This memoir is who I was and not who I am today. "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?...Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God" (1 Corinthians 6:9a, 11). I thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving me the peace I have always been looking for. I started this work back in 1973, and it has been a very difficult process because I could actually feel those same emotions as I wrote about them. Perhaps one of the most astonishing things I learned is that time does not diminish the edge of those extreme emotions. If I had to choose one thing as being the single, greatest thing the Marines taught me it would be that no matter what the obstacle is, no matter what life throws at you, never, ever, give up. Many times, since Vietnam I have wanted to give up, but that one life lesson, that voice barking out saying "one more" wouldn't let me. I owe a lifetime debt of gratitude to the Marine Corps and to my Drill Instructors: SSgt. Sunn, SSgt. Garcia, and especially Sgt. Clark. My Marine training and experience is something that time and reflection have taught me more to appreciate. Some readers will be upset by the use of racial references, some will be upset by the vulgar language, some by the stark brutality, some by the sexual references. I can sanitize my manuscript and give the reader a false sense of how war reduces the humanity of an individual but in a paradoxical twist heroic and superhuman efforts would erupt in the defense of your brothers-in-arms. Not only that, but sanitizing the past distorts history and lulls a person into a nonchalant manner of behavior in determining courses of action. The end result is that I would defeat the purpose that compelled me to write my book in the first place. So, what is the point? I hope that you understand what I am trying to achieve. President Nixon had a program that allowed for any Vietnam combat Marine, who had a year or less to serve, opt to be released from active duty and still retain full VA benefits. I took advantage of that program and served one year and seven months and then was released from my two-year commitment. During my 19 months in the Marine Corps, I consistently earned above-average evaluations from my superiors. I rose from Private (E-1) to Corporal (E-4) in just 14 months-considered rapid promotion, even under combat conditions. I became a Section Leader