Bernard Walker Jr. and Nelda Massengill Walker never set out to become authors. Bernard, a quiet and soft-spoken Native American and a proud member of the Choctaw Nation, built his career as a Professional Engineer with degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Nelda, by contrast, is outgoing and talkative-a retired RN who completed a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner course as part of her BSN degree. Bernard likes to say, "Nelda is the writer in the family," and this book proves it. She wrote most of the letters and added thoughtful commentary that now enriches each page. Their story began half a century ago, with two young people writing to each other during the Vietnam War. After 50 years of marriage, they typed up more than 200 of those original letters for their children. That project turned into War and Love, a deeply personal window into love, loss, fear, faith, and endurance. Nelda has always dreamed of writing a book. She's kept journals for decades, penned newspaper articles, and even started a manuscript chronicling Bernard's Native American ancestry. Bernard, on the other hand, never imagined himself writing a book-he was too busy reading them. That changed when their letters came back to life. A Vietnam War veteran and Bronze Star recipient, Bernard lives with the lasting impacts of Agent Orange exposure and hearing loss from his service. But at 78, he still mows the lawn, shovels snow, and gardens alongside Nelda in their Alaska home. Together, they lead a weekly Life Group for fellow seniors in their church and continue to live a life grounded in faith and family. Only 31% of Vietnam War veterans are alive today. Bernard is one of them. Through this book, he offers a soldier's witness and a husband's heart. Nelda brings the voice of a woman waiting, worrying, and loving from afar. Together, they offer something rare: a true story of war and love-preserved in letters, shared in gratitude, and now passed to you.
