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A troubled Vietnam Vet's brutally honest look at how he survived a senseless war

Posted: Thu May 23, 2019 3:18 pm
by JohnnyFPugh+1
This important memoir documents how invasive wars waged by the United States, like those against smaller countries in SE Asia and in the Middle East during this past half century, do lasting damage to both the lives of the native inhabitants and our combat veterans, their long-term health and their piece of mind. Through Smoke-Teared Eyes: The Vietnam War I Fought (by the late author Johnny F. Pugh) can be found at: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1532026870. The author died in 2011 from lung cancer linked to his exposure to Agent Orange, millions of tons which were sprayed throughout the Vietnamese countryside during that war. As his surviving widow, I finished and published his memoir in 2017 in order that his story and sacrifice were not forgotten but shared with as many interested readers as possible. In his award-winning book, you experience the horror of combat, the acrid stench of explosives, the pounding of his heart and the ringing in his hears after he's thrown in the air by a "Bouncing Betty" landmine, the anger he felt after a botched operation killed or mutilated nearly two-thirds of his company. Most importantly, his vivid portraits of the squad members who became his closest friends will endear you to them so that you feel his intense grief whenever they are taken away forever by snipers, booby-traps or machine-gun fire. You might even find yourself laughing at the often lightweight barrio Spanish jokes they shared to lighten the dreary day-to-day tale of survival in a smoking hot war zone. In the end, you'll hopefully understand why this war caused so much long-term trauma to both its victims and those forced to be combatants in a war that solved absolutely nothing while wasting millions of lives.

Re: A troubled Vietnam Vet's brutally honest look at how he survived a senseless war

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 8:39 am
by Chris OConnor
My father spent many years in Vietnam and subsequently a lifetime with mental health issues brought on from the horrors of his experiences. His job ranged from intelligence to busting American drug dealers so he saw things from a different perspective than foot soldiers. One could argue he had it easier but still he came back with emotional baggage he never managed to shake off.

I've advertised your book for free on the BookTalk.org home page, the Featured Books page and on the Hot New Books by Emerging Authors page. I wish you success in book sales and in recovering (if that is even possible) from what you went through. I wish we could force politicians to read your book.

Re: A troubled Vietnam Vet's brutally honest look at how he survived a senseless war

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 4:22 pm
by JohnnyFPugh+1
Dear Chris. What an honor it is to thank you for replying to my recent post about my late husband's Vietnam War memoir. I really appreciate your sincere and heartfelt words. And I am deeply grateful that you have posted his book for free on the BookTalk.org home page plus the Featured Books page and the Hot New Books by Emerging Authors page. That is so very kind of you. I plan to send you at least $25 in the next day or so to compensate you for doing this. I'm am so glad to have found your awesome website and I plan to use it extensively and tell others about it. I do hope you read his book. It's an amazing story and one that needs to be read by as many people as possible. It's vital that people know what the government has done to others in our name and will continue to do if we let them. So many of our Vietnam combat veterans and the Vietnamese & SE Asian Asian people have gone through so much suffering and are still dying from being poisoned by Agent Orange, and it seems so many continue to do so in silence. That war was so horrific and no one no knows better than the young men who were forced to endure and survive it. I am immensely proud of my dear late husband for having the courage to write about his year in that hell in such an honest and engaging way. Thank you again, Cristina Pugh

Re: A troubled Vietnam Vet's brutally honest look at how he survived a senseless war

Posted: Sat May 25, 2019 11:22 pm
by Chris OConnor
I certainly wasn't expecting a donation for the ad space but I do sincerely appreciate it. It really wasn't necessary at all. I've added the Silver Contributor badge to your profile as seen below your username and shown below in the attachment. And I added you to the list of donors on our Forums page sidebar and DONATE page. Thank you so much. I used the PayPal name of Christine Pugh but I can easily change it to Cristina Pugh or JohnnyFPugh+1. Just let me know.

I've ordered Johnny's book on Kindle and will start to read it soon. My father died at 67 years old from lung cancer and we always suspected he may have been exposed to Agent Orange during his tours in Vietnam. But he did smoke cigarettes for decades so we'll really never know. I'm sorry for your loss. It looks Johnny passed at 67 too.