Vaulted into the Light

 

A reader expresses his appreciation for the spiritual underpinnings of the book: "A Hellish Place of Angels: Con Thien: One Man's Journey"  www.ahellishplaceofangels.com

“I just finished your book and wanted to take the moment to express my sincere appreciation for the service you have rendered.

The service comes in helping those of us who have not experienced war firsthand to appreciate the purity and impenetrable bond you've described, born of shared horror, sacrifice, camaraderie, and survival in the face of indescribable carnage and numberless perils.

Your own summary shows that in all spaces of human endeavor, no matter how horrific, there are moments where the qualities of essence, clarity, purity, worship, oneness, light, meaning, non-meaning reveal themselves amidst the mystery that ever endures to challenge and baffle us.

[This is exemplified by one of] the most profound portion[s] of your book … the recounting [of] your feelings deep into the siege of Con Thien, burrowed ever deeper in your foxhole, stripped of identity and willing to accept whatever came next thus “catapulted into the light” in spite of the oceans of utter darkness that engulfed all of you.

Thank you for [your efforts in conveying] the meaning [of war and life] from inside the horror.’


Peter Schenck, Business Strategist and Editor

Book Link to the 3rd Battalion 26th Marines web site

"A Hellish Place of Angels:Con Thien: One Man's Journey." www.ahellishplaceofangels.com


The following is by Bill Ward, veteran of 3/26 in Vietnam, 3/26 web master, and keeper of the 3/26 torch and traditions.

"I enjoyed your book very much and felt it was very well written.It's amazing how even the little things can spark memories from your own experience. I have updated the library page of my site [with your book] and the link is below:

http://www.326marines.com/Library.htm

Bill went on to give a great description of the book and is given here in its  entirety:

"The history of our country has been irrevocably shaped by the wars that have been fought. A singular irony is that only a small percentage of our citizens  experience these wars directly. Vietnam was an unpopular war, still 80% of those who served were young volunteers like 18 year old Daryl Eigen, fresh out of highschool driven as much by a sense of adventure as his duty to his country and a future he believed in.The next 18 months of his life would lead him to a remote, little known outpost on the DMZ known to the locals as the "Hill of Angels" where success on either side were measured by the number of survivors.

Through letters written home to his family during the war and his thoughtful reflections years later, we get the opportunity to hear both voices in this narrative. It is a book that will tug at the memories of all those veterans who served, because as a young Marine in 1967, Daryl Eigen experienced war from both sides of the "wire" and found there were no safe havens in that hellish place called Con Thien the "Hill of Angels.""

Bill Ward Web Administrator    www.326marines.com

The book A Hellish Place of Angels: Con Thien: One Man's Journey is now live and available everywhere. Prices vary slightly but the target price is $18.95 for the soft-cover and $3.99 for the e-book. All of the ebook formats are supported. The soft-cover is available on the book web site: www.ahellishplaceofangels.com  /

The book "A Hellish Place of Angels: Con Thien: One Man's Journey" is now available practically everywhere books are sold. The soft-cover goes for about $18.95 and the ebook which is available in all formats goes for about $3.99.

Now Available


 (Please note the dscription for the Amazon Kindle ebook version is wrong while the soft-cover description is correct)

Synopsis

A Hellish Place of Angels is a powerful story that blends personal insight with keen observations and powerful emotions. This is one man’s journey through the escalating hell of Vietnam in 1966 and 1967 which culminated in the brutal battles of Con Thien. The author’s firsthand account adds an element of realism and tension which makes for a gripping read that is virtually impossible to put down.

Through one man’s journey, the hardship and gallantry of the Marines in Vietnam is revealed and the forgotten battle of Con Thien remembered. Other themes of life course through the book: hope, relationships with family, friends, country, death and peace. The author’s spiritual journey from boyhood to manhood becomes apparent as he faces death over and over again.

Daryl Eigen                                                                                                     All rights reserved 2012

The book and blog

I am working on self publishing a war memoir of my road to and experience of Vietnam in 1966 and 1967. The book is titled: A Hellish Place of Angels, the same title of this blog.

I have obtained very positive feedback from my editors and a publisher:  

"The author does an outstanding job of sharing the story of his time with the Marine Corps’ 3/26 and 2/9 infantry battalions in Vietnam. He narrates this story with candor and spares no detail. He displays an obvious commitment to educating his readership and thoroughly documenting the battalions’ skirmishes. He has a clear and distinctive voice; his memory of the events surrounding his training, deployment, and the battles described here is vivid and compelling. The author includes many details that make his story come alive for the reader; the descriptions of his fellow soldiers, the reactions of his family members, and the time he spent in country are particularly memorable, as the following passage demonstrates:

p. 68: The promise of death at every turn brings one to the moment like nothing else. In the beginning when death is fresh everything tastes wonderful. Cigarettes are especially good at this time as they remind us of our power over fire and our willingness to play with death.

The story flows smoothly from one section and one event to the next, with a solid narrative arc and considerable dramatic tension. This story of how the author survived unimaginable circumstances will be a priceless memento for his family, as well as an unforgettable memoir for general readers of a terrible chapter in modern history"

The purpose of this blog will be to talk about the book and other issues of and about The Vietnam War.

Daryl