#1 Amazon Best-selling Author Pens Critically-Acclaimed, War-Themed Historical Novels That Are Inspired By His Heroic Vietnam Helicopter Days & His Family Of Veterans
When Larry Freeland served as a decorated helicopter pilot and an infantry officer with the 101st Airborne Division during the Vietnam War, he just wanted to do his job, survive the war, and return home to pick up with his life. So do the lead characters in his powerful best-selling series of war-set works of historical fiction.
“Wars define the lives of the men and women who fight them,” says author Larry Freeland. He should know. Not only did he serve our country, but so did his father, who was an officer in the Army Air Corps/United States Air Force during World War II, and his grandfather during world War I as a doughboy. Freeland’s books call upon the many harrowing tales that he personally survived – or heard about from his family.
His newest book, Legacy Of Honor: The Patriarch, is about a doughboy fighting in World War I Europe. It is the follow-up to Chariots In The Sky, which is about a U.S. Army assault helicopter pilot trying to survive his tour of duty in Vietnam.
“In dedication to those who sacrificed their lives so that we can each enjoy freedom and liberty, I wrote these books so that we can appreciate the harrowing moments millions of veterans experience on the battlefield,” says Freeland.
“Each generation that serves, experiences combat in its unique way and then must cope with how our country treats its warriors during and after our wars. Veterans often struggle to survive upon returning home.”
About Chariots of the Sky: It is the final major offensive operation of the Vietnam War.
60 days for 750 helicopters to do battle. Who wants to be the last man killed in Vietnam?
Take a harrowing ride with dedicated combat helicopter pilot Captain Taylor St. James and his aircrew. Follow the Eagles, a Huey assault company with the 101st Airbornbe Division, through A Shau Valley, Khe Sanh, Quang Tri Province, Hue, DMZ, North Vietnam and Laos. Experience combat missions in the air, and rocket attacks and sapper in the wire on the ground.
But the North Vietnamese aren’t the only enemy. Endure an intense Army commander more interested in personal glory than the safety of his men. Add mechanical problems, bad weather, and human error--a recipe for disaster for Captain St. James and his men. This is their story.
About Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch: A tale of courage, sacrifice, love and honor, this 20th century historical fiction saga addresses the horrors of WW1 and the challenges that military men faced upon returning including mental trauma, and physical illness in addition to the hardships of the Great Depression as well as other historical events before WWII, including the Bonus Army March of 1932 and the Little Steel Strikes of 1937.
Patriarch of the family, Sam McCormick, is a dedicated doughboy, US Army Infantryman,
serving with the Rainbow Division of the American Expeditionary Force, fighting in France
during World War I. He just wants to do his job, survive the war, and return home to pick up with his life. To do so, he and his fellow Doughboys must survive being gassed, horrific artillery
bombardments and machine gun fire as they cross "no man's land" repeatedly to attack the Huns and take their trenches. Along the way he will meet several historic figures. Sam falls in love with Marie, a French nurse, whom he meets while recovering from his war wounds. Returning home to a grateful nation, which soon forgets their sacrifices, Sam tries to assimilate back into civilian life. It is a journey full of disappointment, frustration, violence, and pride in who he is and what the men he served with accomplished during the war and later in life as they fought for justice, recognition, and each other.
Praise For His Books
Chariots in the Sky
"A worthwhile peek into the horrors of war.” — Kirkus Reviews
"There are more than enough harrowing flying scenes and firefights on the ground that will keep readers of this genre interested." — The VHPA Aviator
"A nicely written, exciting book. [The author] replays the feeling of time and place extremely well. Well worth reading. — HELICOPTER LIFE
"This fast-paced experience of war comes to life through the eyes and exploits of an Army assault helicopter pilot. This is a dramatic and exciting story that puts you right in the middle of the action." —LCDR B. Hood, USNR
"Right up there with some of the best. I loved the book! [It] really held my attention and let me visualize all of the various scenes as they unfolded." — Tony Mancini
Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch
“Freeland weaves together an exciting, action-packed, and historically accurate tale of war and romance during and after World War 1.” -- James Harvey, author of Grayton Beach Affair
“Freeland writes in nearly encyclopedic fashion as he includes background information about the World War I trenches, the history of the nursing corps, the big increase of cigarette use among American military personnel, the history of “Reveille,” and the meaning of “buying the farm,” among many other things. He also takes the reader on a 30,000-foot overview of a battle about to take place before dropping us down into the action. Freeland’s aim is for his trilogy to explore how this country treats its warriors and veterans during and after our wars. With Book One, The Patriarch, he’s off to a good start. -- Bill McCloud, Vietnam Veterans of America
"An incredible piece of historical fiction centered on Sam. a soldier, a Company First Sergeant, and finally a WW1 vet who returns to an America that does little to support those who bravely fought on its behalf. Larry has created a riveting storyline with well-developed characters that traverse the war and the historical years beyond." -- F. Michelle Jones, Retired Teacher of Creative Writing
"Crawl through the trenches of France with American infantrymen and experience the horrendous brutality of WWI warfare ... reminiscent of the carnage in Civil War battle scenes
in The Red Badge of Courage. Then follow the "doughboys" as they assimilate back into American society, often with heart-breaking and unforgettable outcomes." – Jameson Gregg, Georgia Author of the Year, IBPA Benjamin franklin Award
Larry Freeland Biography
Larry Freeland, a Vietnam veteran, is an author of war-themed historical fiction books. He comes from a long line of military veterans. His father was an officer in the Army Air Corps/United States Air Force whose career spanned 30 years and included World War Il through the early stages of the Vietnam War. His grandfather was a doughboy in World War I, and his two brothers were both war veterans, having served in multiple conflicts that our country has been involved in following the Vietnam War.
Born in Canton, Ohio, he also lived in Biloxi, Mississippi; Syracuse, NY; Riverside, CO; parts of FL; and Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico.
He graduated from the University of South Florida in Tampa in 1968, and then he entered the U.S. Army at the height of the Vietnam War, serving one tour in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division as an infantry officer and a CH-47 helicopter pilot.
Upon release from active duty in 1973, Larry returned to civilian life and pursued a career in the financial industry. He earned an MSA in Management from University of Central Georgia. After retiring from banking in 2001, he worked as an independent financial consultant for three years in the Atlanta area. He then worked as an instructor for six years with Lanier Technical College in their Management and Leadership Development Program.
Freeland’s books, Chariots in the Sky and Legacy of Honor: The Patriarch, are Amazon best-sellers, have earned critical acclaim, and have received hundreds of favorable reader reviews.
Now retired, he lives in North Georgia with his wife Linda, a retired schoolteacher. They enjoy traveling around the country, going on cruises, and visiting historical places in Europe. They are fans of LeMans racing and drive their Corvette to several annual races held in the United States.
They are involved in supportive activities associated with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Veterans-related organizations. For more information, please see: https://larryfreeland.com/
Larry Freeland: (678) 643-4332
