Unceremoniously dumped in the orphanage by their drunken, war-traumatized
father, Don and his brother Mike learn the harsh realities of life. We can
feel the fear of the tormented child and smell the antiseptic dormitory. Not
all is bad there, for it is during this time that the young Donald sees his
true love, Annette, for the first time. Her brunette hair, twinkling eyes
and heart-melting smile are what help sustain the warrior's sanity and focus
during some of his darkest moments, which are yet to come.
Don was a 'malcontent renegade' in the eyes of the nuns, because he fought
for his dignity and that of his brother. Recalcitrant, yet gregarious, Don
is dismissed from the orphanage with his brother, and returned to the father
who had abandoned them. No hope for the future leads the seventeen-year-old
boy, old beyond his years, to a recruiter's office and the Army.
In August 1967, after a tour in Alaska and six months in Germany, the young
paratrooper volunteers for duty in the Republic of Vietnam and is initially
assigned to the 173d Airborne Brigade. Then, he hears a call for volunteers
and joins a new long range patrol unit being formed, with the motto "I
Serve," and the charter of taking the war to the enemy. Expertly weaving
heart-thumping moments as enemy soldiers walk past within mere feet of
patrols, the cacophony of battle and copper-taste of adrenaline during
contacts, and the stark contrasts of the war, Don Hall takes us on his tour
with the Lurps. We feel the anguish of losing teammates, and share the love
for comrades. We see the oblivious eyes of the enemy walking toward an
ambush, and the handmade wooden cross prepared by a soldier for a dead enemy
tossed from a helicopter. We hear the cries of the wounded and the soft
strains of songs on the radio. We feel the hurt and anger of the young boy,
and the power and control of the soldier as he serves.
I Served takes us on a journey we cannot stop once the first page is
turned. In the end, it is the simple understatement of service and quiet
professionalism which makes this story different. We should all pause to
reflect that we have much for which to be thankful, provided by the
sacrifices of those who served.
-book description written by Command Sergeant Major Jeff Mellinger
Together, Don and his wife Annette wrote I Served. In addition, they produced an award-winning documentary about Don's unit, title ''Silent Victory: the story of Co. F, 51st Long Range Patrol (Airborne) Infantry.'' They just finished showing ''Silent Victory'' at various film festivals around the country. In the final festival in which ''Silent Victory'' appeared (the Vision Film Festival in Virginia, in April 2005), they capped off a successful festival run by winning the Audience Choice Award and the Best Editing Award. ''Silent Victory'' has consistently won high praise from audiences and festival previewers alike. Don and his wife Annette have known eachother since the eighth grade and have been married since July 1968. They have one daughter. For more information about I Served, please visit www.i-served.com. For more information about ''Silent Victory,'' please visit www.silentvictory.com.