After publishing 11 books on American World War II veterans, Bluffton author and publisher Kayleen Reusser has turned her attention to Vietnam veterans.
Her most recent book, now available at the News-Banner office and online, “Voices from Vietnam: Stories of War,” she relays stories from veterans she has interviewed from the Army, Marines, Air Force, and Navy.
Reusser shifted the focus of her work from World War II to Vietnam as the result of people, both military and civilian, asking for a book about that war.
“They were the last veterans to be drafted for a war,” she said in a news release, “as the draft was done away with in 1973.”
As with her previous publications, “Voices from Vietnam” provides first-hand stories of life in service, including those who fought in the Tet Offensive, a tunnel rat, a helicopter pilot, a scout dog handler, a Navy corpsman and others. It also addresses the trauma and impact veterans faced when returning home.
Many stories relay the distress the soldiers felt, due to their treatment by fellow Americans upon returning home.
“They were loyal to the country’s military needs by enlisting or showing up after being drafted,” she said. “They deserved better treatment than being spit on and called horrendous names. Hopefully this book will heal some of those wounds that might still fester.”
Wells County vets in the book are Rod Maller, Randy Harnish, Arley Higginbotham, John Senac, Dan Lavine, and Tom Paxson.
Reusser has two events planned which are open to the public. The author and veterans from the book will be present at each event to sign copies of the book and talk to the public:
Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wells County Public Library, and Nov. 12, 2 to 4 p.m. at the downtown Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne.
