I lay in the muck of oozing mud seeping slowly up through the packed, cracked, and broken debris of jungle and aging decay. The smell was of the damaged sort I’d come to know as my home away from home down inside the A Shau Valley expanse. I wondered if the smell would ever leave me, should I somehow have the good fortune to survive my experience in actual combat. I’d come late to discover that I, inadvertently, had built the confidence of the Marines around to such an extent that they had gone from being ‘dead men walking’ to believers that they might make it through the Vietnam war experience and one day go home without serious disfigurement or injury. I had, however, not built up that belief system inside myself. No matter what I did in the few moments of rest or reverie that I had it was impossible for me to believe that I could survive another year under such conditions.
The dawn came creeping up and over the far eastern wall of the canyon rim, with the first tendrils of light visible only like a faint glow across the clouded sky that had to signal a return to monsoon rains. The respite through the night had been too long and too good. The enemy would be able to use the monsoon rain during the next night to cloak another of its relentless attacks, and very likely a fully coordinated and successful one. I peered upward, toward the top of the western lip of that canyon wall but could see nothing. It was time to move from our position, I knew, and a plan was beginning to form in the back of my mind for our next survival attempt.
Glad you recovering and getting well. took me a while to get into reading about combat again. now back in the groove or should I say groovy. still one waiting for me on to the read I go. Don
Thanks Don, means a lot right now and I’m not kidding.
Semper fi,
Jim
When will the third 10 days be available for purchase?
As soon as I complete the last segment, Mike.
Thanks for your patience. I am back in the strength mode.
As usual another exciting chapter. Waiting to see how the new Lt. works with Sugar Daddy’s people. Smoke and prayers for your quick recovery.
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
LT-
Glad you are back in the Saddle.
Latest chapter is great!
Bypass will buy more time plus you now have more blood flowing and more blood means more oxygen flowing.
The NAM adventure was a hard year.
We get it.
Keep writing 👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thanks for the well wising and yes the blood is ‘flowing’ once more, along with the ink!
semper fi,
Jim
I appreciate your support, Chris
I am mending form the heart surgery but now this Pandemic has so many lives upside down, it is difficult to stay as focused as I want to.
Semper fi
Jim
Hoping the operation went well & you are on the road to recovery. Gentle hugs for you & your wife.
Jim’s daughter just let me know surgery was a success and Jim is in ICU most probably through to Friday.
He will probably be answering a lot of these wonderful messages over the weekend.
Chuck
Very first and most important, Lt. may your medical procedure have the best possible outcome.
Your writing is good and something I look forward to. I was not involved personally in the madness of that time but was close enough to know of it and as the decades have passed have tried to get my mind around all of it.
I’m noting in the first paragraph the sentence, “I lay in the muck of oozing mud seeping slowly up through the packed, cracked and broken debris of jungle detritus and aging decay. ” is trying to carry a little too much with use of the terms ‘detritus’ and ‘debris’. My opinion, of course.
very best going forward.
Jim Adams
Chuck Bartok here standing in for Jim. Today is day of surgery.
I removed the word detritus and it does sound better.
Jin appreciates your support
Thank you Sir! You are in my prayers. Semper Fi
Take care of yourself Jim. Your recounting of your story has taken this long and it can certainly take a little longer.
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days. My heart surgery was a success but the recovery will be a bit longer than I
anticipated.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
Semper fi, and I cannot thank you enough.
Jim
May your surgeon/s be the best. Heal as fast as life allows it, we will be waiting. ben
Thanks Ben, I am in at oh five thirty tomorrow and wish the Gunny was here watching over me.
Semper fi,
Jim
I keep thinking – that damn bridge – and I’m surprised the NVA hasn’t made a major effort to destroy it somehow.
Personal note, I also had a brother in the Army at Bien Hoa, he’s no longer with us.
SEMPER FI
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days. My heart surgery was a success but the recovery will be a bit longer than I
anticipated.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
Semper fi, and I cannot thank you enough.
Jim
Thanks for bringing back an old song from Jr. High. Could not remember the band. You and your men bring tears sometimes to this old soldier’s eyes. You are one of the few writers that speak of the dysfunction in the military in those years and hidden blue on blue violence that seemed to permeate my memories from 70 to 78. It was a hard time to serve for many of us. Thank you for serving and being courageous enough to tell your story.
Many of us our age are finding our bodies are no longer 18 or even 50. Hope for a speedy recovery. I am not far behind you on the heart issue LT.
You are simply this wonderful class act SSG
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days. My heart surgery was a success but the recovery will be a bit longer than I
anticipated.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
Semper fi, and I cannot thank you enough.
Jim
LT My prayers are with you and your family as you go through this medical speed bump I will post my thoughts on this chapter after I know you are in recovery God Bless Salute George
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days. My heart surgery was a success but the recovery will be a bit longer than I
anticipated.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
Semper fi, and I cannot thank you enough.
Jim
Another great chapter.
Good luck on your procedure today. Please keep us posted.
Hey L.T. Hope the recovery from that surgery continues to progress nicely. I enjoyed this last segment and have quit trying to predict the chain of events. Which just proves that life is not a novel. The story I read here seems an unburdening of the soul by sharing with others an intense coming of age. Thank you, I feel privileged to have experienced this view into your personal past experiences.
ESSAYONS
Glenn.
Thanks so much Glenn…and that describes the laying down of the story through all of the books.
We are closing on the end of the combat phase of my life and will soon move into the revovery when I start publishing
The Cowardly Lion…which I had to become when I came back into the ‘real’ world to survive.
Semper fi,
Jim
“Cowardly Lion” is now on my must read list. Thanks for the heads up.
It will be a while…
But stay with me, Glenn
Semper fi,
Jim
Prayers for your surgery to go well & a speedy recovery.🙏
Thank you, Cathy.
Heading to the hospital today.
Semper fi,
Jim
Good luck with the surgery LT
Thanks for that. The guys and gals pulling for me have true meaning in my life now.
I can hack it. I’ll just draw on Junior’s survival instincts!
Semper fi,
Jim
Prayer for everything to go well on your surgery and speedy recovery Lt.
Chuck filling in for Jim, Richard.
The surgery went well and Jim should be out in ICU Sunday.
Thank you for your support
Prayers for a successful surgery and a full recovery!
Chuck filling in for Jim.
As I mentioned before surgery was a success.
He will probably be moved to regular room Sunday.
He will be reading all of these well wishes.
Thank you
Let, my thoughts go with you. Looking forward to your return to duty
I am just getting fully ambulatory after the bypass surgery. Sitting at the computer fully erect is still demanding but I am getting stronger day by day. Wednesday of this week (Feb 5) will make it two weeks.
Thanks for the comment and I’ll be fully answering all my comments again soon and also finishing the Third Ten Days. My heart surgery was a success but the recovery will be a bit longer than I
anticipated.
If you want to help you can buy my books (there are now seven available) either online or if you want autographed and signed/inscribed from my website here. If you can and want to help with the coming
jamboree this year and tour then you can contribute at https://www.gofundme.com/f/thirty-days-has-september. I will much appreciate whatever attention you pay to me and my work.
Semper fi, and I cannot thank you enough.
Jim
Father in the name of Jesus, I lift James up to you. I ask for a totally successful surgery and complete recovery.
Amen
Thank you, Ricky,
Semper fi
Jim
Nice, my pray too!
Be well Brother. I had a small heart attack about three weeks ago, The pain was tremendous. I laid on the floor with my feet and lower legs up in a chair. I said a little prayer, if you can call it that. Ö.K. God don’t fuck with me. Do or do not. Went to sleep, believe it or not, and woke up in the morning. He didn’t. Went to the Doc the next week. He said I have a left bundle block an another artifact”he can not I.D. They got me on meds. This gittn old shit sucks.
see ya on the other side of the grinder. Still, lookin forward to sippin a beer with ya.
Looking forward to the ‘beer time’, Bud.
Hope your condition improves
Semper fi,
Jim
Good luck with your surgery. You will be in my thoughts and prayers. I have been with you since day 1 and it has been both exhilarating and freighting. Eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Thanks for your thoughts, Patrick.
I ‘squeezed’ out another installment last night and it will be published today.
Semper fi,
Jim
Godspeed for your successful surgery and recovery cousin. Will see you soon!
Thanks for your kind thoughts, Savanna.
On my way to Chicago this morning for Prep.
Thank you for taking the time to answer. I know my first time I was pretty much a duvus. The second time I cracked a joke just before they scrambled all hands on deck. I think the joke was to a very sweet nurse who I know now knew trouble was brewing. But she laughed anyway after asking me how I was doing and I responded very inappropriately that I would rather have a yeast infection. Smiles will get you about anything you want or need just start early as you can and you’ll be fine. Sempre Fi
I am so thankful for your support, Poppa J, and of course your sense of humor.
Semper fi,
Jim
Your health is # one , good luck and God’s speed for recovery. Can’t wait for the last book to be printed so I can start all over from day one since I have a bad case of CRS.