ANDY ADKINS
US Navy Veteran... City Firefighter... Engineer... Consultant... Author
"Life is a journey, one step followed by another..."
NOW AVAILABLE!
I'm pleased to announce that my debut novel, NEVER FORGET, is published and available on Amazon. It's a story of a veteran's journey for redemption and forgiveness.
NEVER FORGET is a work of fiction and is a multi-generational father, son, and grandson novel about WWII and Vietnam. It is not about combat; it is about overcoming personal conflicts caused by a war. The story reflects upon our current society of an older generation (WWII), aging baby boomers (Vietnam), and the current generation (global terrorism). It brings together multiple facets of dementia & Alzheimer's and PTSD & Survivor's Guilt in a moving, character-driven story of personal struggles and growing relationships.
I'm offering this book for free (download PDF, eBook formats) for all veterans. Actually, for a limited time, anyone can download it. But if you wish to have a paperback, it's also available at Amazon.
For more information, click HERE.
Also available in audio
My latest blog post: 3/25/25 #189 - Westpac '75: It's Not Just a Job...
PI (Philippine Islands) was always great. Even though midnight curfew was in effect, you learned to abide by the rules, otherwise...
Great food, lots of cheap beer, plenty of "social entertainers," and a warm welcome - every time we stopped in port and took liberty.
Kitty Hawk wasn't the only ship in port, and our carrier task force wasn't the only one to visit PI. I'd heard rumors that most bars knew way beforehand when ships would arrive, about how many sailors would be aboard, and even the names of the ship's commanders.
Of course, that was just a rumor. Except when you'd see your ship's name on a banner spread across Magsaysay Drive (the main road in Olongapo), and "Welcome, USS Kitty Hawk," signs in the bars.
But alas, good things must come to an end. While I enjoyed my free time in PI (our normal work hours while in port were 0730–1530), I always looked forward to setting sail again.
It's hard to explain, but being at sea... on the flight deck of an aircraft carrier... with the constant challenges and dangers... well, let's just say the old adage, "You can take the sailor out of the Navy, but you can't take the Navy out of the sailor," is true.
Books written by Andy Adkins
80th Division (WWII) Books edited by Andy Adkins
