13 Months.  Army served 12 months.  Marine’s had to do 1 better.  Thus the name 13 months.

The book will start out Month 1.  (January 1967) and end February 1968.  A chapter for each months served.  I just finished a story in Month 11.  A battle for C-4.  It was an outpost to stop all the infiltration coming down from the DMZ along the ocean.  Before we got there the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) would just filter down right along the ocean causing havoc all along the Qua Viet River.  This was the river that was used to bring supplies and troops to Dong Ha and The Ancient City of Hue.  (Pronounced  Way)

My company approximately 250 men built this base just south of the DMZ right off the ocean.  The military name for this base was C-4.  We called it the sand castle.  Because it was literally built of huge beams covered with sand bags.  Guess who had the task of sandbagging.

This story will cover most of the month of January.

Some one said to me, This happened 50 years ago, “How are you going to remember what happened way back then.”  I told him, “I remember it like it was yesterday.”  I talked to a young lady the other day and told her about the book.  She said her father and uncle will never talk about it.  She was hoping her father would read the book and start opening up.  I can only hope that this book with help my brother’s with their struggles.

This hasn’t been easy.  I’ve told my family that I want to write this book but I have finally got to the point it has got to told.

More coming soon.