Connections to Home 1966

In Connections to Home, Book V – 1966, David’s journey as a U.S. Marine moves toward its final chapter. Beginning at Camp Hansen in Okinawa, his letters follow him to Chu Lai Air Base in Vietnam, where he and his fellow Marines help survey and secure the coastal areas for artillery placement while establishing a new base camp. Through his correspondence with family, friends, and fellow servicemen, readers experience the realities of his final year of service as he fulfills his commitment to the Marine Corps and prepares for the life that awaits him beyond the uniform.

Compiled by his nephew, Dwight Raatz, this final volume brings together David’s authentic letters with photographs, historical context, QR-linked resources, and bonus materials that illuminate both his military experience and the family he remained connected to throughout his journey. In September 1966, David officially separates from the Marine Corps and returns to the family farm near Oakes, North Dakota—bringing an end to one chapter of his life and opening the door to another.

Step into the final chapter of David’s Marine Corps journey—and turn the page with him toward a future that, like the letters themselves, has yet to be written.

Part of a five-volume series chronicling the years 1962 through 1966 and representing hundreds of letters exchanged during the Vietnam War era, Connections to Home stands as both a family legacy and a living record of how ordinary lives persevere amid extraordinary times.