Paul King was seventeen when he joined the Army. As most enlistees, he really had no idea what he was about to experience. All he had was a desire to serve his country. He would encounter some of the most trying conditions. His memoir is often raw and brutally honest, both about the people and institutions he served, but more importantly, how he personally acted under the stress and circumstances of his experience in Vietnam. Being a tank commander and combative, he was often reduced to a private for his "misdeeds"--only to be promoted again.
At one point, his only true companion was a precious dog, Shot-See, who saved his and his men's lives many times over by alerting them to booby traps and hidden enemy soldiers before they reached them. With Shot-See's death, Paul faced the danger of war head on as a designated sniper. He was released in dangerous areas with no backup, no communications, and no identification. His mission was to disrupt the Vietnamese by himself.
This is a story of a brave man who faced death and lived to tell about it.
About the Author Paul King
After Paul came back from Vietnam, he still had two years left in the military. Those two years were the hardest because Vietnam had changed him forever. After those two years, he got out of the military and entered civilian life, but he could not hold a job. He tried for four years and went from one job to the other. He didn't understand why he had so much trouble adjusting. After the four years, he went back into the military where he stayed for two years. However, there were issues that came up, and he couldn't stay in. After Paul tried to get help, they told him to do what he had to do, and released him from service. After Paul was released from service, he went to the VA hospital, and the military told him he might have PTSD. It wasn't until 2003 when they officially diagnosed him with PTSD. Even to this day, Paul suffers from the symptoms including flashbacks, nightmares, and intolerance to loud noises, crowds, and bright lights.
Paul and his wife, Lana, have been together for forty-five years. She has witnessed his nightmares, panic attacks, and other issues associated with PTSD. Through it all, she has always supported Paul. Many marriages do not survive PTSD, which is another trauma veterans have to suffer. PTSD is an injury that never heals and affects these wounded warriors during the waking hours and in their nightmares. Unfortunately, veterans from all the wars and conflicts suffer from PTSD, and each person has different symptoms.
Paul currently lives in Springer, New Mexico, with his wife, Lana. He has written several books, including a book called, The Hero, detailing the story of a man who was a POW, who was eventually released back to the United States, only to be killed by a drunk driver. He is currently working on It's a Dog's Life that chronicles his life with all of his four-legged family members.
