Ashland military veteran publishes book chronicling service in Vietnam

ASHLAND — Vietnam War veteran Greg Gorrell had a mission to complete nearly 60 years ago as an Army infantryman. 

Today, his mission is to tell his story so others may too share theirs and so family members can understand what he went through. 

Gorrell, 80, wrote a book and is currently on a small local tour to sign copies. 

The 130-page book details the man’s experiences — “the good, the bad and the ugly,” he says — while in Vietnam as a 21-year-old whose draft deferment ended when he was expelled from Ashland College. (He ultimately finished his studies there, earning a degree in accounting and finance.)

‘He never talked about it’

Upon his arrival to the United States after an 11-month stint in the Mekong Delta — where his mission was to “search and destroy” Viet Cong combatants — he witnessed the burning of the American flag, draft cards and protesters shouting obscenities directed at soldiers. 

So he clammed up, deciding it was better to not discuss his time in Vietnam. For decades, his family and friends only knew bits and pieces of his time in war. Like many, he kept it all inside. 

“He never talked about it growing up,” said Matt Gorrell, one of six children in the family. 

Matt Gorrell is one of two sons Greg Gorrell brought to Vietnam in 2016 as part of a commemoration trip. He showed up in support of his father’s first book signing on Wednesday at Ashland University’s Jack W. Liebert Military and Veteran Resource Center.

By Wednesday, the first of five book signing events, Gorrell’s book and story had made its rounds locally and around Ohio. He had 350 out of 500 copies of his book left. He’s ordered the printing of another 400 from the publisher — The Herald, Inc. in New Washington.

Around a dozen fellow veterans, friends and family members showed up Wednesday. 

It was a friend’s gentle suggestion during their daily walk nearly 60 years later to write a book that ultimately changed his mind.

That friend was Ralph Tomassi. 

“It was a heck of an undertaking,” Tomassi said of his friend’s writing of a book.

Gorrell said he hesitated at first. “I read books. I don’t write books,” he said.

But he realized something. The Vietnam war claimed the lives of 58,000 American soldiers and wounded another 300,000. Today, Vietnam-era veterans are dying at the rate of 400 every day.

Another 2.8 million U.S. soldiers served. Gorrell guessed many of those people have their own stories. 

“And my guess is a lot of those stories have not been shared with their families,” he said. “I’m one of the lucky ones.” 

Gorrell estimated most, if not all, Vietnam-era veterans will be dead in 10 years. Preserving this part of history was one reason of many to publish his story.

Reaction from readers makes book worth it

But it’s the reaction from those who’ve read it who made the half-year endeavor worth it. 

Gorrell gave the first copy of his book to a family friend whose husband — a military infantry veteran — died a couple years ago.

“She told me, ‘when I read this, it didn’t change some of the challenges we had but it helped me better understand how he was wired,’” Gorrell said. 

Another woman also received a copy of the book. Her brother was killed in action while serving in Vietnam. The family never received all the details about his death. All these years later, Gorrell’s book brought some closure to the woman.

She wrote him a thank you card, which Gorrell carried with him to a book signing. He read it. 

“‘Greg, thank you so much for the signed copy of your Vietnam book. Your story truly needed to be told. I am grateful to know the conditions that my brother surely endured in his final months on Earth. Thank you for all of your effort.’

He paused.

“That’s why the book was written — and for my family. Pure and simple. Nothing more, nothing less,” he said. 

It’s this purpose that drives Gorrell. And it’s why he won’t “take a dime” from the book sale proceeds.

The book is available for $20. The price covers the cost of printing and publishing. If more is made, the excess will be donated to The American Veterans Appreciation Events Inc., a group that organizes events locally to honor veterans.