Today we’d like to introduce you to Tank Gunner.
Hi Tank, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
My name is Andrew. My readers and fans call me Tank. My friends call me Colonel.
TANK GUNNER is the pen name of a retired combat cavalry trooper, Senior Parachutist, and Jumpmaster awarded a Combat Infantry Badge and decorated with a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars, one for Valor, and a Purple Heart. He served his nation with pride and honor for more than a quarter of a century as an enlisted soldier and officer. He is an award-winning author and speaker.
My pitch is to encourage teens to seniors to write their stories by learning about my journey.
In 2009, my son, Richard, found 4 combat operational reports (ORpt) I had written forty years earlier, in 1969, as Commander, Troop D, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam.
Delta Troop was ground cavalry, the real cavalry, like Custer’s regiment 90+ years earlier. Our horses were jeeps with pedestal-mounted machine guns and other weaponry.
An ORpt contained very brief histories of daily activities, wrapped up in only a few sentences with grid coordinates.
Texas Tech University Vietnam Center and Archive permitted us to copy my reports and ask me to participate in their Oral History Project.
I agreed and was provided 108-questions to prepare for their interview.
I wrote all of my answers in great detail – the who, what, where, when, why, and how.
I knew all of the story – the who, what, where, when, why, and how – of the daily entries of the ORpts.
So, I asked Texas Tech if I could post their questionnaire with my answers. TTU said no — their questionnaire was proprietary.
I honored their request. The Oral History Project interview is still pending after 13 years.
Anyway, I had all of these detailed answers for the 108 questions, and my details of four months of daily activities with elaborations, clarifications, and in some cases, corrections to the ORpts, so I began using the information to write stories.
I called them War Stories.
Enrolled in a Brookhaven College creative writing class in 2011, brought seven of my war stories to class…
My classmates and our instructor, Capn Lee Sneath, loved the non-fiction stories. Capn Lee suggested I create a blog for my non-fiction war stories. I must admit I didn’t know how to spell blog.
Capn Lee also encouraged me to write fiction stories using his classroom prompts.
I’ve worked with Capn Lee for about 11 years, and I’ve published nine books, my first at age 76 and my ninth at age 84.
War Stories of an Armed Savage — https://armedsavagesix.blogspot.com/
Tank Gunner’s Books and 5Star Reviews — https://tankgunnersix.blogspot.com/
Capn Lee’s The RoughWriters — https://theroughwriters.com/
I’ve done hundreds of book signings at book stores, and I do two free 35-minute PowerPoint show for schools, clubs, associations, corporations, veterans’ groups, and residents in senior living communities followed by a book signing.
My first PowerPoint show highlights my journey from retired soldier to award-winning author.
I return to the first show venue after two or three months to do my second PowerPoint show.
At my second show I talk about writing and writing prompts, I read a short story written from a classroom prompt, I talk about flash fiction (100 word stories for magazine fillers), I begin a story from an audience prompt, and I ask folks in the audience to tell me a story in six words – yep, only six words, no more. The audience loves the show about writing and participating.
I encourage teens to seniors to follow my lead and write, whether it is for their memoir, short stories, non-fiction, poetry, or magazine fillers.
So, here’s my pitch. Let’s tell about my journey so many who enjoy VoyagerDallas, teens to seniors, will be inspired to start their writing journey for family, friends, history, or just plain fun for themselves.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has been a fairly smooth road and a lot of fun. I write a chapter a week with my class, submit my chapter to my classmates for their reactions, and Capn Lee is our professional editor.
There are basically two types of writers: plotters and pantsers. I am a pantser. I let my characters tell me their story and I try to write it the way they live it.
I watch and listen to people. The way people act and talk are keys to my writing. I am a dialogue writer, I write the way most of us talk, live, and breathe.
Struggles come when life, errands, and distractions find their way to interfere with my time to write. Some writers cut out a time every day to work. Every writer finds their own way of managing time.
It is important to work with a supportive group of writers and an editor. Trying to work alone is a struggle many writers cannot overcome and give up. Encouragement is key for a writer. Classmates who are traveling my path as a writer are valued helpers. I’d love for beginning and experienced writers to talk with Capn Lee about joining his creative writing class.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
27 years military service, 2 combat tours of duty in Vietnam. Upon military retirement, I was the director of leadership development for an international petroleum corporation. I coached Presidents, Vice Presidents, and General Managers on the art of leading people rather than managing resources, and directed the corporation’s succession planning.
I lived and worked in East Africa for over a year and coached leaders there for my company. In Africa, we drive on the left side, like Great Britain. A careless tourist driver crashed into my car and my company brought me home after recovery.
I was a touring motorcycle rider (Honda Goldwing) and a Motorcycle Safety Instructor. Over a 10 period, I trained 5,000 beginning and experienced motorcycle riders how to ride their bikes safely. Not one of my students had a serious mishap.
While in military service, I wrote a column of satire that was published in 24 armed services newspapers under the by-line of T. Gunner.
The Army sent me to college after my second combat tour in Vietnam, and there, I wrote an unpublished novel and a play.
My two-act farce opened the 1971 theater season, and my play received a great review in The Tacoma, Washington newspaper.
All of my books are about memorable characters we know or can relate to who are living in small towns, and all of my books have consistently received 5-star reviews.
Tank Gunner is the pen name of a retired combat cavalry trooper, Senior Parachutist, and Jumpmaster awarded a Combat Infantry Badge and decorated with a Silver Star, three Bronze Stars – one for Valor – and a Purple Heart. He served his nation with pride and honor for more than a quarter-century as an enlisted soldier and officer. An award-winning author and speaker, Tank wrote and published Prompts a collection of stories at age 76; Prompts Too another collection of stories at 77; Cookie Johnson, his Vietnam historical fiction novel at 78; Palomino, Tank’s immensely popular WWII historical fiction novel at 79; Porky Baycann, a coming-of-age, adolescent friendship, and WWII historical fiction novel – and companion to Palomino – at 80; The Redeemer, his powerful drama of love, conflict, and redemption on the eve of WWII – a companion to Palomino and Porky Baycann – at 81; Reverend Ripple$’ Building Fund, a historical fiction story of a pretend preacher with a dishonest past, at 82; Rigors of Revenge, the tale of a retired soldier, harboring revenge for 50 years, returning to Vietnam to find and kill a murderous enemy, at 83; and at 84, Lucinda Jones, the story of a young woman coming to work in the Palomino Press at the onset of the Korean War, in June 1950, and the fourth novel in the series with The Redeemer, Palomino, and Porky Baycann. He and his wife live with Cody, 100 miles southwest of Palomino.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Vaccinate.
Be aware, be vigilant, be safe.
My son developed mild reactions from Covid in Europe, but because of vaccinations and boosters he did not suffer and recovered within a few days.
Pricing at show and book signings:
- Signed Pocketbook-sized books are $15.
- Signed Digest-sized books are $18.
- Signed Hardcover and Dustcover books are $25.
- Digital books are $9.99
- Available through my blog links, Amazon, and other platforms.
Contact Info:
- Website: Tank Gunner’s Books — https://tankgunnersix.blogspot.com/ — War Stories of an Armed Savage — https://armedsavagesix.blogspot.com/
- Facebook: Tank Gunner
- The RoughWriters: https://theroughwriters.com/
Enroll in a creative writing class and work with supportive writers and Capn Lee Sneath, a professional editor.
Image Credits
Captain Tom Mahoney
