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Told To Go: Reflections From Draft to Combat to Coming Home From Vietnam
Paperback
Publisher: Independently Published
Published: Oct 22 2025
Pages: 258
Weight: 0.77
Height: 0.54 Width: 6.00 Depth: 9.00
Language: English
Told to Go is the powerful firsthand account of a young American who answered the call to serve during one of the most turbulent periods in U.S. history- the Vietnam War. Through vivid recollections, personal letters, and memories that lingered for decades, the author shares an unfiltered look at what it meant to be drafted, trained, and sent into the jungles of Vietnam with little preparation and even fewer answers.
This memoir begins with the discovery of a simple wooden box filled with relics of war, unopened for more than 40 years. That box becomes the gateway to a deeply personal journey, not just of combat but of survival, duty, and the lifelong impact of war on those who served and those who waited at home.
From his induction into the U.S. Army in 1967 to his service as an infantry sergeant with the 1st Infantry Division, the famed Big Red One, the author describes the harsh realities of jungle warfare, the bonds formed between soldiers, and the daily fight to stay alive in a world of ambushes, booby traps, and relentless enemy fire. His story captures the courage and endurance of young men who were told to go and went; despite uncertainty, fear, and a lack of national support.
But this book is more than a war story. It reflects on the years after Vietnam: the struggle to reintegrate into civilian life, the silence that followed, and the emotional weight carried across decades. It explores themes of sacrifice, leadership, and resilience while honoring the memory of those who never made it home.
For anyone seeking to understand the personal cost of war, the experience of America's Vietnam veterans, and the unspoken realities behind the headlines, Told to Go offers an honest, deeply human perspective. It is a tribute to those who served with pride, honor, and dignity in the face of a country divided.
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