Roger del Riley

In the Shadow of the Valley Roger del Riley

During any war, a combat soldier must concentrate all of his energy and all of his focus on merely surviving from day to day. Given that almost any distraction from that colossal effort can prove to be fatal, it would behoove such a soldier to avoid all emotional and physical entanglements at all costs. Unfortunately, most men do not possess the willpower, or the strength, to reign in their libido when love is involved, especially when that love is both desperate and all encompassing. Who among us would ever throw away the rare chance to possess true love whenever it is unexpectedly presented to us? When ambushed by such a treacherous emotional state of being, it is the rare individual, indeed, who can overcome his own natural instincts to throw every ounce of his body and soul into such a magnificent relationship. Sadly, then, it is nothing less than the capricious decision of the fickle Gods of Chance who can determine the outcome of such a relationship when it occurs during the midst of a horrific war. Therefore, it is the ultimate fate of any such young soldier facing daily oblivion to negotiate such a challenging course with the upmost care, mixed judiciously with a little wild abandon, perhaps, and pray to the Gods of Chance above for a fortuitous and successful outcome to such a risky venture. And this is exactly the dreadful scenario that faces our patriotic young helicopter pilot and the beautiful object of his undying affection during the perilous days of the Vietnam War.