The Last Dead Hero

by Robert Lamon

Brad joins the Marines to be a hero and break free of his small town roots. The bond he forms with his Fire Team during the war in Vietnam provides the respect and acceptance he craves. He's wounded twice, awarded a Silver Star for bravery and medically evacuated back to the United States where ultimately he is discharged because of his wounds. The death of his parents and the Survivor's Guilt he feels because of his Fire Team make him unable to cope with daily life. He leaves his wife and daughter, entering a downward spiral of bars, jails and hospitalizations. Ultimately he is diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He becomes homeless and despite the efforts of the people he touches, disappears. His remains are found months later along with his diary, and the boy who just wanted to be accepted and respected became a man who comes home but is little more than a footnote to the rest of the world. One last forgotten victim of a war that everyone else wants to forget.