The Tootsie Roll Marines

Book excerpt: This book tells the story of a young boy who grew up at the end of the Great Depression. He suffered many hardships in his early years beginning with the loss of his mother, and the trauma of family separation after her death when he and his siblings were placed in an orphanage. After his father's remarriage, the family was reunited and moved from Buffalo, New York, to California. With the move came more adjustments to warm weather, groves of fruit trees, mountains, and a whole new way of living. At seventeen years old, he decided to enlist in the US Marine Corps to serve his country, seek adventure, and make new friends. Little did he know that an entire military career of activities and adventure would be packed into his four short years of service in the Marines, especially as a machine gunner while serving in the Korean War, sometimes referred to as the Forgotten War. You will see how his life began with hardships and family tragedies, but with grit and perseverance, he used his coping skills of hard work and humor to make a wonderful life for his wife and family. While overcoming heartbreaking personal tragedies and losses, he accomplished great successes in his business ventures and public service after his time in the Marines. You will hear how this former Marine moved through pain and sorrow to forge new ideas and innovations to further express his love for his country and his fellow veterans through his many decades.