An infantryman's honest account of his experiences during the controversial Vietnam War, this book chronicles the courage and dedication that the American soldiers demonstrated while away from loved ones, in a foreign land where hanging by a thread was the norm every day. It openly discusses the challenges and sacrifices each man had to make in order to survive and protect the lives of his comrades, and it casts a light on the shortcomings of the US government and of those in authority who could have abated the terrifying number of casualties through proper planning and sound judgment. The author, Brian Richard Esher, had witnessed firsthand the horrors of the war and had many close encounters with death. He was sent to Vietnam in 1968, the worst year in terms of casualties. He served with the 25th Infantry Division, 4th Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Mechanized, and received several medals, including the second-highest military award for valor, the Distinguished Service Cross.