Vietnam; Honor and Sacrifice

“Vietnam; Honor and Sacrifice,” is a dramatic, action packed, gut wrenching story that will allow readers to feel they are in the line of fire. Tom Kenrude, has always wanted to be a doctor. But as the war in Vietnam widens, Tom feels a call to help the wounded soldiers. After a long talk with his girl friend Mackenzie, he decides to enlist in the Army as a combat medic. However his family is mortified by his decision, creating a an argument between family members that can never be truly healed. After basic training, Tom returns home to marry Mackenzie. After a short tour of duty in Germany, orders arrive for Vietnam. Tom is assigned to an helicopter evacuation squadron at Binh Thuy, located in the Mekong Delta. After just a few days, Tom realizes how brutal the war can be, as day after day, they deliver wounded men to the hospital. Tom becomes emotionally involved with one of the nurses, even though he has a child on the way back home. Both Tom and the nurse realize they are making a mistake and end the relationship. The squadron is sent to Quang Tri, to help fight a battle in the Central Highlands. For weeks the men evacuate the wounded, until several of the medics are killed. A medic that is a conscientious objector is assigned to the squadron. Because of his history with other combat units, there are problems among members of the squadron. Tom agrees to work with him, leading to a tragic end. Returning to Binh Thuy, the men find out headquarters in Saigon have decided to wipe out Viet Cong activity in the delta region. The fighting is tough and the casualties are high. After one mission Tom's chopper is shot down. With two crew members injured, Tom struggles to no avail to rescue the pilot before the chopper sinks. The survivors swim to an island where they seek refuge in an old patrol boat base. Quickly they find out a detachment of Viet Cong are on the island operating a radio base. After a quick battle all but one are killed. The survivor is a young girl. Tom works hard to save her life, knowing he might have been the one who shot her. Just as they are to be rescued she passes away. The men bring her body back to Binh Thuy to be buried in a small cemetery. Returning to the mission, Tom and one other medic are assigned to work with a CIA/SOG Operative. They quickly realize he is a brutal sadistic murderer that has his own agenda. With the help of some AirCav soldiers, his reign of death ends. However an American General believes more needs to be done. He decides to take his complaints regarding the CIA and SOG to the President. But he is not ready when he finds out who is involved and what might come of his actions.Once again the squadron is sent back to the Central Highlands. However this time the Viet Cong are under estimated and they are determined to wipe out the Americans in the battle. With choppers destroyed Tom and several medics must fight like infantry. After being wounded several times, Tom fights with every ounce of energy left in his body, allowing the rest of the men to escape. Toms body is returned to Glendale, Minnesota for burial. His family struggles to understand all that has happened, as Mackenzie vows to raise their son Sean, never letting him forget the kind of hero his father was.  3