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by Walter P. Jordan (Author)
70 + poems titled Odds N Ends In Rhyme of the life and writings of Walter Phillip "Phil" Jordan Jr. Jordan created this book of heartfelt poems to offer hope to thousands of veterans struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
After suffering from PTSD for many years, 91-year-old Jordan felt passionate about giving back through this book. His poems range from humorous to dark, touching on struggles and triumphs that are personal and relatable. The Poems were composed during his time while serving and throughout his life. A true expression of his experiences.
At 15 years old, Jordan ran away from home to join the military but was too young to enlist so he worked in the shipyards as a coppersmith. At only 16 years old, he cranked planes for Chinese Army cadets during WWII. In 1944, twenty days after turning 17, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy during the heat of battle in the South Pacific. He served on the D.E. #443 Kendall C Campbell and watched as the flag was raised at Iwo Jima and was present at Tokyo Bay at the signing of the Japanese surrender.
Jordan earned five Battle Stars by the time he was 18 years old. He left the Navy but made the decision a year later to re-enlist in the U.S. Army. He spent three years as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division, often tasked with bringing fallen brothers home.
In 1950, Jordan returned home to Phoenix, Arizona, and became a sheriff's deputy. In 1969, he graduated from the FBI's National Academy. He became a federal investigator at a Native American reservation and was elected to be sheriff years later. After 22 years, he retired from law enforcement. During the 1980s, his latent PTSD surfaced. He found that writing poems and fishing helped him "combat the ghosts of the past."
Phil passed away shortly after contacting Tactical 16 Publishing. All proceeds from the book will be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
