About the Book
Full of action-packed experiences from world conflicts, this collection of war stories--some true, some not--tells tales of POWs surviving in Vietnam, World War II, and Cambodia. These stories of grit and strength put you in the middle of the action and will leave you with a respect for true war heroes.
Beyond Survival is a journey into the invincible human spirit that unites heart and mind in a compelling and unforgettable experience. Drawing from his seven years as a POW, Captain Gerald Coffee provides timeless lessons that apply to the physical, emotional, and ethical challenges of everyday life.
Without inflaming the wounds inflicted by America's involvement in Vietnam, Beyond Survival explores an issue at the heart of every free society: the willingness of ordinary individuals to maintain a passion for freedom so compelling that adversity strengthens rather than weakens personal resolve in the worst of circumstances. Through Coffee's story you will discover the universal principles of survival and triumph that empower anyone to overcome adversity.
The Cost of Courage is a work of military fiction based on the true story of two brothers who served in separate campaigns of World War II. After being shot down over Berlin, one brother is forced to endure both mental and physical torture as a POW at Stalag Luft III. As a defiant soul, he gains the respect of his comrades by making life difficult for his captors. However, things change after an ill-fated trip to solitary, where it is revealed by another airman that his brother has died in the Doolittle Raid over Tokyo. Devastated, he struggles with the will to survive while reminiscing about his brother.
Tomorrow I'm Dead is B┼1/2n Yom's story of his capture by the Khmer Rouge at the age of fourteen--and the unmatched suffering, courage, and heroism that ensued. After three years as a killing-field slave, seventeen-year-old B┼1/2n Yom escaped from the Khmer Rouge and became a freedom fighter. Using his wisdom, courage, and infinite compassion, B┼1/2n rescued thousands of Cambodian people and soon became the Cambodian Freedom Fighters' greatest soldier. Tomorrow I'm Dead is the only known firsthand account of the freedom fighters' heroic liberation of slaves from the Khmer Rouge killing fields.
About the Author :
Gerald Coffee, considered one of the nation's top speakers, addresses scores of audiences each year, including many prestigious business and leadership groups. Born in Modesto, California, he joined the Navy in 1957 after graduating from UCLA with a major in business administration. After returning from Vietnam, he received his master's degree in political science and then attended the esteemed National Defense University in Washington, DC. Captain Coffee has earned many military awards and decorations, including the Silver Star, as well as numerous civilian awards. Retired from the Navy since 1985, he now lives in Hawaii.
Gerald Coffee, considered one of the nation's top speakers, addresses scores of audiences each year, including many prestigious business and leadership groups. Born in Modesto, California, he joined the Navy in 1957 after graduating from UCLA with a major in business administration. After returning from Vietnam, he received his master's degree in political science and then attended the esteemed National Defense University in Washington, DC. Captain Coffee has earned many military awards and decorations, including the Silver Star, as well as numerous civilian awards. Retired from the Navy since 1985, he now lives in Hawaii.
Gerald Coffee, considered one of the nation's top speakers, addresses scores of audiences each year, including many prestigious business and leadership groups. Born in Modesto, California, he joined the Navy in 1957 after graduating from UCLA with a major in business administration. After returning from Vietnam, he received his master's degree in political science and then attended the esteemed National Defense University in Washington, DC. Captain Coffee has earned many military awards and decorations, including the Silver Star, as well as numerous civilian awards. Retired from the Navy since 1985, he now lives in Hawaii.
Kelly Estes has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a rather unique passion for World War II. At nineteen she became the youngest Santa Clara County Human Relations Commissioner, and at twenty-one she became the youngest-ever chair of the Justice Review Committee for that Commission. In 2008 she began writing The Cost of Courage. Her passion for helping service veterans compelled her to create and lead the Veterans Proactive Assistance Task Force in her community, where families and community organizations can come together to discuss and remedy issues facing returning veterans and prevent PTSD-related crime before it occurs. Kelly was honored for her service in November 2012 with a City Commendation, presented to her by the mayor of San Jose, California.
Kelly Estes has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do and a rather unique passion for World War II. At nineteen she became the youngest Santa Clara County Human Relations Commissioner, and at twenty-one she became the youngest-ever chair of the Justice Review Committee for that Commission. In 2008 she began writing The Cost of Courage. Her passion for helping service veterans compelled her to create and lead the Veterans Proactive Assistance Task Force in her community, where families and community organizations can come together to discuss and remedy issues facing returning veterans and prevent PTSD-related crime before it occurs. Kelly was honored for her service in November 2012 with a City Commendation, presented to her by the mayor of San Jose, California.
B?n Yom arrived in the United States with not one penny, with only the clothes he was wearing, and without knowing a single word of English. Through hard work, he now has his own home, a family, a restaurant, and many friends. It took twenty years before he was ready to write about his years in the killing fields, but for the sake of kids everywhere, he has finally done it.
B?n Yom arrived in the United States with not one penny, with only the clothes he was wearing, and without knowing a single word of English. Through hard work, he now has his own home, a family, a restaurant, and many friends. It took twenty years before he was ready to write about his years in the killing fields, but for the sake of kids everywhere, he has finally done it.
Dan McGowan is a professional voice-over and on-camera actor whose credits include spots for McDonald's, Toyota, Mitsubishi, Hewlett-Packard, Lockheed-Martin, ABC, Qwest, Dish TV, Teach.com, Multnomah Productions, the Animation Cottage, the US government, and others. Dan also works as a keynote speaker on various business and motivational topics and performs stand-up comedy nationwide for corporate events, community events, cruise ships, and more.
Bill Chandler is an inventor, patent holder, entrepreneur, and international invention development specialist who lives in Washington State. His expertise has reached many through his work as an advertising agency executive, professor, private marketing consultant, and speaker.
