The early morning hours before dawn are my favorite to think, write, and reflect. Some recollections, especially those of war, are emotional rewinds that take me back to a time when we were young and full of vigor. The dangers of loss of life and limb were ever present, yet we pushed forward with our duties ruthlessly at times and with varying levels of restraint at other times. I am grateful for the recollections of my Marines and those leaders I served under. A beneficent God gave me the privilege to lead, survive, and write about my wartime experience without shame as I recall the horror, the man tears, the humor, and the laughter of the men as they experienced the emotional rollercoaster of war in Quang Nam Province, SVN.

“He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him.” Proverbs 2:80