Pennies from Vietnam: A Sister at Home, a Brother at War - Paperback

by Tracy Smith (Author), Larry Ray Smith (Author)

"It didn't matter that we were in New Jersey in 1967 and 1968. Vietnam invaded us all."

In this family story, over 70 letters from one homesick soldier tell the truth and trauma of a teenager in combat. When Larry Smith enlisted, he promised to send pennies for his little sister Tracy in his letters, and promised his mother to return home safely. But as Tracy started kindergarten and learned of war from the family television, Larry turned 19, battles intensified and his letters darkened. His promises were harder to keep.

For 12 months as a 1st Cavalry crew chief during the height of the war, Larry wrote home with tales from his latest mission on his Huey helicopter ("I never had a new car, but I do have a '67 UH-1C"). Larry grew from a naive boy ("War is hell but the girls over here sure are nice") into a hardened man. He was silenced by the end of his tour of duty, and letters stopped arriving.

Decades after the war, as her brother lay in a coma, Tracy Smith began to study the old letters and found a boy she didn't recognize. After years of research and finding her brother's Army friends, she honors him in this bittersweet story of love in the middle of war. This book is a parallel memoir, offering a unique dual perspective. In it, Larry speaks for every soldier, and Tracy speaks for those left behind, waiting for answers. The book makes a case for generational trauma: children don't belong in combat, nor should they watch it unfold on television.

Author Biography

After a career in real estate development, Tracy Smith completed broadcasting school, won a Telly Award with Naka Productions for associate producing "Moving America's Lighthouse" with Walter Cronkite, and became a freelance columnist, author, and public speaker. Living near Charlotte, NC, she continues to share her family stories and experiences with PTSD to promote healthy discussion. The late Larry Ray Smith was awarded multiple medals for bravery during two tours of duty in Vietnam, 1967-1969, with the 1st Cavalry Airmobile Division as a helicopter crew chief with the A/2/20 Blue Max unit.