Bill became interested in writing in 1986. He knew it would be difficult to write because he had no formal training in the craft. Still, he started writing small stories (admittedly lacking in literalistic beauty) about his experiences in Vietnam. These were the same stories he told his kids when they asked about his experience of the war.

Then Joe Klein, an American political commentator, columnist with Time Magazine and author of Primary Colors, entered his life. Joe was a contributing editor for Rolling Stone Magazine and Joe had seen an article in one of the local newspapers about a Vietnam War veteran who got into a shoot-out with the Hammond, Indiana police and was killed. Joe decided to investigate the story to learn what had driven the veteran over the line. After his research he published the story in an article called, “A Casualty of Peace.” The article was a sensation, so Joe decided to write a book called, “Payback: Five Marines After Vietnam.” Bill was one of the first persons Joe contacted to be interviewed for the book and when Joe commented on Bill’s story telling ability, it planted a seed. Bill will never stop thanking Joe for those inspirational words.

Bill’s journey begins just after high school at the ripe old age of eighteen. He had joined the Marines and was attached to a unique new unit designed to surprise the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong and destroy them. The unit was the First Battalion, Third Marine Regiment. The objective was to fly in harm’s way against enemy forces wherever they appeared. They flew off a converted aircraft carrier, the USS Okinawa helicopter ship. Bill was wounded three times in the ensuing battles. The battalion earned two Presidential Unit Citations for the heroic battles they fought. Battles of WWII that received this same award were, The Battle for Tarawa and Iwo Jima, yet few know as much about the Marine’s battles in Vietnam. Bill’s battalion fought in 27 different operations where, over the course of his 13-month tour of duty, he brings to light the hard-fought bravery of so many.

It’s taken Bill years of writing, re-writing, and editing to finish his incredible journey for the annals of history and for the proud lore of the Marine Corps. On Full Automatic is a diary of sorts, which chronicles Bill’s journey from a naïve young man to a hardened survivor. Bill hopes that his story will forever enshrine the memory of the Marines he served with and be an inspiration for other veterans to tell their own stories.

“It’s time these stories are told before they are gone forever,” he says.

Bill has spoken for Veteran’s Organizations and to local schools about the Vietnam War. He currently belongs to the VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Third Marine Division Association, and the Marine Corp League. He has been a Chapter Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.  His book, On Full Automatic, is complete and now undergoing the final round of edits before publishing.

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