Twenty Years a Marine

Twenty Years a Marine
From Combat to Command of Marine One: A Memoir
by Jack W.Winternheimer
—Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps (Retired)

From a young age, Jack was drawn to stories of valor, exploration, and rugged challenge. He believed the United States Marine Corps was the one place he could truly test himself. Though family and friends urged him toward college and convention, his heart never left the battlefield he hadn’t yet seen.

In 1967, without telling a soul, nineteen-year-old Jack walked into a recruiting office and enlisted in the Marines—setting in motion a journey that would carry him from the jungles of Vietnam to the skies above Washington, D.C.

What began as a young man’s search for purpose became a distinguished twenty-year career marked by honor, leadership, and service at the highest levels. Rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Jack would go on to fly Marine One, the presidential helicopter, serving three U.S. Presidents with precision and pride.

Twenty Years a Marine is Jack W. Winternheimer’s candid and inspiring memoir—a story of perseverance, sacrifice, and the long road from uncertain youth to trusted guardian of the Commander in Chief.