13 Months

About the Book

This is an intimate look at life in the bush during the Vietnam War in 1968. You will experience the daily struggles, battles, and funny things that happen to a USMC grunt living in the bush for 13 months. You’ll see firsthand through the battles, what Marines ate and drank, where they slept and their existence that ranged from unmitigated terror to utter boredom, hot & dry to wet & cold, rested and ready to frazzled and wired. You’ll watch as a kid grows philosophically and confident, able to handle stress and strain, learning about friendship, love, difficulty, danger, deprivation, and loss. His friends are American kids from all different walks of life, backgrounds, races, and learning. The common element among them is their humanity, bravery, and willingness to risk their lives to help one another. They all were simply just a bunch of American boys doing their job, taking their chances, hoping to go home to the real world from an unreal world.

About the Author

Bruce Bastien has had duel careers in data processing and aviation. He has been a computer salesman for IBM, a business applications computer programmer, a consultant, and owner of a “Cloud” service bureau business hosting client business applications. He has been a flight instructor and owner of a Part 135 on-demand airline with Commercial Pilot License; Single Engine & Multi-Engine, Instrument Airplane ratings. He has degrees in Biometry, Computer Science, and Accounting. He lives in San Diego, California with his wife Carol.