Against the Flow

The infamous Arizona Territory was a place to be avoided like the plague. Like Go Noi Island, it was a free-fire zone that had seen lots of action. Yet right now, everything was deadly quiet. The usually melodic birds were muted. Not a breath of wind rustled the trees. The powdery red dirt under the Leathernecks’ dusty boots swirled in mini explosions. The Marines knew Charlie, the enemy, was out there, but the platoon didn’t realize they had walked into the kill zone.

The silence was ruptured as explosions from heavy automatic weapons, grenades, and mortar fire rained upon the Marines. “Corpsman up!” The two words shouted on the battlefield sent a shockwave of adrenalin and activity through the jungle as Doc “Canuck” Connors sprang into action. His role was to assist those wounded in the fighting against the North Vietnamese Army in this life-or-death struggle until a winner emerged. But by the time the jungle was silent again, pairs of dusty boots, once moving forward, were forever still, sticking out from under dirty, blood-stained poncho covers.

Against the Flow: A Canuck in Vietnam centres on the story of David Connors, a Canadian who willingly served with the Marines as a Navy Hospital Corpsman in May 1969, teaming up with thousands of men “in-country” during the Vietnam War. Inspired by the author’s own experiences, Richard Ward’s fictionalized account brings to life the individuals whose military histories need to be recognized and their stories told.

With sharp details and historical accuracy, Ward takes readers to An Hòi Combat Base and the battlegrounds beyond. But at the heart of Ward’s account are his intimate portrayals of the men’s camaraderie and antics, along with the physical and emotional struggles they endure as they lose their comrades-in-arms, leading them to question whether their personal sacrifices are heroic or futile as the months march on.