Bill Martin of North Pekin, Illinois joined the Army in 1965 and served in Quy Nhơn, Vietnam for 18 months as a forward observer for artillery units where he coordinated communications for firing rounds and adjusted coordinates for the soldiers. Ever since returning from the war, Martin has been involved in several organizations that aid and celebrate American war veterans.

Wade Lemons of Sesser, Illinois was drafted into the military right out of high school where he joined the infantry and fought in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. Lemons, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, provides a detailed first-hand account of how he survived day-to-day on the ground in wartime.