Gary’s parents divorce when Gary is five. He goes to many different school but excels. Becomes a leader under the encouragement of his high school sweetheart. They go to college and she dumps him, so he joins the Army Special Forces and becomes a medic with the Green Berets. He gets drunk and piles up so many charges that he re-enlists for Vietnam. He loves the Montagnard people, the peace and purpose. The first part ends after a huge battle when he is injured three times but keeps helping others, which will earn him the Medal of Honor.