These are the true stories of a young man drafted into the military upon college graduation in 1969. His mother, being very concerned he'd be sent into combat in Vietnam, made him promise to write to her regularly to dispel her fears. That's why most of the letters are upbeat and about totally random subjects. That's exactly what this book contains: actual excerpts from his letters, tapes and pictures he sent home. His writings tell his account of going through Marine Corps boot camp, flight school and combat bombing missions in Vietnam.