Book reveals poignant moments between husband and wife while sharing the final months of the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Vietnam.
[Lufkin, TX] – Local author James Slack will be signing copies of his book, “Dear Janie,” at the Lufkin/Angelina Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, July 13, 2023, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. located at 1615 S. Chestnut in Lufkin, Texas.
After finding an old shoebox of letters written to his wife while he served during Vietnam, Slack was simply looking for a way to preserve these memories. These letters reveal poignant moments shared between the young husband and wife, and his almost daily letters created a unique journal. He was the last registrar of the 85th Evacuation Hospital and shares what he witnessed, from dustoff to hospitalization. It became the story of the final months of the 85th, its dedicated staff, and the soldiers it served as the war in Vietnam was winding down.
Slack grew up in Lufkin, Texas. He earned a BA in Vertebrate Zoology from the University of Texas at Austin in 1968 and taught high school chemistry in Crockett before becoming commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Medical Service Corps in 1969. He served two years at Ft. Gordon, Georgia before being assigned as Registrar for the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Phu Bai, Vietnam in 1971. Upon completing his military commitment, Slack worked eight years in the pharmaceutical industry with the Upjohn Company in Marshall and Dallas, Texas. Following a career change, he retired in 2012 after serving thirty years as a banker in his hometown.
He is active in various civic activities and has served on numerous committees and boards, including the Rotary Club, Planning and Zoning Commission, Woodland Heights Medical Center, Blood Center East Texas, and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in Houston. He is a multi-gallon blood doner. Slack is the recipient of two of his community’s highest awards for community service.
James has served as a deacon and then an elder for over thirty years with his church in Lufkin. Bass fishing and bow hunting are his favorite outdoor activities.
He and his beloved wife, Janie, have been married for 54 years and raised three daughters: Shannon, Jessica, and Cameron. Now, they have been blessed with three sons-in-law, John, Lee, and Deacon, plus seven grandchildren!
His book is available for purchase on Amazon and will be available for purchase locally at the book signing. You can meet the author in person at Lufkin/Angelina County Chamber of Commerce on July 13 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free to attend. The author will be signing books and if time permits, briefly sharing the origins of “Dear Janie” and its impact since publication.
