Vietnam Veteran author speaks at our Post

PROLOGUE

Subject: Vietnam memoir author wants to speak at the post

Message: My name is Jim Smith. I'm a Vietnam veteran. I'm 67. I've written a memoir on my 1972 tour called "Heroes to the End, An Army Correspondent's Last Day in Vietnam" (www.heroestotheend.com). Since October, I've done 50 speaking engagements at libraries and service clubs, including an appearance at the Massapequa Park book club meeting; they bought 20 books through director Janice Schoen.

I'm donating proceeds from speaking fees and book sales ($20) to United Veterans Beacon House (www.uvbh.com), a Bay Shore nonprofit that runs 34 homeless shelters for veterans and others; I am the Board chair of that group. I've raised more than $7,000 doing this and sold 257 books.

Would you give me a date in the fall or winter to speak at your post? I have spoken at more than a dozen VFW and American Legion Halls and also addressed the First Cav., Suffolk VVA, North Hempstead Veterans Advisory Group...and am booked for the fall with the UVO that meets at the Cradle of Aviation in Garden City and the Vietnam War Veterans group that meets at North Bellmore American Legion.

My email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. My phone number is 516-741-1334. I live in Port Washington. I'm a graduate of Chaminade High School, Nassau Community College and Hofstra University. I was a Newsday sports reporter from 1966-99 and a features desk copy editor from 2000-2014.

EPILOGUE

October 25, 2016:

As my book tour grinds on, I'm finding increasing generosity from military organizations, especially Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion Posts. The latest example came last night (10-24-2016) when I spoke at Merrick American Legion Post 1282. At a meeting of about 20 members, the group listened to my 15-minute talk about "Heroes to the End," lined up to have me sign eight books that they bought and then asked me to step out of the room for a minute.

When they called me back in, Post commander Jim O'Neill handed me a $500 check for United Veterans Beacon House. I was stunned and moved. They told me it was because I spoke from the heart. That brought my total raised for Beacon House over the past 12 months to $8,403. I now have sold 295 books personally, including 144 at 21 appearances before military organizations.

On behalf of Beacon House, I'd like to thank everybody who has bought a book or made a donation!

Jim Smith

Please buy Veitnam's Veteran, Jim Smith's, book called "Heroes to the End, An Army Correspondent's Last Days of Vietnam" (http://www.heroestotheend.com/).