Who knew ahead that the 1960’s would be so weird? When in 1962 three bright young men eagerly enter Brown University, one of the most liberal colleges in America, they have no idea what will unfold during the turbulent decade to come. They all have earned full Navy ROTC scholarships and look forward to serving their country in uniform when they graduate. In fact, they all sign up to be United States Marine Corps officers. As an inconceivable series of world and national events dramatically transform the nation from a people rooted in conformity and comfortable conservative values into one imbued with new found skepticism and liberalism, there is no place where these ideas take hold more quickly than on the college campuses.The Vietnam catastrophe, which had not even been a blip on the radar screen, mushrooms into perhaps the most divisive issue of the century. The three find themselves struggling to swim against the flood tide of anti-establishment and anti-military sentiment. Yet, they persevere while remaining steadfast in their conviction to answer their country’s call. They are fun-loving, serious, naive, immature, and yet mostly dependable, all in one package. They study, play sports, party, drink beer, chase girls, horse around, fall in love, graduate, get married, have kids, and go off to war.This true story recounts college life, fast friendships, and boys becoming men. There is plenty of humor, love, determination, and rambunctious adventure, even as it becomes clearer every day that the ugly cloud of Vietnam is destined to seize their lives after graduation. On 6/6/66, seconds after receiving their degrees, gold USMC second lieutenant bars are pinned their collars, and they enthusiastically march off to infantry officer training in Virginia. It is a bittersweet time as new marriages struggle to coalesce despite the terrifying separation which is imminent. One immediately goes to Vietnam and returns home before the other two, who have trained to become fighter pilots, join squadrons in DaNang. Sadly, despite tremendous personal sacrifice, they still must endure catcalls and blatant disrespect from the very people at home whose freedom they are committed to ensure. Dreadfully, the pilots never return and perish in the cockpits of their spectacular war machines over the jungles and seas of Vietnam, resolutely carrying out their assigned missions in that God-forsaken place. Never does their resolve and commitment to duty waiver. Was this horrible price worth it? That dilemma has taken a half century to contemplate.

Beatles, Books, Bombs, and Beyond

Biographies & Memoirs

DeLuca, Robert John

Memoirs

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Marshall Morris is a unique young man who bounces from one bizarre predicament to another. He is on the football squad as a senior at Justice High in south Texas. The team is expected to have an awesome season. Unfortunately, coach Warren Wilson, decided long ago that Marshall will never amount to much and hardly ever lets him play. The coach is a a bully, who has favorites but no time for hard working kids of average ability. When Marshall discovers the coach is getting an illegal cash kickback from a college booster, he sets out to expose the man's treachery.Marshall gets himself into a series of oddball and amusing situations. His plans are complicated when his best friend, Graham Brown, falls for the coach's daughter. Jennifer Wilson. The center of social life in Justice is Papa Juan's, a local pizza joint where the pies are terrible, but the fun is max. Marshall's many attempts to attract dates fail, until after some clumsy moves he hooks up with the brainiest girl in the senior class. An ugly incident at a beach party in Galveston with kids from bitter rival, Bayside High, increases eagerness for a huge showdown on the gridiron.In the final game Justice builds a big lead, and a perfect season is only minutes away. Suddenly, everything craters when the coach's pet "star" running back quits on the team. Only seconds remain for Marshall and his friends to save the season. Do they succeed? Unfortunately, no one can save Coach Wilson.

Justice for a Texas Marshall: Marshall Morris is at it again!

Ira, First Editing

Robert John DeLuca

Texas high school graduate Marshall Morris is set to enter college when the COVID pandemic explodes into his life. Usually unsinkable, he is shaken but endures his "prison-like" quarantine with good cheer, thanks mostly to long chats with girlfriend Mallory. The devastating loss of senior citizen war veteran buddies who survived combat bullets, but not this bug, leads him to become grimly serious about the pandemic, and he rails against young people who refuse to take precautions. His worst fears are realized when his precious mother is struck down by the dread disease, which he is certain he gave to her.Though she worsens in an ICU he is unable to visit. He tries to keep busy working at a struggling real estate company. The owner, desperate for cash, becomes the middleman. in a bizarre international scheme to inject a bogus miracle cure into COVID patients at a local hospital. Marshall is shocked to learn the surely fatal drug will be given to his mother. He must get to her ICU before it is too late. The hospital's COVID ward is a fortress. Can he get to her in time?

The Covid Kid: Another Marshall Morris Adventure

Children's Books

Master of Deceit

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Thrillers & Suspense

Defiance Press & Publishing, LLC

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Books by DeLuca, Robert John