First, my heartfelt thanks go to Colonel Richard Henry "Rawhide" Boland's soldiers. He was your commander, and this is your story, too. Among those men, I wish to personally acknowledge two in particular: Walt Daniel and Dick Chegar.
Walt Daniel was my company commander in Vietnam. He was the first man who told me about Colonel Boland, and years later, he was the one who inspired me to begin writing about him. I believe Walt idolized Colonel. In many ways, the two men were cut from the same cloth: tough, loyal, demanding, and deeply devoted to the men they led.
Dick Chegar, by contrast, represented almost everything Colonel Boland claimed to despise in Army officers. Dick was a West Point graduate and, later, a general officer. And yet, somehow, the two of them got along famously.
At a 173d Airborne Brigade reunion in Las Vegas, Boland and Chegar spent more than two hours together over drinks and dinner, talking late into the evening. Dick has been present throughout the entire process of writing this book. More than once, when my enthusiasm began to fade, he gave me what I can only describe as a well-timed kick in the right direction.
Don Dali must also be remembered here. It was Don who found Colonel Boland when nearly everyone else had assumed he had passed away, locating him in Southern California nearly thirty years ago. Don was also responsible for bringing the Colonel to the 173d Airborne Brigade's 2003 reunion in Reno, Nevada.
By all appearances, Colonel Boland looked upon Don as the son he never had. The affection between them was plain to anyone who witnessed it.
Don passed away at 12:15 p.m. on June 20, 2016. Colonel Boland followed exactly one month later, at 7:35 a.m. on July 20, 2016.
My thanks also go to the late Craig Ford, who perhaps more than anyone wanted this story told. Craig was there from the beginning. He worked closely with Don at the Las Vegas reunion to make certain that every one of Colonel Boland's needs was met. His commitment to this project never wavered.
I began this book because I believed Colonel Boland's story deserved to be preserved. But my health no longer allows me to carry it across the finish line.
For that reason, I want to thank Paul Rutowski for being willing to take the baton with my full support. Paul is not an outsider to this history. He is part of the family. His uncle, PFC Dennis David Rutowski, gave his life on Hill 65 during Operation HUMP, and Paul has already shown, through his work on Hill 65, that he understands the weight of these stories and the responsibility that comes with telling them.
I am grateful to Paul and to all those who remain committed to seeing this book completed. Colonel Boland was many things to many people: commander, troublemaker, warrior, legend, and friend. Whatever else may be said of him, his story should not be lost.
It is time for that story to be told.