Book description
Tom 'Bud' Abraham was one of the very few Englishmen to serve in
Vietnam. As an officer in the 1st Cavalry Division during 1967/8, he
saw combat in some of the fiercest encounters of the war. His
gallantry earned him a chestful of medals, including the Silver Star,
one of the highest decorations awarded by the American Army.
During the Tet Offensive, Tom was captured by the Vietcong. The
suffering he endured during his interrogation and torture tested him
to the limits, and yet his daring escape into the surrounding jungle
was the beginning of a new ordeal. His struggle to survive, naked and
alone, would drag him down to the level of a primitive beast.
After he returned to England from Vietnam, Tom made a new life. He
married, became a father, and started a successful career in business.
It seemed that he had forgotten the nightmare of the past. But more
than thirty years later, a trivial encounter with the police began a
catastrophic chain of events. He lost everything - his family, his
home, his self-respect. It became all too obvious that the
psychological and emotional wounds he received in Vietnam were still
festering.
In trying to rebuild his life, Tom had once more to confront those
traumatic memories that he had buried so deep. If he were to have any
chance of a future, he would have to relive the past. His terrifying
yet inspiring journey is the story of this book.
'An outstanding story of suffering and survival' Sunday Mirror Tom
Abraham was born in Cheshire, and emigrated to America at the age of
nineteen. From 1966 until 1969 he served in the American Army, including
a tour of duty to Vietnam. Afterwards he returned to England, where he
made a successful career in the textile industry. He now lives in
Walton-on-Thames.
