Publisher's Synopsis
The events that take place in this story are real. It is a personal account of what happened physically and emotionally to a handful of Air Force pilots from spring 1968 through the fall of 1970. Millions of dollars were spent teaching us to kill; not one penny was allocated to teaching us to cope. Therefore, we unknowingly created our own mentality and our own morality that allowed us to survive.
So begins one of the most riveting accounts of a soldier who served in the Viet Nam war ever told. Yes, Sir, Yes, Sir, Three Bags Full! chronicles Jerry Hall's experience as a pilot in training in the Air Force, his experience of prison-camp survival training, and ultimately his arrival into "the Nam." With candor and brutal honesty, Hall places the reader not only in that time and place, but in his very shoes. He doesn't hold back on his fear, his insecurity, or how he turned to alcohol for comfort. Yes Sir Yes Sir Three Bags Full is a biting look at history: how Viet Nam hurt so many, and how Americans turned their backs on the men who got sucked into "the Vortex."
When I wrote of this experience, my companions were a jug for my whiskey and a cup for my tears. So hang on America, as I tell you a story as it happened to me. There will be no euphemisms or apologies. Hopefully, it will cause no embarrassment to my friends, family, or friends of family, for this story will have no value if it is tempered. There should be no adverse reaction regarding my upbringing or the town where I was raised, for the men depicted within came from throughout these United States; all experienced the same, many experienced worse.
The first volume of this memoir explores Jerry's early experiences in Viet Nam. In Volume Two, his story continues to unfold in the years that followed. Hall returned home in 1974 and as was the case for countless Viet Nam veterans, embarked on a long and harrowing period of adjustment to life as a civilian, including his struggles dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse, and addiction. He battled his personal demons and ultimately transformed his experience into a lifelong commitment to his sobriety and helping other veterans cope with their individual struggles.
