According to the book description, “Captain William
“Bill” Clark, Army Special Forces (retired) and his bride of 42 years, Donna, reminisce of a time spent a world
apart as they re-open the letters they sent to each other. It was Bill’s third tour of duty in Vietnam that called him
away just after their first wedding anniversary and it became Donna’s first-hand experience as an Army wife during the
Vietnam War. He was leaving her four months pregnant to have their first child without him. She would face fears almost as
traumatic as her husband’s safety in combat. During the Vietnam War Special Forces teams were supported by helicopters
and their crews. They were unquestionably the most heroic yet least rewarded units throughout the war. They would show up
when most needed, do the job and leave as quickly as they came. Ammunition and food were important in re-supplying border
camps and patrols but nothing was more important than the mail; the only communication available between husband and wife
and other loved ones.
In Bill’s case he carried a plastic bag with an
operations map, stationary, envelope, outgoing mail and letters he collected from Donna. “You’ve got mail”
meant something special then as sending and receiving mail was the highlight of a soldier’s day and helped to sustain
morale at a high level. In Vietnam they were called Pony Express Helicopters, the horses of the old west with pilots, door
gunners and crew chiefs as their riders, but deep down inside Bill called them by another name, locked in his mind only to
be shared with Donna … until now. Donna and Bill promised each other they would write every day if for nothing more
than to say I love you and to stay current. All their letters were eventually mailed and received. Even though Bill’s
mail content was restricted by the Military Donna could write about anything and she managed to say everything. Together they
carried on in humor and support of each other by way of Helicopter Love Mail. Love for one another through the trials of separation
and the fear of the unknown. Husbands attempts to hide combat participation, trying to show a positive attitude to hide many
problems, and trying to solve problems half a world away with letter turnaround time of ten to thirty days. Wife's difficulties
with pregnancy and raising newborn alone. Money and budget problems some brought on because of Army finance problems. Problems
with health mentally and physically. Non-Fiction, Memoirs, Love letters written during the Vietnam War. Married Couples, Military
Families separated by deployment or war, older readers who were affected by the Vietnam War. Both male and female since book
is written by husband and wife. From the husbands writing the tone is humorous, informative with solutions, and mysterious
on his actions and duties. From the wife the tone is more anxious, dramatic, informative, and emotional. We wrote the letters
40 years ago and are still happily married.
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