By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

(Dec. 17, 2020) Ocean City resident Joe Myles has published an autobiography called “Fury: A Soldier’s Journey” about his service in Vietnam between 1968 and 1969.

Joe Myles

“When I went to Vietnam, I was coming out of a special program in the states to create sergeants. So, I went into Vietnam as a sergeant after one year in service,” Myles said. “I was immediately given a platoon to lead with the 1st Infantry Division, which is usually a lieutenant or a first lieutenant’s position.”

He added that he led about 30 men through daily search-and-destroy missions, which later became “search-and-rescue missions” in the U.S. Army.

After 50-plus years, Myles was inspired to write a book about his experiences in the Vietnam War to leave a firsthand account for his relatives.

“I hadn’t spoken of my events or service or anything having to do with that time period to my kids, wife or anybody,” he said. “I wanted to get it down on paper for the kids especially.”

Myles said his few pages of notes developed into a 174-page paperback book published by Salt Water Media in Berlin and released in March. The autobiography also includes pictures from his service in Vietnam.

“The fact that I started writing … opened up more thoughts of what I kind of put in the back of my head, I guess, and it has gotten easier to talk about it,” he said. “I was thinking that there’s a lot of soldiers, soldier’s wives and children of soldiers that might even have a question about what when on in their husbands’ or fathers’ lives.”

Myles believes most soldiers can identify with the first part of the autobiography.

“The basic training and advanced infantry trading I went through most soldiers encountered the same experiences,” he said. “First of all, it was the new experiences that no one in civilian life encounters, such as having a drill sergeant decide your life’s actions — when to sleep, when to eat, how to stand, run, march, dress.”

“Fury: A Soldier’s Journey” is available for $19.95 at Amazon, Walmart.com, and Google Books, Barnes & Noble, The Greyhound Independent Bookstore and Fine Art Gallery on South Main Street in Berlin, Salt Water Media in Berlin and directly from Myles.

After being discharged from the service, Myles spent 18 years working in the elevator trade.

“Right before I went in the service, I started an intern program with the [Montgomery Elevator], building elevators and installing and maintaining [them],” he said.

He installed elevators and escalators at Woody’s Department Store in the Iverson Mall in Hillcrest Heights, Maryland.

He went on to buy an elevator company and operated it for several years before selling it in 1995.

Later, he opened up Little Italy on the Shore, an Italian restaurant, in Ocean City. After selling the restaurant, Myles worked in real estate with Long and Foster until he retired.

Myles moved to Ocean City full-time in 1996, but he has owned properties in the area since 1984.

In addition, Myles belongs to American Legion Post 166 on 24th Street.

For more information, contact Myles at realchefjoe@yahoo.com.