Jeremy Shoff wanted to join the Marines, but his girlfriend persuaded him to join the Navy instead - a strategy that could keep him out of Vietnam. After completing his training, he receives orders for a year-long cruise on an aircraft carrier; the war in Vietnam would go on without him. However, he never makes it to his ship - a couple of days before leaving, Jeremy and three of his friends go out on a drinking binge and suffer horrific injuries when their speeding car crashes into a bridge abutment. Seaman Shoff barely survives and is transferred to the Philadelphia Naval Hospital to mend.

Once Jeremy awakes from his coma, he finds himself in ward 2B - his fellow patients are Marines and Navy sailors who have lost limbs or sustained other traumatic injures from battles and booby traps in Vietnam. The sights and sounds that greet him are overwhelming, leaving him filled with guilt, sadness and remorse.

The story eventually evolves around the struggles of six injured soldiers in the ward. Readers experience a wide range of emotions while these soldiers mend and struggle through rehab - relearning basic tasks that they can no longer perform.

As the months pass, these soldiers learn to function with their physical limitations and help one another whenever possible. Visitors are few and far in between for the patients in this ward...all they have is each other. This story is about developing trust, friendship, brotherhood and loyalty between this small band of brothers while experiencing the pain of hardship, loss, and perseverance.

As time goes on, this band of six soldiers - teenagers all - get into mischief. The group is innovative in some of their endeavors and I found myself laughing out loud - too many times to count. I was also surprised by the compassion they received from complete strangers when outside the hospital compound. My favorite part is when an Admiral visits the ward, and then berates the patients for not saluting him as he passes their beds. Seaman Shoff has heard enough and goes off on him, telling him that instead, it should be him saluting each of these heroes when passing...they've earned it! The Admiral threatens him with court-martial, but friends in high places get him absolved for this insubordination. Nevertheless, Seaman Shoff is a celebrity in the ward.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tome and recommend it to everyone...it is the side of war we don't hear much about, but continues daily as long as wars are fought.

John Podlaski, author
Cherries - A Vietnam War Novel ( )