Boom goes the bomb, boom, boom, boom. The windshield is peppered with shrapnel and blood stains and blast fragments, flung from mounds of road I can hardly see now.

Laying there, I want to be with Mom again and smile. God took her away in 1985. I cried out to Mom but no one answered.

Laying there I want to throw a stick for Ben to fetch. Ben was good at that---zig zagging through the tall grass. I tried but I had no right arm to throw a stick for Ben to fetch.

Laying there I want to see and hug my wife Barbara. We'd laugh at bad jokes, sip bad beer, but never had a bad day together until I left. To go to war, you see. I tried to see but my eyes were betrayed by darkness covering the light of day.

Now I had battle buddies. You know those guys who hang with you through thick and thin. It's thick right now. The air is thick with fire and smoke. The air is thick with a gun battle, small arms fire popping away as someone grabs me and we haul ass.

"Stay with me man!" 

I don't know how or where I found this strength to continue but I did.