JB Redus

This book tells his story of what it was like to be a Marine in Vietnam. It was not pretty because as he says, “War is cruel.” He did what his country ordered him to do. He served his country with courage and honor. He returned to civilian life after he was wounded on July 28, 1968 with a head wound. Unfortunately he can not remember names of many Marines who he served

with beginning with boot camp in San Diego, aboard ship, and in Vietnam. Many of his fellow Marines died in Vietnam. The inability to remember names and to recall or retrieve words  is caused by his head wound. Memory loss is just part of the consequences. They took out a plum sized portion of his brain but had to leave a piece of wire that was too deeply embedded. He was told that they were afraid that removing the wire (from the chi com grenade) would make him a vegetable. In 1968 the treatment of brain injuries was not as advanced as it is now. He has had multiple surgeries to put in a plate over the part where his skull had to be removed. His body would not accept the plate, and the surgeons finally decided not to replace the plate. He has suffered from headaches over the years. He still suffers from headaches. Freedom is not free.

 

After almost fifty years of marriage we are the proud parents of four grown children and eight grandchildren. Our first child and only son was born on July 28th, 1973, the five year anniversary of the date JB was wounded in Vietnam. JB has his family now that loves him and he will always be part of the USMC family. He deserves both families.