Willie Zavala Jr.

Childhood Lost: a Marine's Experience in Vietnam Willie Zavala Jr.

This is a true story of an experience in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. It describes places like Khe Sahn during the siege, demilitarized zone during bombardment, and Hue city with its ornate beauty and people's sadness. It offers a front line view of the pain, agony, and brotherhood that existed then and exists now among Vietnam veterans who have taken their place in America's society. Friends who gave their ultimate sacrifice for this nation inspired Childhood Lost. It is because of unconditional devotion and love for their fellow brothers that I share these thoughts. This story is about the reality of war; pain, anger, screaming, laughter, and death, that sometimes society takes for granted. Childhood Lost envelops loyalty, love and remembrance in a place where death saturated the atmosphere. It reveals a comparison between life as we knew it in childhood and life in time of war.