Tank Gunner

My pitch is to encourage teens to seniors to write their stories by learning about my journey from retired soldier to award-winning author.

In 2009, found 4 combat operational reports (ORpt) I had written forty years earlier, in 1969, as Commander, Troop D, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam.

Texas Tech University Vietnam Center and Archive permitted us to copy my reports and ask me to participate in their Oral History Project.

I had all of these answers for the project and my elaborations, clarifications, and in some cases, corrections, to the ORpts, so I began using the information to write stories.

I called them War Stories.

Enrolled in a Brookhaven creative writing class in 2011, brought seven of my war stories.

My instructor suggested a blog for the non-fiction war stories and encouraged me to write fiction as well.

I did not know how to spell blog, but created one with 200 stories and 350 photos, graphics, and images.

I'm still working with my instructor and I've published nine books, my first at age 76.

Tank Gunner is the pen name of a retired combat cavalry trooper, Senior Parachutist, and Jumpmaster awarded a Combat Infantry Badge and decorated with a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars – one for Valor – and a Purple Heart. He served his nation with pride and honor for more than a quarter-century as an enlisted soldier and officer.

PROMPTS (60 short stories), at age 76

PROMPTS TOO (57 short stories) at 77

COOKIE JOHNSON, a Vietnam historical fiction novel of love and war where Cookie paid an Army recruiter $10 to be a cook, ended up in Vietnam as an infantry rifleman, and found love with Lieutenant Katy Patton, at 78

PALOMINO, an immensely popular WWII historical fiction novel about three German POWs living and working in a rural Texas town in 1943, at 79

PORKY BAYCANN, a fourteen year old boy - coming-of-age, adolescent friendship, and WWII historical fiction novel – and companion to Palomino – at 80

THE REDEEMER, powerful drama of love, conflict, and redemption set in Palomino on the eve of WWII – a companion to Palomino and Porky Baycann – where exonerated murderer Doctor Pearly Gates comes to work in the Palomino hospital, at 81

REVEREND RIPPLE$' BUILDING FUND, a historical fiction story about Bobby Ripples, thief, ex-con, and pretend preacher who comes to Marshall, Texas for a new beginning in 1956 and gets control of his church's building fund (Elvis Presley sings and Ray Charles makes an appearance in Bobby's tale), at 82

RIGORS of REVENGE, the story of a retired soldier, who harbored revenge for 50 years, returning to Vietnam to find and kill a murderous enemy, at 83

LUCINDA JONES, a young woman comes to work in the Palomino Press at the onset of the Korean War, in June 1950. Lucinda uncovers secrets, challenges stubbornness, defies injustice, wins trust, discovers her strengths and weaknesses, and delights in the excitement and serenity of true love. Lucinda Jones is fourth in the series with THE REDEEMER, PALOMINO, and PORKY BAYCANN, at age 84.

  My wife married me 63 years ago and we live with 6 year old Cody, 100 miles southwest of Palomino.

I've done hundreds of book signings.

I do a free 35 minute PowerPoint show for schools, clubs, associations, veteran groups, and senior living community residents followed by a book signing.

My engaging, informative, and fun show highlights my journey from retired soldier to award winning author.

And I encourage teens to seniors to follow my lead and write.

So, let's tell my journey so your listeners and followers, teens to seniors, will be inspired to start their journey to achieve their dream of writing for family, friends, history, or just plain fun.

Nine books with reviews: https://tankgunnersix.blogspot.com/

200 War Stories-350 photos, graphics: https://armedsavagesix.blogspot.com/