My brother, My Hero
My brother and personal hero, Larry R. Smith, enlisted in the U.S. Army when I was just four years old, and served two tours of duty in Vietnam in 1967-1969. I have 99 letters he wrote home that I am publishing; it will be the largest collection of private letters from a single soldier, sharing the view from an open helicopter door in the 1st Air Cavalry.
His is the voice of every soldier, and he shares the raw truth with our parents. The transformation is compelling: from a teenager with a naive vision of war to a jaded adult soldier, just living to survive another day in horrific conditions.
Sharing this collection is prompting Veterans to SPEAK of Vietnam, and to tell their own tales and truths of what they experienced and how they felt. Bringing those past memories out of the dark and into the light, dusting off the old polaroids and letters, sharing the fun as well as the fear, it all needs to be revealed. Inside those discussions, healing is found.
Please checkout “99 Letters From ‘Nam” on Facebook
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To see more, visit the blog: SpeakingofVietnam.com
Tracy Himes 