hope this finds you in good health. Judie is doing great and I have been traveling with my son all through the north east. I hate I didn’t come up to Wi during the summer but never got the opportunity. I’m like everyone else just sitting around waiting for you to finish another chapter. I’m still hoping you”ll change your mind an take a trip back to Vietnam. Have you read Le Ly Hayslips book? Its a great read if one wants to understand the common farmer we were fighting against. your friend OMER SEMPER FI
You were and remain such a class act Omer. Love reading your comments and much enjoy your support.
Need it too!
Semper fi,
Jim
Just a quick note checking on you. Wanted to make sure you got through this month ok. Between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving I would hope the days and nights were kind to you. I imagine these last few chapters are hard to dredge up without tremendous cost, but know there are many of us who are right beside you as relive the journey. We are your stateside “reinforced company”, and we are by your side.
Thanks Rob, I am doing fine once again. Zippo got me down a bit, but I’m back!
Thanks for caring and writing about that fact.
Semper fi,
Jim
James,
I just read Hue 1968 by Mark Bowden regarding the Tet Offensive and the battle to retake Hue. The crux of the story is that the upper brass had so little regard for the NVA that they sent our men into impossible situations and any failures were blamed on incompetence. Sounds just like what you experienced. Did they ever realize how wrong they were and rectify the situation or did it run like this ’til the war ended?
Great writing! I check back constantly to read the additional comments and check for new chapters!
Don
Thanks for the analysis Don. I have become convinced over time that the rear area warriors never
had much of any understanding for what was going on in combat. And they did not want to go or know.
Semper fi,
Jim
James lonyg btime have problem wibth mny btnypewribter hope u cany make senyce of bthis jude ok have a greabt Chrisbtmas.Omer
Thanks for the well wishing and sorry about your typewriter!!!
Semper fi,
Jim
Slow Hand Salute to you, Sir!! Thanking you for your Service on this Veterans Day, Brother, and for being my Friend and a very Special Part of my life through your writings… others may not notice but it is my distinct Honor to do so!! The paths we have followed have been long, arduous and sometimes impossible but we never failed to answer the call when and wherever else we could contribute. That is so worth holding dear and heaping praise upon!! Lead on, LT… we’ve got your six and whatever we can contribute to your future success. Have a great evening!! Semper Fi, my Friend!!
Thanks so much Herb, and I am putting your comment on my FB site because it means to much to me.
Semper fi,
Jim
Recently I saw a speech given by Hamilton Gregory about McNamara’s Project 100,000. When I first saw it in your story I think part of me just reflexively turned away..if that makes sense. It was just so heinous I sort of sped past it. But listening to this presentation was just beyond heartbreaking. They didn’t want to be drafting and sending into combat too many middle class kids because it would be a political disaster for LBJ……so they sent these poor kids who never had a chance. Is there much of a difference between sending low IQ boys to near certain death in Vietnam and doing what Hitler’s Germany did to them?
Read this coming chapter, which helps give a graphic portrayal of what it was like to experience such
limited capability kids and the effect on them too. Thanks for this very timely post.
Much of what I write about combat is simply
not that believable except for other combat vets of similar experience.
Semper fi,
Jim
This brings back good and bad memories but still can’t wait for the next installment.
You make me wonder how we ever came home. Dont know if we were the lucky ones or not
Semper Fi until next time
Thanks for the interesting comment Leo. And the compliment buried inside it.
Semper fi,
Jim
Outstanding writing. I ve been reading a lot of books on Vietnam, lately , and your writing style is the best . Next up “ Rumor of War “ Joseph Caputo
Thanks George. Caputo’s Rumor is great…but don’t expect the reality of combat as you just read.
Semper fi,
Jim
James I tried a few times to stop reading this and go in the other room to watch a nice comedy video. I couldn’t put it down. I don’t know what I’ll do if you write a book about coming home. I didn’t have an easy time with that, just got angrier and angrier inside until I started letting it out.
Yes, thank you and thanks. The book on coming home might be problematic if I write it in the same straight no bullshit way I have written the combat books.
Semper fi,
Jim
Problematic, straight and no bullshit would be great. Please write it…. pretty please, respectfully speaking…. “Coming Home” would be a great title. It, and 30 days should be mandatory reading in all military academies. AND high schools, instead of the frikkin garbage, out of date and useless garbage the dept. of DIS educationne offers up as mandatory reading to get “certified” as a DIPlomarized citizen drone…. peace…
I am going to write Coming Home just as soon as this book is done.
Thanks for the encouragement.
semper fi,
Jim
The mud……the stinking mud..what was it about that mud
There was nothing like that mud. I have never smelled anything like it since.
And I am glad. Once, I was driving through a neighborhood in Santa Ana, CA in a
dense neighborhood. I had to stop the car when the smell of nuc nuoc mam overcame me
through the open windows of the car. It was a Vietnamese neighborhood. Talk about memories.
Semper fi,
Jim
I had to go and burn a smoke before I could sit down and write this. LT I said it before a while back. As Recon your war was not my war. I spent all my time on the hill tops, but damn your writing makes me feel it all. I can feel the leeches, I can smell the burning jungle, I can feel the mud and slime of the jungle. Your writing makes all possible. BZ LT BZ.
By the way I think you have honored Zippo far more than you think. Through you he will become one of my names on that wall. Semper Fi Sir well done.
Thanks Terry. Had to go down and burn a smoke. I have had that thought a lot lately but realize I can’t smoke anymore
and couldn’t do it well back then! Thanks for the compliment and support you provide by writing on here.
Semper fi,
Jim
Another good read. Looking forward to completion so I can read all three books as a single entity without the pauses. I will then pass them on to my son and grandson who “get me”.
SGT VMFA 115 Chu Lai 5/68 to 6/69
I am working away at it. I will be writing the book about coming home after this volume is done.
I wonder if that will find a good audience.
Semper fi,
Jim