Backstory Blog #1: October 22, 2021
A slip of paper, more resembling a receipt than a note, fell from the back of Peter’s hefty album of photos he took in Vietnam while in combat and as company clerk in Dau Tieng.
The slip of paper, with ink beginning to fade, dated April 1998, was thirty years after his return from war. It listed three names and the locations of their names on the Vietnam War Memorial –The Wall, in Washington DC. Three names of fellow “brothers” of my brother that were his friends. Death came so quick to each of these soldiers traumatizing all who knew them.
The first name on this piece of paper was a familiar one to me, and to our family, because my brother spoke reverently, sadly, and with care about the outstanding commanding officer of their unit from January - May of 1969 who was suddenly killed in action. I heard stories about Captain David Rockwell Crocker, his sense of humor, an unusually kind leader who put his troops ahead of his own needs. “A truly decent human being,” my brother would say.
Was it the spirit of my brother, or just my curiosity that compelled me to “google” the first name on that slip of paper? Of Course, Captain David Crocker came up in my Google search with his military information, a photo, and his place on the memorial wall in Washington DC. What also came up in the search was information about his wife, Ruth Crocker.
As I clicked through the links, I learned that Ruth Crocker wrote a memoir, “For Those Who Remain, Remembrance and Reunion After War” about the deep loss of her husband and a memoir about her life and their short life together. I found her presence on social media, and emailed her to say how much her husband meant to my brother and mentioned I was working on a book of my brother’s letters from Vietnam. In about twenty minutes I had a reply.
We began emailing, then talked by phone. I learned she also has a publishing company. We shared about our writing lives. I mentioned my manuscript; telling her it was my 2nd book. She asked to see the manuscript and after reading it she thought my combination of Peter’s letters along with my campus experience at UW-Madison during the Vietnam antiwar protest years, and my poetry woven into the book offered a unique perspective.
She suggested I join the Military Writers Society of America, where I have since connected with accomplished authors.
As the months passed, there was editing, revision, brainstorming a title for the book, new sections written by me, copy editing, securing a graphic designer, and proofing…so much proofing. All along this process Ruth offered her guidance, suggestions, and publishing expertise.
The synchronicity of finding Ruth, our becoming friends, and Elm Grove Press publishing “Combat and Campus: Writing Through War” has been one of the highlights of my life.
Next time I will share how meeting Ruth Crocker helped to connect me with some of the men, the veterans, of the 22nd infantry who served with my brother.