Larry Ellsworth life began on a small farm in Arizona. His childhood was filled with horses, long hours outdoors, late nights, and the love and lessons learned from his hardworking parents. Larry recounts his life as a desert rat with tales of humor from his youth and the rambunctiousness of his teenage years.

Larry’s time as a desert rat ends in 1960, when he joins the army and becomes a radio and medic specialist for a captain sent to draw maps for the Armed Forces to use in Vietnam. From then on, he is known as Charley-2, and sees firsthand the horrors of war. But Larry’s smart mouth and rapscallion nature add small moments of laughter and joy for his team in otherwise harrowing moments.

A fascinating look into small-town life through the early days of war, The Desert Rat and Charley-2 is a memoir of change, growth, perseverance, and finding strength along the way.