Blood, Tears, & Purple Hearts is the harrowing and poignant story of two female Naval Aviators caught up in unexpected combat in the Syrian desert during the recent conflict there with ISIS.
ISIS insurgents have shot down their helicopter in the fight. Both women are seriously injured in the crash. They must overcome physical injuries, disabilities, and symptoms of PTSD and try to put the pieces of their lives and careers back together.
The author, B.J. Ricketts, served in the U.S. Navy for seven years during the Cold War aboard an Amphibious Assault ship similar to the one described in this book, doing two Western Pacific deployments.
During the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979, his ship was assigned to transport Marines for the U.S. Embassy hostage rescue attempt in Iran. Additionally, after 9/11, he served with the U.S. Coast Guard as an Auxiliary flight crew member, conducting air security patrols around petroleum refineries and facilities in the upper Gulf Coast area around Southeast Texas.
“This story is based on many personal experiences during my time with the U.S. Navy and my experiences working as a civilian contractor in the Middle East during the height of the Iraq war in 2004 and 2005. I felt it was time to bring to light these kinds of traumatic experiences that all service members have always had to deal with to some extent. In our modern era, even American women must deal with PTSD and disabilities from combat injuries! Both physical and psychological. My hope is that after reading this book, people will have a better understanding of it and do more to help disabled and traumatized veterans live as normal a life as they should be able to expect as Americans.”