In 1969, one of countless 19-year-olds, eager and fearful, Dave Lange was deployed to Vietnam…

What Dave Lange experienced in his rambunctious adolescence, his tour with the US Navy riverine forces, and his re-acclimation into civilian life form a unique coming-of-age story during one of the most tumultuous eras in American history. As the double-entendre title suggests, Virginity Lost in Vietnam is about more than just the war in Southeast Asia. Lange draws heavily on the adventures and frustrations of male pubescence, and a culture largely shaped by drugs and rock ’n’ roll. Lange’s book also provides insight into America’s social fabric, woven and tangled by persistent racial and political issues. Ultimately, a kid from an all-white, working-class neighborhood gains an appreciation of the true brotherhood of all races as well as the disconnection of the powerful from the unprivileged.

This unflinching and nostalgic memoir describes how Lange’s childhood, adolescent and adult decisions formed his equally unflinching opinions about politics, race, patriotism…and America.

“Dave Lange, an award-winning journalist and longtime newspaperman, shares the stories that helped to shape and define his character in this breathtaking collection of memoirs. From his childhood days in a tough steel valley of Pennsylvania to gritting it out in a war that no one could win, Dave recalls the trials and tribulations he endured that guided his life in becoming one of the most respected journalists I have had the pleasure of working with. His knowledge, commitment and passion for everything he does certainly come through in this book.”

Bob Jacob, Managing Editor, Cleveland Jewish News