A True Story of the Infantrymen in Vietnam
" The
base camp soldiers lived in and experienced a totally different war. There
were far more of them than there were grunts. When they returned to
the States, the World learned about their war, about their
Nam, the safe, unreal Nam . . . where everything happened but war."
Quote from
Book
The author’s journey into the discovery of his past began
unexpectedly when he read in a book that Shake ’n Bakes in Vietnam were
twerps and did not perform with honor during the war. The actual words he
read were:
“A
Shake ’n Bake sergeant was one of the lesser known evils to come out of the
Vietnam War to infect the Army. These twerps would attend NCO school for
eight weeks and come out buck sergeants. No experience, little skills, but a
great big attitude.” A quote by James Janos ( Jesse the Body Ventura)
The Teams. Avon Books. Copyright © 1998.
When
he read this quote, Jerry Horton became both angry and curious. After all,
he had been a Shake ‘n Bake in Vietnam. Thus the journey began. Now, thirty
years later, after re-experiencing his life in NAM Sergeant Horton has
resolved his issues and finds peace with himself. He concludes:
“My
journey is, of course, not complete, but I have old friends with me now.
Friends with whom I share a special bond, friends, that almost died with me,
and for me. No matter what happens in our lives now, nothing can erase what
we went through together. We experienced life’s most cruel, brutal and
emotional experiences together in the battlefield and lived through them. We
faced death together. And yes, I did perform with honor. I am proud to have
been an infantryman and most of all I am honored to have served with the men
of Company A 1st Battalion 8th Infantry. You are all my heroe s.”
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