A TRAMP'S TOUR
This Is Not Just Another Vietnam Book. This Is a Story That Has Been Told Before.
by
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“When we got to the closed gate, I got out and sheepishly knocked on the gate doors. I was uncomfortable since I had never been there before, and had only driven by. Soon a very short Nun opened a walk-through door that was built into one half of the large, solid gate. I tied to explain that we had stuff for the kids in the weapons carrier, but she did not seem to grasp what I was trying to say. Apparently my French was rustier than I thought. Before long, a crowd of rag tag children had gathered just inside the gate, and from a distance of about 50 yards, I saw the Priest approach. The Priest, at first seemed as confused as the Nun, while she spoke to him, but then when he saw me, he smiled broadly, and asked the Nun to open the gate, and allow the G.I.’s and their vehicle inside. Once the gate had been shut behind us, the Priest, while eying the stash of various boxes in the vehicle, asked what brought us there, on that day. I told him, we wanted to help the children, and him, and that we had brought things for them. After I had convinced the Priest that the goods we had brought, had no strings attached, he explained the situation to the crowd of kids, now numbering about 200, and the half dozen or so, Nuns. Along with more than a few grateful tears, they clapped for us. “
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About the Book
When author Rod Leger got drafted in the middle of 1966, he was in his freshman year of college. The next few years transformed his life. In this memoir, he recalls his feelings as a college student in the period leading up to the war. At the time, he never considered that the war might not be the best idea. After all, if the country was drafting young men to fight and die overseas, then it must have been right. He enlisted in the US Navy’s American Seabees, and because he completed a year of college, he was designated as a “striker” and trained as a builder. Although he spent some time in the States, he was destined to go overseas to Vietnam, where he served two tours of duty. As a member of the Seabees, he helped bring free medical care to outlying villages. The Seabees built permanent clinics, constructed roads, improved or installed infrastructure, provided clean water wells, and improved the quality of life for many Vietnamese citizens. The members of Leger’s squad also made it a personal mission to help an area orphanage. In A Tramp’s Tour, Leger shares the story of his Vietnam experience and of how the Seabees lived up to their motto: “We build for the fighters, we fight for the builders.”
About the Author
Rod Leger served two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, and he was surprised by the reception veterans received when he returned to the United States. To help heal his damaged soul, he took a cross-country road trip in 1976 and started a to-do list that he’s mostly completed. After the war, he was a life safety engineer, designing large facility systems. In retirement, he enjoys rescuing and rehabilitating stranded mammals in the Gulf of Mexico and raising money for charities. He lives in Houston with his loyal Labrador retrievers and several tropical birds.