Chronicles a young lieutenant's Vietnam tour, depicting combat, survival, and enduring brotherhood bonds. Ruck up. Hump the Green. Follow an infantry officer's 365-day tour in Vietnam, from arrival in-country to the long-awaited flight home. Through the experiences of one young lieutenant, this book traces the rhythms that defined the Vietnam War for thousands of American soldiers: patrols in the Bush, long periods of waiting interspersed with sudden bursts of violence, and the steady pressure of heat, fatigue and uncertainty. In the Bush, rank was a matter of only minor importance as the unit survives and carries itself through boredom, pain, and occasional frightened combat. Officers and enlisted men alike learned quickly that authority meant little without the confidence of the unit. Men are forced to conform to the organization's immediate needs and to work within the unit to ensure the survival of all. The experience, common to all, created a new family-a family born and bonded in the associations of a tour, a family that will transcend all others for the duration of one's life. Moving day by day through a full tour, this memoir offers a ground-level view of how young Americans adapted to war. It captures the bonds formed under strain, the adjustments required to function in a combat zone, and the lasting impact of a year spent in the Bush. Through one officer's account, readers gain insight into the shared patterns that shaped the experience of many who served in Vietnam. AUTHOR: Keith Nightingale was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1965 from Claremont McKenna College. He graduated from Airborne, Jumpmaster, and Ranger Schools and retired as a colonel in 1993. During that time he commanded four rifle companies, three battalions, and two brigades-all Airborne or Ranger units and some in combat. He served two tours in Vietnam, was part of the Iran hostage rescue attempt, commanded an assault force in Grenada, and managed the Department of Defense Interagency Counterdrug Task Force for Latin America from Panama. He was an original member of Joint Special Operations Command as well as a founding Plankholder for the 1st Ranger Battalion in 1974. After retiring from the military, he joined Science Applications International Corporation as Senior Corporate Vice President, managing over a thousand international contracts and security programs in the Middle East conflict zone. He presently serves as a consultant and advisor to several government personalities and organizations and conducts leadership seminars for several Fortune 500 companies. Col (Ret) Nightingale is a member of the 82nd Airborne and Ranger Halls of Fame.
