Kurt Turner’s I’ve Never Been to Heaven (But I’ve Been to Oklahoma) gives readers a deeply personal look at the Vietnam War through the eyes of a US Navy hospital corpsman who served aboard the USS Repose. More than a military memoir, the book is a testimony of service, grief, faith, survival, and the lifelong burden carried by many veterans.
Turner’s role placed him close to the aftermath of combat. As wounded and dying servicemen arrived from the battlefield, he worked alongside medical teams who fought to save lives under extreme emotional pressure. The book reveals a side of war often left out of public memory: the experiences of those who cared for the injured, witnessed final moments, and carried those memories home.
At the emotional centre of the memoir is Turner’s encounter with James E. Williams, Jr., a wounded Marine whose final moments became a turning point in Turner’s life. That experience stayed with him for decades, shaping his struggle with PTSD, his spiritual journey, and his eventual search for meaning through faith and ministry.
Through honest and heartfelt storytelling, Turner explores the realities of trauma, the pain of remembrance, and the strength required to keep living after war. His memoir honours not only those who fought, but also those who healed, comforted, prayed, and remembered.
I’ve Never Been to Heaven (But I’ve Been to Oklahoma) will appeal to readers interested in Vietnam War history, veteran memoirs, Christian testimony, military medicine, PTSD awareness, and stories of survival after trauma. Turner’s account reminds readers that war does not end when a veteran returns home. It often continues in memory, silence, faith, and the long search for peace.
Kurt Turner’s memoir stands as a moving tribute to the fallen, the wounded, and the veterans whose stories deserve to be preserved. I’ve Never Been to Heaven (But I’ve Been to Oklahoma) is available for readers seeking a sincere, emotional, and meaningful account of war, faith, sacrifice, and remembrance.
About the Author:
Kurt Turner, born in 1947 and raised along the Ohio River, fulfilled his dream of becoming a Navy hospital corpsman, fully aware it would lead him to Vietnam. Serving from 1967 to 1968 aboard the USS Repose, he returned with deep psychological scars. Years later, repressed memories resurfaced during personal struggles, including divorce, loss, and career setbacks. Eventually called into ministry, he transformed his pain into purpose—especially after recalling a heroic moment when he risked his life to save others during a grenade explosion.
Discover this book now, available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKKSNF3Z
Book Name: I’VE NEVER BEEN TO HEAVEN: (BUT I’VE BEEN TO OKLAHOMA)
Author Name: Kurt Turner
ISBN Number: 979-8823014151
Kindle Version: Click Here
Paperback Version: Click Here
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