Those Who Came to Die

About the Book

Most stories start with the words “In the beginning, something happened a long time ago.” There was a great country, and if we could turn back the clock and watch the years, months, and days go idly by, we could make time do our bidding. We could start with the Assyrians, Babylonians, Julius Caesar, and Cleopatra. Maybe we will find out why the Sphinx was built and who is entombed within it. There are a number of other dynasties that were created by time, and those who rose to power and then by the magic of time were only names written in some history book that some researcher may read on some sunny afternoon in a classroom, in a library or maybe archived in a distant land, where one or many are doing research into the rise and fall of those who wanted to rule over the dreams of others and perhaps we might end up with. Who knows, with more than just a thought. With great power comes great responsibility and challenges for the future. During that time of the building of a nation, there are many problems externally and internally. That nation, endowed by its victories over tyranny and regimes that rule with fear and intimidation, can only survive if those who fought for the freedoms somehow gave them up to the few who want power all for themselves. And from the Bible, “Greater hath no man than those who would give their lives for their fellow man.” Greater love for liberty and the pursuit of what makes the populous happy. Sometimes the leaders of the populous wants what somebody else has or they want to force upon them, their beliefs (Manifestos). I read something that I would like to quote: “Better to be poor with integrity than rich and crooked in one’s ways, desire without knowledge is not good and whoever acts hastily blunders.”

About the Author

My name is Kwame F. Toshambe, sergeant, US Air Force, retired. I served in the Pacific and the European theater. My education was a flat zero. I have a GED that I acquired while serving with the armed forces. I attended local colleges when I wasn’t on duty. Then I was hurt and could no longer serve. I returned to school, and I got a job at Grumman Corporation. While there, I was assigned to work as an engineering draftsman on all the aircraft they manufactured for the navy. I am proud to say that I, along with approximately 375,000 or more, worked on the LEM (Luna Excursion Module) that landed a man on the moon and returned him safely to earth. I was married, I had two kids, a boy and a girl. What G-d gives, he takes away for reasons that may become known to me one day. My wife was taken, as were my brothers. I was left with two sisters; one is a nurse, and they both look after me. I have some cousins and nieces and nephews. I am not alone in the world, and most of all I have my fellow vets and their stories to make the days come and go. I have some medals but I am far from a hero. I am told that twenty-two vets take their lives everyday. The question is why? I dedicate this book to all my fellow veterans.