INTRODUCING
HEART OF A MARINE
A DRAMATIC AND ENTHRALLING
BOOK SERIES BY TOM WILLIAMS
Ask not what your country can do for you,
Ask what you can do for your country.
- John F. Kennedy
War is arduous work. It involves following orders, staying alert and being lucky. The Heart of a Marine is more than just a series of books. It is a chronicle of my life—my travels, adventures and life in the Service. Book 1: The Doorsteps of Hell, will not just have you turning page after page, it will enlighten you about what really went on in places like Vietnam, and the lives of those who valiantly fought for our freedom, rights and privileges.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom William’s deep commitment to Marine Corps life stemmed from his father, Lieutenant Colonel Carl Williams. As a military dependent, he travelled the world learning about Ancient Roman history and archaeology, assimilating a basic conversance in the French, Arabic, and Japanese Languages, as well as being immersed in their respective cultures.
Later, the family settled on the family farm in Dooly County Georgia. Tom attended North Georgia College before going on to Marine Corps’ Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Quantico, Va.
He graduated Platoon Honor Man, setting the Marine Corps O-Course record of fifty-two seconds and subsequently
graduating in the top 10% of his Basic School class.
Follow Tom Williams’ life story beginning as an abandoned young child, then travelling the world with his ‘new father’. Follow his path to becoming an Officer of Marines—a multilinguist fighting and surviving in the mud-sicking rice paddies of Vietnam.
Doorsteps of Hell is a moving, riveting and informative narrative told in a style that everyone will easily follow. It is Tom’s story, but more importantly, it is the story of his Marines in combat.
Doorsteps of Hell focuses on Tom’s life as a Marine, serving in Vietnam in the late sixties. It is an enthralling account of what really took place on the battlefield. Unambiguously, it covers the hardships, miseries, deprivation of amenities, perils and bloodshed. It brings to life the camaraderie, leadership and the very essence of military expertise in the US Marine Corps.
This honest, no-holds-barred account of America’s most controversial war will not only capture the interest of those who served but just as importantly, those who are still serving. The brilliant narrative, drawn from Tom’s war diaries, will have you, armed forces or not, engrossed from cover to cover.
Soon to be released, this dramatic continuation of Book 1, Fury of War will take you to the Polynesian Paradise of Hawaii in 1970, where Tom became the First Marine Brigade Shore Party Officer at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base, to be followed by successfully completing training as an aerial observer at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.
Returning to Hawaii, Tom was assigned as the 81mm mortar Platoon Commander for 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. This book goes on to tell the story of a national emergency, when Tom was selected to return to Vietnam to counter the 1972 North Vietnamese Easter Offensive into South Vietnam.
This now gave Tom the capability of delivering increased combat power from the air, and he was quickly immersed in the brutality of conventional war … a war that was utter devastation, similar to both world Wars I and II … a true cauldron of death and destruction for as far as the eye could see.
The contents of this book will be useful to young people considering a life of military service. Tom’s lessons learned and his powerful experiences are now part of history. In any war, to win, you must always be willing to take the fight to the enemy, and the Fury of War brings that fight to you in vivid detail—a compelling portrayal of the true Fury of War.
HEART OF A MARINE SERIES:
THE BOOKS
2024 CALENDAR
Bold and striking calendar giving you milestones and historic Vietnam War dates as well as important US dates. Every month a larger than life depiction of Tom Williams and the VIetnam War.
WHAT THE EXPERTS ARE SAYING
"'Where do we find them? Where do we find such men?' This was President Reagan's question at Normandy on the fortieth D-Day anniversary in 1984. I think, Doorsteps of Hell, Tom’s first book in his Heart of a Marine series, answers that question.”
- LT GEN W. C. GREGSON, USMC (RET)
“Tom Williams has written a brilliant account of his decades of sterling service as an officer of Marines. The passion and commitment to serve our country and lead Marines comes through in each experience he recounts. This is an excellent read for every young man or woman who aspires to be a leader in our Corps. His spirit and can-do attitude comes out in each page. Tom leaves a legacy of proud service.”
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- GEN A. C. ZINNI, USMC (RET)
“Tom Williams epitomizes the dedication and commitment to Country and Corps that are the hallmarks of a Marine. His career of proud service demonstrates his superb warrior skills and ability to meet any challenge.”
- GEN A. C. ZINNI, USMC (RET)
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"Most of us do not have the discipline to faithfully, over time, record our experiences. Lieutenant Colonel Tom Williams did so during his over three decades in the U.S. Marine Corps. The result is an incredibly detailed and rich recounting of his experiences, particularly his service in Vietnam as an infantry officer."
- GEN W.E. BOOMER, USMC (RET)
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Neither the United States Marine Corps nor any other component of the
Department of Defense has approved, endorsed, or authorized this book.