Navigating the stormy seas of the 1960s wasn't easy, especially if Vietnam was on your horizon. Ignoring his 2-S selective service deferment, Conor Patrick McKall volunteers for the draft, and Uncle Sam promptly deposits him in the Big Green Machine. Six months later McKall is walking point in jungles, rice paddies, and rubber plantations. In nine short months, he's made an infantry squad leader responsible for a dozen other grunts. In the "boonies," life is lived one day at a time. Joining McKall's squad is Jack "Red" Sheridan whose near-death encounter with a black panther presents challenges to his credibility from other members of Lima Platoon. When McKall stands with Sheridan, an unbreakable bond develops. They meet Red Cross Donut Dollies and together experience the infamous Black Virgin Mountain where the good guys control the top and the bad guys the rest. Escaping Vietnam for a handful of days on R&R in Sydney, Conor experiences Aussie hospitality and the attention of a green-eyed beauty who offers him a chance to escape the war. Loyal to his oath and to his men, Sergeant McKall barely has time to supplant the fading scent of Chanel before he and his squad must face their determined and deadly adversaries. The arbitrary gauntlet of Vietnam offers no guarantees. "Cheerful Obedience stands as a poignant testament to the resilience of the human spirit in trying times." - Literary Titan Laced with intense and believable dialogue that explores the solidarity of military brotherhood, this novel condenses one hellish year into a powerful barrage of tightly penned, action-packed prose, for a work of fiction that is brimming with real-world authenticity. Self-Publishing Review "Unlike the numerous other Vietnam War novels that are available, 'Cheerful Obedience' is unique. It strikes the perfect combination between emotional depth, historical knowledge, and superb narrative. McLaughlin writes with clarity and fascinating depth, balancing humorous banter with just the right amount of vivid information. He does an excellent job at expressing the characters' feelings and the tone of the conflict." The Historical Fiction Company "Every event in the book is grounded in realism. McKall, while exemplary in his role, undergoes experiences typical of many war veterans. For those who've served, the narrative will resonate with their memories. Conversely, readers unfamiliar with the Vietnam War will gain valuable insights into the life of an American infantryman." The VVA Veteran "Author Patrick McLaughlin has crafted a superb novel that really takes readers into the psychological, emotional, and physical realities of the Vietnam War from all angles. I enjoyed the narrative style and depiction of conflict versus culture, as we are treated to the lush and exotic land of Vietnam and its many strange locales, which are suddenly permeated by violent incursions and the many shocks that war brings to the young men thrown into it." Readers' Favorite Patrick McLaughlin volunteered for the draft even though he was 2-S deferred as a college student and entered the U.S. Army in July 1966. Six months later he was walking the point in Vietnam as an 11Bravo Infantry grunt. He soon was named a squad leader responsible for a dozen other soldiers assigned to "Dogface Charlie:" Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 18th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division (the famed "Big Red One"). He successfully walked the gauntlet of the Vietnam War emerging as a decorated combat soldier. General Richard E. Cavazos, Dogface 6, Patrick's battalion commander in Vietnam and an Army legend, described "'Mac' as the man who volunteered to walk the point more than any of the other 1,000 members of the battalion. It was not bravado, but McLaughlin's high sense of purpose and responsibility." In the Cleveland Plain Dealer article of December 30, 1984 (U.S. attorney nominee likes to 'walk the point'), Cavazos described McLaughlin as "one of the top combat soldiers he ever met in his 34-year Army career….'He could have my wallet anytime he wants it.'" The legacy of General Cavazos has been made manifest in that the Army has changed the name of Fort Hood to Fort Cavazos, Texas. According to McLaughlin, "The fort is now named after an American soldier that has earned it." Following military service, Patrick graduated from Ohio University, then Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He served in the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Ohio as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. Patrick rose to lead the office upon the appointment by the judges of the U.S. district court followed by the appointment of President Ronald Reagan as the United States Attorney. After ten years of service with the Department of Justice, he entered the private practice of law. He made his mark for 30 years in the private sector as an accomplished trial lawyer, the last 20 years heading his own firm. He is a retired Fellow of the American College of