Where Have All the Friends Gone? (Paperback)

This sequel to the book "Don't Let Me Die Here" continues the story of a young Marine who enlists in the 1960s and is sent to fight in the Vietnam War. In this novel "Where Have All the Friends Gone," the narrative follows the Marine, Joe Anderson, as he journeys from Vietnam back to his home in Indiana. The story takes readers through Okinawa, Hawaii, and Los Angeles. Joe crosses the ocean on a Navy ship, forming new friendships, including with a future U.S. Senator. Upon reaching Los Angeles, Joe befriends additional individuals, visits the iconic Spahn Ranch and the Lone Ranger rock, and has a notable encounter with Charlie Manson. He becomes involved with the LAPD, disrupts a teenage abduction ring, confronts bullying, and rescues a dog named Tree, whose tale is remarkable in itself. This novel is both captivating and heartwarming. The novel "Don't Let Me Die Here," is a spiritual and romantic war story in which Joe develops a romantic relationship with a Vietnamese girl whose brother is an enemy soldier. The narrative is inspired by the author's personal experiences in Vietnam and incorporates actual photographs taken during that time.

Johnson's writing began as an inspiration from his grandchildren. Raised in Indiana, he served 31 years with the Beech Grove Police Department in central Indiana, retiring as Chief of Police. Before entering law enforcement, he served in the United States Marine Corps and fought as a combat veteran in the Vietnam War-experiences that later shaped his second novel, Don't Let Me Die Here. He credits many influences in his life and writing, including his parents, his wife and family, and Father Vincent Capodanno, whom he met while serving in Vietnam. Johnson and his wife, Vicki, have four grown children and twelve grandchildren, to whom this book is lovingly dedicated.