I never had the pleasure of meeting Frank Boccia in person, but I grew to have a deep and profound respect for the man. We became "virtual" friends on the internet, via Facebook, once Frank and I realized how many interests we seemed to have in common. We both loved and pampered our dogs. Frank spoiled Mr. Smith rotten, but I'm no one to talk. When I eat steak, so do my furry babies, sliced on top of their kibble. We're both patriotic Americans and published authors of nonfiction books -- Frank's story was an exceptionally interesting and powerful one. He survived a literal hell on earth, and somehow managed to walk away from Dong Ap Bia, the infamous "Hamburger Hill" battle in Vietnam. Frank was a true American hero. Frank saw the senseless, savage brutality of war, up close and personal. However, his most serious wounds from the war were invisible -- Frank's psyche had been damaged by the carnage he witnessed. After the war Frank struggled to understand how he had cheated death, when so many friends and other good men had not been so lucky. America didn't treat our fighting men as heroes returning from the field of battle after Vietnam. For the most part, we treated those who fought and died for us like dirt. About his book Frank said, "I want to convey the real face of war, both its mindless carnage and its nobility of spirit. Above all, I want to convey what happened to both the casual reader and the military historian and make them aware of the extraordinary spirit of the men of First Platoon, Bravo Company. They were ordinary men doing extraordinary … [Read more...]