In "Death Came Calling, But I Wasn't Home," author Floyd Schneider takes readers on a raw and gripping journey through his experiences as a soldier in the Vietnam War. Starting with his transition from youthful ambition to the harsh realities of combat, Schneider narrates his unexpected path to becoming a seasoned squad leader. The pivotal moment came on Christmas Day 1967, when a supposed training mission escalated into a vicious firefight that forced him to confront the brutal truths of warfare.
The narrative vividly captures the chaos and intensity of battle, where survival meant navigating the constant presence of death and injury. Schneider articulates the inner conflict of questioning why he survived when others did not and the heavy responsibility of leading his men while under relentless enemy fire. Despite being wounded himself, he exhibited remarkable bravery, rescuing his injured comrades and earning numerous commendations, including four Purple Hearts and an Army Commendation Medal for valor.
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"Sarge, are you dead?
His question brought me back to consciousness.
"Uh, no, at least I don't think so." I felt something sticky under my shirt. I reached inside my shirt, and my hand came out soaked in blood. The only thought that went through my mind was, "This is my blood on the outside of my body. This is not good."
I joined the Army because I wanted freedom. My high school principal told me that I needed to grow up.
We arrived in Vietnam on Dec. 15, and on Christmas day 1967, I grew up. A "training mission" turned into a full-scale firefight. Surrounded by killing and death, I had no time to reflect on my expectations of combat. We searched the bodies of those we had killed for any traces of information about their units. We treated our wounded. We put our dead onto helicopters, and we returned to base as "experienced" combat soldiers.
Why did I survive, and others did not? Although I puzzled over that question, it became clear that my job in combat, as a squad leader, was just to stay alive, keep my men alive, and kill the enemy. If I died in the process, so be it. I just didn't want my mother to suffer the loss of her only child.
Floyd Schneider received four Purple Hearts, three in one day. He also received an Army Commendation Medal with V for valor. While his squad was under fire and he was wounded, he rescued three of his wounded men and continued to direct his squad.
