Charlie's Paradise 1967-1968

Charlie's paradise was no paradise to the American marines involved in the Vietnam War. The lush jungles, heavy rains, and rough terrain that the Vietcong knew so well and cunningly used to their advantage posed a never-ending source of challenge, irritation, and sometimes even fear for the American forces stationed there.

This is the story of Mike Vichelli, a marine sent to the very heart of Vietnam to complete his tour of duty. Drawn from true experiences, Charlie's Paradise, 1967-68 paints a complete picture of a life of combat. The relationships established between the marines themselves, the interaction with the (sometimes) friendly Vietnamese, and the connections with those from home are all brought to light as being equally important to the marine as the training needed for survival and the R&Rs needed for sanity.

We live the days of boredom, filled with repetitive tasks such as clean-up duty and endless letter writing. We also follow Vichelli right into the center of the fighting, from minor skirmishes to the action at the DMZ.

Charlie's Paradise, 1967-68 is more than another account of war; it is a record of a boy becoming a man, sorting out his experiences to give a direction to his future.