Esprit de Corps

A Novel Inspired by Actual Events

Will Brown, a small town boy from West Virginia, an inexperienced youth who gets cold feet when he’s with his childhood sweetheart and cringes at confrontations with loud mouthed bullies, dreams of joining the Marines so he can become the man he longs to be. Sidesplitting antics include Will’s first experience in a rowdy Southern bar, training his uncooperative hound dog, a traumatic night at the dance, a wedding, recruitment and survival techniques as Will is molded into a Marine. Along with laughter, it’s a sober reminder of the horrifying price paid for war. While in the trenches of enemy territory, Will’s life is changed as he endures hardships far away from home and watches brave men give their lives to rescue others. Although a fictional tale, readers will find details about the Marine Corps’ strenuous and excellent training at Parris Island, Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton during the sixties, and the Marines’ incredible fortitude required throughout the War in Vietnam.