Gary Beikirch, a Green Beret combat medic, was seriously wounded when
the Viet Cong attacked the village of Dak Saeng. Gary treated the
wounded until he succumbed to his own wounds. For his bravery, he was
presented the Medal of Honor.
Gary was one of the
lucky ones, although his wounds were serious, including an injury to
his spine, he recovered and was able to walk again, but his mind was
also wounded. He experienced bouts of anger, addiction and PTSD.
Finally, in an effort to find himself, he retreated to a cave in the
Appalachian Mountain Range. There he found God and gave himself up to
his faith.
This excellent book
celebrates the trials and successes of one of our brave soldiers.
After the Vietnam War, many people who did not believe in the war
were not supportive of the returning soldiers. Gary’s story is only
one of many. It reminds us of how lucky we are as Americans to have
soldiers who will defend us.
The scenes in the
battle for Dak Saeng are vivid and frightening. Painting a picture of
the horrific events that led up to Gary’s hospitalization and
subsequent problems. The author did an excellent job of telling the
story. The pace is fast. It’s hard to put the book down. I
recommend this book. It will help you understand how much our
soldiers give both in and out of uniform.
I received this book
from Waterbrook Multnomah for this review.
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