The war ended long ago, but nobody told us. We were without a radio, it got shot while in the middle of the battle. It was April 30th, 1975 it was the last day of the Vietnam war but we didn’t know. We stood tall at the top of a mountain as the Vietnamese tried to take it but we never let up. I looked over to see my best friend, Ryan sitting eating and waiting for the next assault. Ryan and I became friends when we were in grade school and while we were in high school we got drafted into the military. I was looking forward to going home to see my parents and my girlfriend, Tracey.

               I carry photos of her to remind me what I’m fighting for, I knew that I was fighting for my country but I wanted to protect her more than anything. While I was looking at the photo a grenade went off and I saw everyone run to their posts and start firing at the enemy, I grabbed my rifle and started firing down the hill. The bullets from the enemies were going by my head but I kept firing. I had to reload my gun I looked over at Ryan and he was on the machine gun firing at the Vietnamese. Then a grenade landed right behind him and I yelled at the top of my lungs but it was too late, the grenade went off and I knew Ryan was badly injured so I ran over to him and I saw that he was bleeding I called for a medic. But I knew that he wasn’t going to make it, he looked at me and told me to tell his parents that he loved them and then he said “Dave live your life to the fullest and never let anything bother you” I started to cry and while I was crying he died. I was so sad I picked up my rifle and I started firing at the enemy I don’t even know how many I killed but I know it was a lot.

                  I was firing at the enemy and they were firing at me, a bullet hit me in the upper arm but I kept fighting I shot more and more bullets at the enemies then I got shot in my chest and I fell to my knees and fell backwards I was looking up at the sky thinking that I will never see my girlfriend again or my parents. While I was thinking the enemy was getting closer. I started to hear a nose in the background, it was a jet he started firing at the enemy’s location. The Vietnamese fell back. helicopters landed and next thing I knew I was in a military hospital getting surgery. After my surgery I got discharged and went straight home and I knew what I wanted to do. I went to a jewelry store and bought a ring, I was going to surprise Tracey. I went to her house and knocked on her door and she opened it and was so happy to see me, I told her to wait I hurried to my knee and I pulled the ring out and asked her to marry me. She started to cry so much more she came over to me and kissed me and said yes, I put the ring on and we hugged and kissed more. I took what Ryan said to me and I lived my life, I now have a family that I love and I know that everything will work out the way I want it to now.