The 3rd Herd

The title, The 3rd Herd, may sound strange even to military types but it was an affectionate term for what might be called a bunch of misfits. Not misfits in what one would term as social outsiders but rather a group of ten men with definite personalities. Men who thought for themselves, were openly opinionated, often out of step with military protocol much to the chagrin of our superiors. We often wore the wrong head gear or foot wear, had too long of mustaches or carried non-issue weapons, were found to be carrying too much money or the wrong type of currency. Those infractions of military rule and many more were part of our everyday existence. Members of the 3rd Herd were stubborn and hard headed, men who disliked taking orders from anyone other than E.O.D personnel and sometimes not even from them. We were willing to roam around a war zone in two-man teams with little regard for our next meal or where we were going to sleep that night but those things were more important than personal safety. Our goal was to work with explosives and trying to outsmart the Viet Cong's booby traps. It was and is an exciting and rewarding field that we all miss once we are deprived of it.
About the Author: Gary J. Pool was born July 18, 1946 to a poor southwest Iowa farm family. His family consisted of his father Ben, who was a World War II veteran and a man of few words; his mother Helen an insatiable reader and conversationalist; and an older sister. Gary, a retired businessman lives with his wife Jan in Tabor, Iowa. Being raised on a dead-end dirt road very near the Missouri River, Gary spent countless hours hunting and fishing and became an avid outdoorsman. The author's father spent his life trying to raise his only son to survive being a soldier, in a war which he somehow knew was coming. After high school, Gary enrolled in college but eventually decided he wanted to enlist in the U.S. army with the intent of going to Viet Nam. He went to Ammunition Storage School in Alabama and following graduation was accepted into EOD School. A tour of duty in Vietnam with the 3rd Ord Army Bomb Disposal Unit provided a wealth of factual antidotes for his book, Xuc May (Never Happen). While Xuc May is a non-fiction book about his personal experiences in bomb disposal, Gary has continued writing during his retirement years, publishing fiction stories. Gary now lives in Tabor, Iowa with his wife Jan. He has one daughter, Andi and three step daughters, Pam, Lorna & Loretta. His wife and daughters all work as a team to help publish and sell his books. Gary's books are available from several outlets including his website www.GaryJayPool.com or by contacting Gary directly at Gary@garyjaypool.com.