TIME NEVER HEALS

 

     Time Never Heals is the story of Dr. Frank Lunati, the first battalion surgeon for the 2/5 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam. This is his story of his tour of duty, the battles, the casualties and the deaths, along with all his thoughts and feelings. He relives in detail the Search and Destroy missions, the battles of Happy Valley, la Drang, and Bong Son. He takes you with him as he ships out and travels to Vietnam and lives through a horendous year. You will experience the battles with him; meet the friends he made and those he lost. This story brings 'Nam' to you in a way you will never forget.

 

     PRESTIGIOUS KIRKUS REVIEW

     The true story of a Vietman doctor. Frank Lunati thought he had his life all planned out. He married his high school sweetheart, got his medical degree from the University of Rome and returned to Long Island with plans to open a family practice. But "Uncle Sam" other ideas. After Lunati received a letter telling him that he was an"obligatory volunteer" for the U.S.Army, he was sworn into the Army Reserve as a captain in the medical corps. What followed was a year in Vietnam where Lunati found himself trapped in a hell on earth. In straightforward terms, Ligotti tells Lunati's story from the day he and his wife received the news until his return to the States a year later. While at times the author puts his fellow soldiers on pedestals, that is to be expected, as he is depended on the troops for his safety ... the medical corps was not known for their sharpshooting skills ... just as they depended on him to put them back together should they find themselves on the wrong end of a North Vietnamese hand grenade. What sets this account apart from a section of a history book is that Ligotti personalizes not only Lunati, but his friends and patients too. Through Ligotti's words. Lunati also capably portrays the tedium of war ... in which long stretches of absolute boredom are interrupted by flashes of absolute terror. It is during these quiet parts, however, that the reader gets a sense of what that first year in Vietnam was like for the American soldier. Lunati brings a sense of humanity to his tale ... he's a good guy with some flaws, but all he wants to do is get home to his wife and restart his life. A sobering perspective of life on the front lines as a wartime doctor.

 

     PROFESSIONAL REVIEW:

     As General Sherman said "War is Hell". In war there is only one objective - DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMY AND ACHIEVEMENT OF VICTORY as soon as possible in order to return to normalcy, as war is not a NATURAL STATE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE. Time Never Heals, The Memoirs of a Vitnam Doc ... is a superb personal memoir of Dr. Frank Lunati as told to and written by Gene Ligotti. It captures the unnatural state of war, and the graphic violence of combat, as well as providing a window into the bitter memory of the Vietnam conflict and the harrowing experiences of a combat surgeon in the real "Hell" of war. "Time Never Heals" will provide the readers with a rapid education into the realities of war. Readers will also learn why, as we fight a new war for the security of our nation and the free world, we should not feel remorseful, apologetic, or ashamed as it is suggested sometimes for political reasons.

...Engin Uralman Professor of American History United States Navy Education Consultant

     COMMENTS FROM READERS: 

     Most war stories are told or viewed 'looking down'. This was a view of the Vietnam War 'from the dirt up.'

                                                                                     ... Dr. Richard Altieri

 

     It's a great read and an important book."

                                                                                               ... Sal Barilla

 

    I was moved by 'Time Never Heals'. The thought that one of the gentlest, most soft spoken people I've ever known was immersed in the horrors that Frank saw just boggles my mind. I don't want to be maudlin, but the book should be a must read for all. ... Dr. Steve Price

 

     ''Time Never Heals" was very enlightening and valuable."

                                                                                                 ... Don Smith

 

     "I found your book absolutely captivating."

                                                               ... Chuck Yates ... KLNG Radio, Iowa.

 

     "My son raved about what he learned in your book. The war touched many more lives than we know. Thank you for writing the book."

                                                        ... Ginger Littrell, ... News reporter, NC

 

     "For anyone who would like an account of the (Vietnam) war from a personal perspective, this book is a must read.  I think everyone who reads this book will come away with a better understanding of what actually happened 'over there'. The accounts will help you transcend time and distance and will carry you to a strange and different world. Once you start reading you won't want to put it down. It is a story you will never forget."

                                           ... Greg Willhite Advertising Representative, IN