Northfield Author to publish short stories of Vietnam

April 7, 2011 - PRLog -- "A Wretched Man, a novel of Paul the apostle" was released to critical acclaim a year ago.  Author RW Holmen of Northfield is now utilizing his storytelling skills to revisit the conflict in Viet Nam in a series of short stories entitled "LRRP Rangers Vietnam."

"Eleven Bravo", the opening short story in the series, was released on April 6.  The title refers to the Army's 11B designation for the combat infantryman.  After a brief scene in Tiger Village of Fort Polk, Louisiana (the primary training center for Vietnam-bound infantry), the story opens as a young soldier arrives in Vietnam while Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, and the story concludes nearly a month later as soldiers celebrate to the music of Jimi Hendrix at the same time the rock star is performing live at Woodstock.
 
Between these two cultural placeholders of the summer of '69, the infantrymen of Alpha Company endure a torturous "hump" through the mountainous jungles of the central highlands, encountering hostile North Vietnamese combatants, impassable terrain, and heat stroke.  This short story is less about patriotism and heroism than it is about the gut-wrenching reality for the Vietnam combat soldier
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The second short story in the series has also been released.  Entitled  "Here Comes Charlie", the soldier has now departed Alpha Company and volunteered for recon duty as a LRRP (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol).  "Lurps" were the Vietnam equivalent of the cavalry scout, riding helicopters instead of mustangs to remote and unfriendly territory.  Themes of self-preservation and moral ambiguities, introduced in the first installment, are advanced as North Vietnamese soldiers unwittingly file toward four lurps hiding in the tall grass.

Author Holmen refers to the short stories as "autobiographical fiction".  The stories are based on actual events but with literary embellishment.  Holmen draws upon personal experiences as a lurp with K Company, 75th Infantry (Rangers) from 1969-70, where he was twice awarded a bronze star for valor in combat.

The stories are released as eBooks in all formats (Kindle, Nook, iPad, etc.) and may be purchased online at Amazon or Smashwords ... or other favorite online bookstores.

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/RW-Holmen/e/B003BFNKIK/ref=ntt_athr...
Smashwords link: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/rwholmen
Info about LRRPs: http://www.theliberalspirit.com/lrrp/

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Author & public speaker.

Spirit of a Liberal, a blog of progressive, religious themes.
Published works include "A Wretched Man, a novel of Paul the apostle", "The Woodsman" short story, "Here Comes Charlie" short story.