One Day, one dare and one ride changes everything. With the Vietnam war raging in 1967 and with the unacceptable loss of too many experienced special operations soldiers, nineteen-year-old Tom Green, born in a tack shed in a small Southern mill town, steps off the plane in Bien Hoi, Vietnam. Randomly chosen as a cherry to fill that loss, he begins the training to be a long range patrol (LRP) soldier. The journey from small town grocery boy to experienced LRP who survives this war creates a soldier who tragically witnesses the loss of best friends and the undeniable presence of God. In Silent Shadow 24 Tom recounts this incredible journey of bravery, loss, survival, and circumstance that lands him in one of the most dangerous jobs in Vietnam. Written as a tribute to all veterans, this story sets out to honor specifically draftees who served America with courage, honor, and an understanding of America's mission to help others attain the freedom for which they often gave their lives.