{"product_id":"vietnam-diary-robbie-robinson-9781512143072","title":"Vietnam Diary: 1966-1967","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe Vietnam Diary 1966 - 1967 is a collection of journal entries, letters and poetry written during a young man's tour of duty in Vietnam. It includes photos and flashbacks that occurred during the author's writing of the book, and is illustrative of the lives of the thousands of troops that experienced that controversial war.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author joined the Marine Corps in 1966 and by the fall of that year was in Vietnam in the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division in Golf Company, Weapons Platoon, was posted as a machine gunner. He was involved in 2 major battles, many smaller ones and was wounded twice. The journal is a chronological account of his year there starting from boot camp in San Diego to his final days in the service.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMixed with his actual journal entries are letters he writes home and poetry he wrote that reflects his response to the war, combat and death. The letters to his father and his mother and sister are distinctly different in content and tone, the journal entries the musings of a young boy away from his family for the first time in horrific conditions, the poetry fresh with promise, and the remembrance's often painful. By way of example: \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExcerpt from Letter to Dad: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"But speaking of your counter-insurgent, you can bet your boots that's what we are. We employ the same tactics they use with heavier armament and better equipped personnel. We are hardly conventional troops, though they call us that back home for political as well as social reasons, but we use much the same tactics as do the VC short of torture, killing of innocents, etc. although there are scattered incidents of these as in any war. But we hide in the field, search and destroy, sweep, ambush, etc. generally being miserable, wet, hungry, cold-hot, and wishing we were home.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExcerpt from Letter to Mom \u0026amp; Sis: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"I received my tentative orders and I'm scheduled to go overseas Nov. 21, so it looks like I'm not going to get a chance to see you before I go. There isn't real need, for love explains and shows all, and it is enough to carry me across those waters. I love you both and I know that I am loved, so I'm content until I return next fall.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExcerpt from Journal Entry: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Relatives and family... worry. They worry about me and I worry about them worrying about me. Winds flowing every way and I'm coming back... worry is ungood and bothers. Forget and live life as I'm doing on my part with death possibly just around over there...\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart of a poem written after six months in-country: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat brings me here?\u003cbr\u003e What leads my path\u003cbr\u003e To find this dreary horror\u003cbr\u003e Singing a muddy melody of\u003cbr\u003e Blood and lost friends?\u003cbr\u003e Perhaps a quiet somebody will\u003cbr\u003e Come leading me by the hand\u003cbr\u003e To sit and explain those things\u003cbr\u003e And all things and, and...\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eExcerpt from a Remembrance: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"I could feel the bullets whizzing around my head like angry hornets and then there was a loud clap next to my face with the sonic slap of a bullet that just missed me. I crouched down unable to see where it came from, cursing and angry then got up and moved forward. Eventually the firing stopped. No one was hurt and that bullet didn't have my name on it. Still left me shaking.\"\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author served a 2 year enlistment and was honorably discharged as a Lance Corporal with two Purple Hearts. He was profoundly affected by the war both physically and mentally and it drastically changed the way he looks at life.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn 1997 he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma caused by his exposure to Agent Orange, the chemical herbicide and defoliant made by Monsanto that U.S. forces sprayed extensively in order to kill vegetation in the Vietnamese jungle and expose Viet Cong hideouts. His Epilogue credits Monsanto for ruining his life and the lives of so many others following the war.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Robbie Robinson\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1512143073\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781512143072\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Createspace Independent Publishing Platform\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/12\/2015\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 190\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.54lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.50h x 5.51w x 0.44d","brand":"Robbie Robinson","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44068228366591,"sku":"9781512143072","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_8b4ce2e5-c73a-4495-b3cf-e77680869b72.jpg?v=1685417784","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/vietnam-diary-robbie-robinson-9781512143072","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}