Drafted into the Army in 1966, Mr. Heinemann was sent to Vietnam, where he saw combat while peering over the barrel of a .50-caliber machine gun. “This is an interesting surprise,” Mr. Heinemann said in accepting the award, which included a $10,000 check and a sculpture by Louise Nevelson. “If not for Vietnam, I’d be driving a bus.”Two of Mr. Heinemann’s brothers also served in the military during the Vietnam War. Mr. Heinemann was a writer-in-residence at several colleges, including at Texas A&M University from 2005 until his retirement in 2015. ADIn 2005, Mr. Heinemann published a memoir, “Black Virgin Mountain,” about his experiences in Vietnam and their lasting effect on his life.

Source: Washington Post December 22, 2019 00:33 UTC