Jason Snowblood kept a diary in 1967 detailing the activities of his one-year service as a dog handler in Vietnam. Thrown into this M.O. by desperately trying to avoid Vietnam duty, the plan backfires and Snowblood and his cousin Benny Coyne find themselves uniquely qualified for a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Benny and Jason trudge their way through the swamps, rice paddies and tunnels with their scout dogs, the brave battle fatigued Tony, and the masked German Shepherd, Zorro. The close relationship between dog and man deepens as the story progresses revealing the unrelenting devotion and heroism of our brave war dogs. As the young soldiers work with their dogs, Benny's ability to communicate with Tony intensifies during conflict and Jason's faith in Zorro develops into a lifesaving relationship. The respect, devotion and trust between men and dogs are forged by imminent danger.

“…..Nothing moved but a light breeze that pushed smoke from the ruined village to the men and the dog. The noticeable sounds were the fading pops and crackles from the fire, their own breathing and heartbeats. Jason could hear and feel his heart slamming in his chest, pushing volumes of blood and terror into his neck and face. He felt flush and tried to steady himself by whispering the dog's name quietly at first, then slightly louder to see if he could get the dog to acknowledge him. Still Zorro did not move....”

Coyne is hospitalized following a routine patrol and the Army investigators question him, searching for answers to troublesome clues surrounding two sites of murderous, ghastly torture in an enemy camp. After Coyne is sent to a VA hospital in the US, Snowblood pushes through his remaining time in Vietnam with the terrifying realization that he will have to leave Zorro behind.