Synopsis
The title Xuc May roughly translated from Vietnamese means “never happen”. All the stories in this book are based on my recall of actual events, most of which I took part in during my tour of duty with an Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit in South Viet Nam. Xuc May was originally written to leave a permanent record for family and friends; it was never intended to be a literary masterpiece or commercial property. No military secrets are revealed or personal reputations compromised. One of the driving forces in publishing these stories was to provide a contrast between EOD operations with 10-man units and 2-man teams in Viet Nam as opposed to the current 44-man units with 6 or 8-man teams. In 1969 EOD hadn’t any robots or computers or even body armor for its men who daily disarmed mines and booby traps. I have refrained from recounting gory details or controversial military operations; rather the stories are intended to give an honest account of day-to-day life in a 10-man EOD unit while at war. An astute reader may, after careful thought discern what motivates men to accept the challenge of disarming explosive ordnance designed solely to maim or kill. I hope these tales will enlighten the reader to our joys and sorrows, loneliness and heartbreak that every soldier experiences when away from home. I hope it also explains the comradery and loyalty that develops among members of a small EOD unit while serving in a war zone.
About the Author
Gary J. Pool was born July 18, 1946 to a poor southwest Iowa farm family. His family consisted of his father Ben, who was a World War II veteran and a man of few words; his mother Helen an insatiable reader and conversationalist; and an older sister. Gary, a retired businessman lives with his wife Jan in Tabor, Iowa. Being raised on a dead-end dirt road very near the Missouri River, Gary spent countless hours hunting and fishing and became an avid outdoorsman. The author’s father spent his life trying to raise his only son to survive being a soldier, in a war which he somehow knew was coming. After high school, Gary enrolled in college but eventually decided he wanted to enlist in the U.S. army with the intent of going to Viet Nam. He went to Ammunition Storage School in Alabama and following graduation was accepted into EOD School. A tour of duty in Vietnam with the 3rd Ord Army Bomb Disposal Unit provided a wealth of factual antidotes for his book, Xuc May (Never Happen). While Xuc May is a non-fiction book about his personal experiences in bomb disposal, Gary has continued writing during his retirement years, publishing fiction stories. Gary now lives in Tabor, Iowa with his wife Jan. He has one daughter, Andi and three step daughters, Pam, Lorna & Loretta. His wife and daughters all work as a team to help publish and sell his books. Gary’s books are also available from his website www.GaryJayPool.com or by contacting Gary directly at Gary@garyjaypool.com.
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