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Francis/Last Ride Home/
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Francis/Last Ride Home/
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DEDICATED TO MY WIFE, KATHARINA
With all my love and devotionI couldn't decide whether to dedicate the book, or not. Inthe final analysis, the only persons I could dedicate it towould have to be my wife, Katharina, and to my children. As formy wife, she is the single most important driving force behindme. As far as the children, of course, they are precious simplybecause they are who they are and I leave this to them as alegacy.My wife always pushes me over the finish line, or cheers meon when I need to be picked up. She pushed me to finish thisproject. I had always talked writing a book, but never seemed toget started, but she changed all that, and I did finish.She is my motivator, best friend, and manager of myoccasional laziness, and she is a wonderful person just to know,and she is fun to hang out with. She has been a great mother toour two children, Chris and Jenny, although I may be biased, Ihappen to believe she is the best wife in the world!A simple thank you, Henny [my pet name for her, which shehates] comes from my heart. This book is yours as much as it ismine. I am grateful for knowing you and thankful that youmarried me and helped me with our hardships in life all theseyears. Thank you for being there when I needed you.
Francis/Last Ride Home/
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CONTENTS
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………………………………….2Preface……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4The Manchester and Other InfluencesCHAPTER ONETorpid Memories………………………………………………………………………………………………………12CHAPTER TWOMcNamara's Other Edsel: The Vietnam War………………………………………22CHAPTER THREEStrong, Innocent Southern Illinois Roots………………………………………29CHAPTER FOURPuking All the Way to Okinawa…………………………………………………………………64CHAPTER FIVECelebrating With the 1
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CAV Division………………………….…………………95CHAPTER SIXDagger Thrust Raids…………..……………………………………………………………………………110CHAPTER SEVENVarious Versions of Operation: Harvest MoonOfficial Version……………………………………………………………………………………………………118Author's Version - Fox on the Run………………………………………………………139Bob Neener's Version……………………………………………………………………………………….175Barnum, Utter and Miller Versions………………………………………………………187Tying the Pieces Together……………………………………………………………………………221
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