My name Ryan Johnson, and I was a typical small-town boy from Western Kansas. I loved my Mustang and dreamed of one day becoming an airline pilot. First, though, I wanted to go to KU. All that changed the day I got my draft notice in the mail. The letter said I was going to the Vietnam War. I was sent to boot camp.
Then they sent me to Vietnam; it was hell. They gave me a pistol, three m26s, an m1 Garand, a spring field sniper rifle, a knife, and a bar machine gun. Soon Lt. Ross, my commanding officer, said we were going to the jungle. We soon captured a prisoner and we were interrogated him. He said there was a unit of North Vietnamese nearby. We asked where and he said to the east. Then we started walking east to the jungle. We were ambushed in the jungle. I slit the prisoner’s throat in revenge, but we were doing badly I called for backup. Soon half my squad was dead including my best friend. I was mad, and I swore that I would win the war for him. My hopes were dashed when I realized we were surrounded. Lt. Ross told me to get out of here. I tried but, it was too late.. The whole unit was dead except me. I threw a grenade. I would go down fighting. Then I heard a grenade blow up right by me; I fell down thinking I was dead. The Viet Cong took me prisoner.
The Viet Cong tortured and starved me. They tried to get me to tell were was ours head quarter was at. The Viet Cong were going to execute me, but my some miracle; I was rescued in a raid on the POW compound. I was sent stateside on an honorable discharge. I was awarded
























Back in Kansas, I dreamt every night of what I had seen in Vietnam. On my first Fourth of July back home, I cowered as the fireworks burst in the sky. They reminded me of the shells that once exploded above my head. I moved in an apartment and began using alcohol and drugs with the money the army gave me. My life was not good.
Then there was a robbery at the bank. I went there and tried to calm the robber but he said if I got closer he will blow the whole bank I said don’t do it. Then I left and came back with a sniper rifle the army gave me. So I went to a building down from the bank. I took the bank robber down. The police decided against pressing charges, and I became a local hero.
After that incident, I stopped drinking and doing drugs and became a police officer. I got my Mustang. I came full circle. My life was saved when I took another.