In 1966, nine young men left the Arizona desert mining camp of Morenci to serve their country in the far-flung jungles of Vietnam, in danger zones from Hue to Khe Sanh. Ultimately, only three survived. Each battled survivor’s guilt, difficult re-entries into civilian life, and traumas from personally experiencing war—and losing close friends along the way. This is their story.

Kyle Longley is the Snell Family Dean’s Distinguished Professor in History and Political Science at Arizona State University. Longley is the author of six books, including the Morenci Marines: A Small Town in the Shadow of the Vietnam War (2013), Grunts: The American Combat Soldier in Vietnam (2008), and Senator Albert Gore, Sr.: Tennessee Maverick (2004).