“Put a scalpel in the hand of a young American surgical resident and you have a surgeon in the making. Send that same resident to Vietnam at the height of the terrible war. Performing surgery in admissions wards or wherever while responding to the continuous anguished cries of the wounded and dying, the resident must now be the surgeon he was destined to become, only years sooner.

Dr. Meffert, a distinguished cardiovascular surgeon, has written a compelling account of his tending to the traumatic wounds of soldiers on all sides of the conflict.

As readers, we stand beside him as he finds his way through dealing with severe injuries. We come to realize the intense dedication of men and women who offer care in circumstances of great peril. We are inspired to grow with them into bravery and kind service for others.

Still another story lies embedded here, one not only of personal sources of determination and resiliency but also of an emotional journey. Father and son travel to Normandy, France, where the eldest of three surgeons once tended wounded soldiers on Omaha Beach during World War II.

Dr. Meffert’s life and legacy is told with grace and honesty.”

—Randall Weingarten, MD, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University Medical Center

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