Letters From A Warrior,
P.S. Mom, I Love You
by Dale E. Dallman
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GENRE: Non-Fiction Military History
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BOOK BLURB:
"Letters From A Warrior, P.S. Mom, I Love You" is a captivating true story full of adventure and self-discovery. It is portrayed with a relentless wit that offers an intimate glimpse into the world of the US Marine Corps Boot Camp in 1960. This is all done through the eyes of a young man who trades his small-town roots in Minot, North Dakota for the thrilling and challenging life of a Marine.
Through a series of unapologetically honest and unintentionally humorous letters to his mother, the author shares his unvarnished experiences as a naive 18-year-old navigating the tribulations of boot camp. With the specter of his seemingly menacing drill instructors looming large, this young man's quest for a life beyond his hometown quickly becomes a rollercoaster of exhilaration, fear, and personal growth.
Witness the author's transformation from a small-town boy to a dedicated warrior as he overcomes adversity and learns invaluable lessons about courage, resilience, and the true meaning of strength. From his first day at the MCRD to his thrilling new beginning in Hawaii, this unforgettable memoir stands as a testament to the power of determination and the indomitable spirit of youth.
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EXCERPT THREE:
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't ever send me anything but mail. DO NOT SEND FRUIT, CANDY, NUTS, POPCORN, or anything other than paper! Only paper letters. Don't even put perfume on the letters. PLEASE. Tell anyone who knows me not to send anything. Tell Peggy not to bake me anything, PLEASE!
Vacky and a guy from Chicago got packages today at mail call. Vacky got a big box of fudge from his girl, and the guy from Chicago got popcorn balls. The D.I. made each go into the Quonset and get his galvanized bucket. He had them run to the head, fill the buckets with hot water and run back. He made them go three times because they kept spilling the water. He then took a box of salt and dumped half in each bucket. The street in front of our Quonsets is pretty long.
The D.I. had a recruit stand at each end. One with the water bucket, the other holding the sweets. They had to run to the one with the sweets, eat as much as they could, run to the guy with the water and drink as fast as they could. They had to keep this up until all was gone. They started throwing up right away! It just got worse.
We start bayonet training pretty soon. The D.I. said each of us would try to stick him with our bayonet. He said if we missed, he was going to stick us.
I think he is nuts!
One time I want to get out of here, the next time I wouldn't quit if I had to. I can't believe I am starting to like being in the Marines. We really are the best.
We went to a parade and the Navy and Army were there. They march like a bunch of pansies. They have no pride.
LOVE, DALE
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GUEST POST:
Describe Your Book Cover and How it Came About:
Book cover!!
A lot of thought went into the book cover!
First, the name! It had to be more than words! "Letters from a Warrior P.S. Mom, I love you, -what in the world does that mean?
We started with the Letters-I kept a journal during my time in Marine Corps Bootcamp. I broke it down into letters that I sent home as often as I could. The letters were hidden away for 60 years and no thought about them at all!! Then, in 2011, a flood hit Minot, North Dakota and the timid little Mouse River became a raging wall of water that washed away the family home that I had taken over! It was swept into the river and gone! I went into the empty lot after the river subsided and up about 14 feet, in a tree was this trunk! I retrieved it and there were the letters from the 1960s Marine Corps Bootcamp! The ink had run a little, the color faded but each was readable!
The old hands pictured are the ones of my mother! She had kept these letters for decades. I learned later from one of my brothers that when she received a letter, she would gather up Dad, my brothers and the neighbors and read the letter out loud, three times. I was the first Dallman to go into the military (against my dad's wishes) since my family had immigrated from Germany. My Grandfather had actually changed the name, by dropping a "n" from it. It seems he was disturbed about my relative, Col. Ivan Dallmann, who went into the bunker with Hitler!
My mother is why I dedicated this book to EVERY MOM who got a flag back instead of her son or daughter!
The uniformed Marine crawling over the wall! That actually is me! The funny story behind it! I was injured in Marine Bootcamp, just as I graduated! They sent me to a Causality Company to get recuperated! When I joined the Marines, it was with 58 others from North Dakota. We were called the NODAK Platoon. The Governor of North Dakota decided to present a Trophy to the Marine who was high shooter and another for the outstanding man. I actually won both, so the Governor sent a photographer to get a picture of me. THUS, the Combat Marine crawling over the wall--BUT--like “Paul Harvey and the rest of the story,” They had to help me up on the wall as I was on crutches with two injured legs!
That is what inspired the cover! I give credit to a GREAT Publisher, Traci Wooden who put it together and Cassandra Dallman Photography who had a hand it!
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AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:
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Dale E. Dallman, Senior was born on a hot dry day in Britton, South Dakota, just off the Sisseton Indian Reservation, east of Lake Tewaukon, because that was the closest hospital. His relatives all worked for the railroad and/or farmed near Fort Ransom, Cayuga, and Rutland, North Dakota. When his father got the chance to quit farming and transfer to the railroad they moved to Minot, North Dakota where Dale attended grade school at Sunnyside and graduated high school at Minot High.
After Dale and a few of his friends got themselves into trouble towards the end of their senior year, a nice judge “suggested” that he and several of his acquaintances join the United States Marine Corps. The formation of the “NODAK PLATOON” made the timeline fit. The Marines took him to San Diego, California, Hawaii, Asia, and back to San Francisco, California. He grew up fast in the Marines. One of his buddies stuck with him after they were discharged and the two followed each other off and on through life.
His first real job after the service was in Billings, Montana with Brown & Williamson Tobacco Co. as a road salesman. This led to other road salesman positions with the American Greetings Company and the Bristol Myers Drug Company. He ventured into real estate, casinos, auto sales, RV sales, which took him to Wyoming, North Dakota, and South Dakota. He became a deputy sheriff in California for a while, then traveled on to Washington, Arizona, Virginia, Germany, and Colorado, to name a few.
Today, Mr. Dallman lives in the South with his wife Cassandra Dallman, a professional photographer and singer out of Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys and continues to take great pride in his children and their offspring.
This book is neither his first nor last written work so please check back to see upcoming books from Dale E. Dallman.
He can be found at the links below!
Website:
Facebook:
Instagram:
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AMAZON BUY LINKS:
Amazon US Kindle eBook:
Amazon US Paperback:
Amazon US Hardcover:
Amazon CA Kindle eBook:
Amazon CA Paperback:
Amazon CA Hardcover:
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GIVEAWAY INFO:
Dale will award a $25 Amazon OR Barnes and Noble (Winner's Choice!!!) Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.
**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog. This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those fabulous community outreach projects and awesome giveaways on here**
This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions. Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.
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