About The Authors
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About The Author
Kenneth D Hughes
Ken is the principal author of this manuscript, “Relentless Valor.” His extensive travels have led him to visit many battlefields of America, WWII Western European and Pacific Theaters and for this endeavor, Vietnam. In 2008 he was privileged to deliver the keynote address at the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor’s convention in Louisville. He served as an infantryman in the U.S. Army (1967-1969), graduated from the Non-Commissioned Officer’s Candidate Course and attended Ranger School where he was injured and spent three months in Tripler Army Hospital.
Author's Bio
Richard J. "Rick" Hast
Richard J. “Rick” Hast was raised in Cincinnati and graduated from Millersburg Military Institute in 1966, where he served two terms as student body vice president. He joined the U.S. Army in 1968 as an infantryman, trained at Fort Benning and Fort McClellan, and was deployed to Vietnam with the 1st Platoon, Charlie Company, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry, Americal Division.
His unit operated in key combat zones including the Que Son Valley known as Death Valley, defending Hiep Duc against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces. In August 1970, his platoon endured a seven hour ambush with heavy casualties, and despite being wounded later, he quickly returned to duty. He was promoted to sergeant and awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, and Bronze Star.
After the war, he worked as a regional sales manager before retiring. He married Jane in 1969 and has two sons and three grandchildren.
Kenneth D Hughes
Kenneth D. Hughes is the principal author of Relentless Valor, a military historian who has explored battlefields across America, World War II theaters, and Vietnam. He served as a U.S. Army infantryman from 1967 to 1969, completed NCO training, attended Ranger School, and recovered from an injury at Tripler Army Hospital.
He later spent 36 years in law enforcement, retiring as a police chief near Cincinnati, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Senior Management Institute for Police, and Police Executive Leadership College, holding a Master’s degree from the University of Cincinnati. He led research teams to major institutions and received multiple honors including Ohio Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, FBI National Academy Officer of the Year, Ohio Victims of Crime Silver Star, and Hamilton County Officer of the Year.
He is married to Charlene and has four children, ten grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.