I read a lot, and I read a lot of Viet Nam stories. As a Viet Nam Veteran of the early days of the conflict, I left the country in May of 1962. I never knew much of the later years until a few years ago when the old vets like myself started writing their stories. Those men rekindled my interest. I began a study of the war from the beginning in the Indo-China conflict of the 1950’s.
My time of service in Viet Nam was of a short duration, and had a traumatizing effect on me, but as I began to read stories Like “Combat Boots and Dainty slippers”, I became glad that I served during the period in which I served.
Reading the story of Greg Taylor, once again brought home the memories of a young man going to a very strange environment for a year, a place in most cases where one is almost always in harm’s way. I listened closely to all the various methods that the servicemen around Greg and his mates used to try to create a semblance of normalcy, a place for themselves to perhaps mentally escape what was going on around them.
I listened to Greg’s nightmares after he saw his partner killed in action, and the long lasting affect it had on him. I watched his personality changes as the influence of war changed him. During his tour Greg was able to see some of the world that was his surroundings, he visited Sai Gon, that Pearl of the Orient, that was the melting pool of people from countless cultures, and great intrigue.
Then Greg found Sharon, a girl from back home, that he had feelings for even before they both came to Viet Nam. One could not help but be touched by the love that developed between the two of them, even in the limited time they got to spend together. I won’t speak of anymore of that line of thought, except to say, that my heart was touched with many emotions as life unfolded before them.
General William Tecumseh Sherman once said that “War is Hell” But dear General, I am not sure that hell has all the furies that are found in war. Furthermore, Hell is, according to the preachers and the priests, a place of un-repented sin and bad actions. War attacks the young, the innocent, the boys and girls, of a society, and forces them into the mold of men and women, before they should have to be forced there, and does it in a most cruel and savage manner. Those who start wars should be held to a serious account for their actions.
I urge you to read this fine piece of literature written by Larry Deibert and think to yourself, “would I measure up, in such a place under such conditions, at a young age. Larry did a great job telling this story, I read it in a rather short interval, as it was fascinating. I also recognized many of the locations, like Ben Hoa and the Saigon River, where I had experienced my loss of innocence many years before.
Thank, Larry, that was a great read!
OR
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