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One More Sunrise: Memoir of a Combat Infantryman in Viet Nam
After spending a year in Germany as a security guard with the 50th Ordnance Company, Curtis Gay went to Viet Nam as a Private First Class. Six months later he was a Sergeant in the 25th Infantry Division and experienced some of the most intense fighting of the war. This book is his story.
Curtis spent a year as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey before leaving the Army in 1968. After a long career in the electrical industry, he is retired and lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife.
Curtis spent a year as a Drill Sergeant at Fort Dix, New Jersey before leaving the Army in 1968. After a long career in the electrical industry, he is retired and lives in Durham, North Carolina with his wife.
159 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 29, 2010
5 people are currently reading
11 people want to read
About the author
Curtis P. Gay
4 books1 followerAuthor profile
I was a Combat Infantryman, a security guard for a Nuclear Ordnance Company, and a Drill Sergeant during my three years in the Army. Those three years shaped the rest of my life. Although I enjoyed a very long career in the electrical industry, I also had my problems. Two broken marriages, antisocial behavior, unwarranted anger, suspicion and mistrust of everybody, no respect for authority, alcoholism----the list goes on and on. Nobody was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to combat in those days. This book comes out of therapy. I hope to encourage other veterans to seek help and treatment. Although it never goes away, it can get better.
My memoir is not the typical book about Vietnam. I was not a Special Operations Commando nor was I a high-ranking officer directing thousands of troops. I was just one of the two and a half million Americans who went to Vietnam whose only wish was to survive for a year and return home.
Special care was taken in the writing of this book to make it readable for people who have never been in the military. I have tried to explain to the families and friends of Vietnam veterans what the experience was like for the average infantryman. Most veterans find it painful and difficult to talk about those times.
I hope to enlighten those close to the veteran who wonder what the heck happened to their man over there and to encourage the vet to tell his own story.
Proceeds from the sale of this book are used to assist homeless veterans.
I was a Combat Infantryman, a security guard for a Nuclear Ordnance Company, and a Drill Sergeant during my three years in the Army. Those three years shaped the rest of my life. Although I enjoyed a very long career in the electrical industry, I also had my problems. Two broken marriages, antisocial behavior, unwarranted anger, suspicion and mistrust of everybody, no respect for authority, alcoholism----the list goes on and on. Nobody was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) related to combat in those days. This book comes out of therapy. I hope to encourage other veterans to seek help and treatment. Although it never goes away, it can get better.
My memoir is not the typical book about Vietnam. I was not a Special Operations Commando nor was I a high-ranking officer directing thousands of troops. I was just one of the two and a half million Americans who went to Vietnam whose only wish was to survive for a year and return home.
Special care was taken in the writing of this book to make it readable for people who have never been in the military. I have tried to explain to the families and friends of Vietnam veterans what the experience was like for the average infantryman. Most veterans find it painful and difficult to talk about those times.
I hope to enlighten those close to the veteran who wonder what the heck happened to their man over there and to encourage the vet to tell his own story.
Proceeds from the sale of this book are used to assist homeless veterans.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 9, 2014
Vietnam memoir, one soldier's story
l rate this book highly because like other books in this genre either they are the real deal or they are not. IF anybody thinks war is pretty or that our guys in country had it easy, I say read this book. This book is as factual as one will find on the subject of the Vietnam war. I was touched by his account of shedding tears for the guys that he had known and had been Kia. All this as he is flying home on a transport full of caskets on the way home to be buried by loved ones. It has been a long time and I hope he has found peace and serenity.
l rate this book highly because like other books in this genre either they are the real deal or they are not. IF anybody thinks war is pretty or that our guys in country had it easy, I say read this book. This book is as factual as one will find on the subject of the Vietnam war. I was touched by his account of shedding tears for the guys that he had known and had been Kia. All this as he is flying home on a transport full of caskets on the way home to be buried by loved ones. It has been a long time and I hope he has found peace and serenity.
February 26, 2015
"One More Sunrise: Memoir of a Combat Soldier" tells the story of Curtis Gay, an infantryman, assigned to the 25th Division, who operated in the jungles of the Central Highlands near Pleiku and the Cambodian border. The year was 1967, the war gaining momentum - more soldiers added to the fray to locate and destroy the enemy.
All memoirs that I've read share a common point - the unbearable heat and unique smells of Vietnam. Of all the troops sent to Vietnam, only 10% (infantry soldiers) scoured the jungles in search of the allusive enemy, sometimes, stumbling into booby traps, fortified bunker complexes and ambushes, causing death on both sides. The other 90% supported their ground efforts. This is not to say that only the infantry soldiers were at risk of dying during the war, helicopter pilots and crews took great risks in pulling out the wounded, resupplying troops ammunition during the heat of battle and doing anything else possible to keep their brothers on the ground safe - oftentimes, giving up their lives to do so. Everyone else was in a supported mode and stationed in small fire bases and large division base camps, although, they were subjected to enemy artillery, mortar and rocket barrages, sappers, ground assaults and road ambushes.
Mr. Gay paints a vivid picture of the life of an infantryman during the Vietnam War and touches upon it all. The never-ending patrols, the monsoon, mountains, ravines, bridge security, villages, insects, lack of food and water, running out of ammunition during a firefight, seeing death - both of friends and foe, lack of sleep, "Dear John" letters, booby traps, carving out a depression to sleep in, malaria, lack of hygiene for six weeks at a time, hospitals and coming to the rear areas for R&R..
The book is easy to read and flows well - I read it during a single afternoon. My only complaint is that it is too short. Probably the most poignant section of the book is when Sgt. Gay returns home after recuperating from a bullet wound to his chest. His transportation is on a C-130 transport plane - the sole living passenger in a cargo hold filled with flag draped coffins. His arrival in the U.S. is met with touting protesters and flying spit, he is confused and wonders what he'd done to deserve this...an older cab driver comes to his rescue. When Curis finally arrives home, he finds himself alone and nobody around to talk to who would understand what he'd been through.
I am also a former Vietnam infantry vet and could fully relate to Curtis' story...been there...done that! His story is educational and includes a glossary of terms to help readers who are new to the Vietnam experience. The title of the book is spot on...we all lived, fought and prayed to see "One More Sunrise" and finally got to go home after witnessing it 365 times.
Great job Sgt. Gay! Welcome Home Brother!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
All memoirs that I've read share a common point - the unbearable heat and unique smells of Vietnam. Of all the troops sent to Vietnam, only 10% (infantry soldiers) scoured the jungles in search of the allusive enemy, sometimes, stumbling into booby traps, fortified bunker complexes and ambushes, causing death on both sides. The other 90% supported their ground efforts. This is not to say that only the infantry soldiers were at risk of dying during the war, helicopter pilots and crews took great risks in pulling out the wounded, resupplying troops ammunition during the heat of battle and doing anything else possible to keep their brothers on the ground safe - oftentimes, giving up their lives to do so. Everyone else was in a supported mode and stationed in small fire bases and large division base camps, although, they were subjected to enemy artillery, mortar and rocket barrages, sappers, ground assaults and road ambushes.
Mr. Gay paints a vivid picture of the life of an infantryman during the Vietnam War and touches upon it all. The never-ending patrols, the monsoon, mountains, ravines, bridge security, villages, insects, lack of food and water, running out of ammunition during a firefight, seeing death - both of friends and foe, lack of sleep, "Dear John" letters, booby traps, carving out a depression to sleep in, malaria, lack of hygiene for six weeks at a time, hospitals and coming to the rear areas for R&R..
The book is easy to read and flows well - I read it during a single afternoon. My only complaint is that it is too short. Probably the most poignant section of the book is when Sgt. Gay returns home after recuperating from a bullet wound to his chest. His transportation is on a C-130 transport plane - the sole living passenger in a cargo hold filled with flag draped coffins. His arrival in the U.S. is met with touting protesters and flying spit, he is confused and wonders what he'd done to deserve this...an older cab driver comes to his rescue. When Curis finally arrives home, he finds himself alone and nobody around to talk to who would understand what he'd been through.
I am also a former Vietnam infantry vet and could fully relate to Curtis' story...been there...done that! His story is educational and includes a glossary of terms to help readers who are new to the Vietnam experience. The title of the book is spot on...we all lived, fought and prayed to see "One More Sunrise" and finally got to go home after witnessing it 365 times.
Great job Sgt. Gay! Welcome Home Brother!
John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel
November 18, 2020
Fantastic reading!! Only problem was book went so quickly!! Really enjoyed it.
Only problem was book ended to quickly. Really enjoyed it!! Very easy read and kept you wanting more book to read!!!
Only problem was book ended to quickly. Really enjoyed it!! Very easy read and kept you wanting more book to read!!!
April 22, 2015
Excellent story of a combat soldier in Nam
Brother Gay's telling of life in Nam as a combat soldier could have been mine. I also was a Sergeant/RTO, and based in the Central Highlands at Dak To. His description of survival in this region is true to fact. Thanks to Mr. Gay for telling it like is was.
Brother Gay's telling of life in Nam as a combat soldier could have been mine. I also was a Sergeant/RTO, and based in the Central Highlands at Dak To. His description of survival in this region is true to fact. Thanks to Mr. Gay for telling it like is was.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews