The Desert Rat and Charley -2: The Early Years

By Larry Ellsworth

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.

About the Author

Larry Ellsworth joined the army in 1960 and received an award of Solider of the Cycle by the base commander. He volunteered to go to Vietnam as the radio and medic specialist for a captain cartographer. After discharge, he went to Arizona State University and received an BA in Education. After teaching for a small college and writing several grants, he entered into a nursing program and became a home health nurse for over thirty years, before retiring at age seventy- eight. He has also worked on two school boards writing grants to gain funding for the Gila River Indian Reservation for education and recreational activities.

Ellsworth currently resides in Arizona, and he and his wife have been married for sixty years and have five children, twenty-two grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F3J5G3XL
• ISBN13: 9798886043280
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Co.
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"