The Fortunate Son recounts the parallel lives of an army brat and a group of Vietnam veterans who intersect decades after the war. The veterans open up to me, the army brat, perhaps in a way they never have with their own families. Why? Through my father, Top, their First Sergeant, we have a common link. Over the years, we've gotten to know each other. They begin to understand the sacrifices of an army family. But, more importantly, they want me to understand how our family's sacrifice and my father's tour of duty in Vietnam with them, in the jungles, gave them confidence to believe they would make it home alive.
Dedication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 3
Thanks and Appreciation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Men of Division, (B2-7) Then . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Chart of Months in B2-7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Map of Vietnam. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Acronyms and Terminology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Foreword by General Barry McCaffrey . . . . . . . . 17
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
Chapter 1: Before the Deluge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Chapter 2: You're in the Army Now. . . . . . . . . . ...31
Chapter 3: End of the Innocence . . . . . . . . . . . .. 51
Chapter 4: What's Going On? . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... 61
Chapter 5: Lives in the Balance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Chapter 6: Bars and Stripes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Chapter 7: Blood Brothers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Chapter 8: Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109
Chapter 9: Time Served . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..117
Chapter 10: Life Marches On . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...127
Chapter 11: Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Men of Division, (B2-7) Now . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
About the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144