POP SMOKE, BIRDS INBOUND is a 117,408 word first person account of a different side of the Vietnam War—a unique glimpse into the daily life of a grunt over a course of a year, from combat to drugs to the sexual exploits in
POP SMOKE, BIRDS INBOUND is an intimate and richly detailed journal, written in narrative chronological episodes as seen and lived.
From beginning to the end, this story is a rare window into the life of the “grunt” as tragedy and priceless memories unfold, along with incisive portraits of those who fought in a war that could never be won.
Author’s Note
For over forty years, I had an incredible story to share, but no one cared to listen. Although the criticism and ridicule of America’s most controversial war would eventually be forgotten, the physical and mental damage would remain forever. The idea was not to think or talk about the war, but to move on with the future. What the United States government neglected to realize was the psychological scars that would manifest from the Vietnam War.
As painful as it was, I was able to cope with the denigration and transition back to a civilian life. The greatest challenge was to talk openly about a subject everyone wanted to forget. With the lack of aid for returning Vietnam veterans, we had to deal with the physical and mental damage on our own, and sometimes it wasn’t very pleasant. Especially for the soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice.
Despite all his discomforts the grunt did his job well.
