D&DH Field Editor Pens Novel on Vietnam War

[Dan Schmidt]

After spending countless hours researching the Vietnam War and the Ute Indians, Deer & Deer Hunting Field Editor Les Davenport has written his first novel.

The Last Ute Chief, released earlier this week, depicts the life and struggles of Native American Boyd Barfoot before and after he leaves the Ute reservation in Utah to serve in the Vietnam War. He encounters racism during boot camp when he is derogatorily referred to as "Chief" by his drill sergeant and fellow trainees. Bigotry continues during ranger training where he ultimately gains respect by earning the Bronze Star for non-combat valor. Most of this novel's 230 pages detail Boyd's heroic acts during two missions during the Vietnam War: destroying the Vietcong tunnels of Cu Chi and rescuing POWs held in Cambodia.

"How the Vietnam War came about and its horrendous injustices toward the Vietnamese people and their country are well portrayed," Davenport said. "The telling of the War on a personal level is through the eyes of my character Boyd Barfoot. His war experiences mirror those of my brother Louis, relatives, friends, and most veterans of that horrid conflict. The saddest outcome of this sorry war is certainly the unfathomable number of victims who suffered and died needlessly. Even soldiers who survived Vietnam were further downtrodden by the lack of war integrity when they returned home. Their mental scars will go to the graves with them."

For ordering information, email Les Davenport at: conlesbuck1@adams.net, or visit www.booksbydavenport.com.

[Marc Anthony]

Les did an outstanding job with this book! Once I began to read it, I couldn't put it down. I even rescheduled my appointments the following day just to finish it. It's got everything: Romance, suspense, drama and history. The first chapter seems mundane but it's the foundation for the rest of the book. Once you get to the second chapter, you had better set some time aside to finish it! I'm really impressed with Les' first attempt at a novel. This book is good enough to have a movie made from it! Great job Les!

[Ohio farms]

[quote]Vietnam were further downtrodden by the lack of war integrity when they returned home. Their mental scars will go to the graves with them]
 
Amen to that. A very large portion of our country should be ashamed for the poor treatment that  Vietnam vets recieved upon their return home.