We were castoffs and slaves, orphans and unwanteds and used-to-be princesses…and we were mighty. ~Lesley Livingston, The Valiant One of the many unfortunate by-products of war are orphans. The orphanages near our base at Phu Cat, Vietnam were visited by the base chaplains who brought sustenance in the way of food, clothing, and […]
Many people have asked about the characters of my books, The Kansas NCO and Back To The World, particularly during speaking engagements. All of the characters in the books are based upon real people, and exhibit characteristics from those people. Some are based more on fiction than on fact, others more on fact than fiction. […]
I have received many kind letters, notes, and emails regarding “The Kansas NCO”. This is one that is very special to me. Dear Joe I’m writing to tell you I very much liked your book The Kansas NCO. Right off the bat I got into the flow of it. I appreciate your racial inclusiveness. […]
http://www.pritzkermilitary.org/explore/library/online-catalog/view/oclc/895268042 The Kansas NCO is now on permanent display at the prestigious Pritzker Museum and Library in Chicago, Illinois.
Every war, every branch of the service, US and other countries, has probably had its “Kansas NCO”. Not necessarily something to be proud of, but a fact of military life, sometimes serving a useful purpose. Joe Campolo Jr., has turned this into a good read, while aligning it with the Vietnam War. An easy read […]
An extraordinary tale about a group of Air Force soldiers stationed at Phu Cat Air Force base in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Working out of a small warehouse on base, their main job was to provide goods and services to nearby bases, outposts and villager. Sometimes, they were tasked to ride security on convoys […]
I had a great time in Benton Harbor, Michigan, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Vietnam Veteran Tribute hosted by “Lest We Forget”. I was honored to be a guest speaker, and also honored that many people picked up a copy of The Kansas NCO. It was a great program. On Friday afternoon a gentleman […]
My best friend of almost sixty years, Jim Booth, passed away this year. His passing was sudden and unexpected. James Melvin Booth used to call me on the phone every morning, come rain or shine. He would call when he was on vacation and he would call when I was on vacation. He would […]
Major Michael O’Donnell Major Michael O’Donnell was a helicopter pilot killed in action near Dak To, Vietnam in March of 1970. Although I did not know Major O’Donnell we were in Vietnam at the same time, and in some of the same places. This is a poem he penned three months before his […]