The Vietnam War put a once-proud nation in turmoil. During the height of the conflict, the antiwar movement caused civil unrest in America. Young men evaded the draft by fleeing to Canada, claiming conscientious objector status, homosexuality, or marriage with child. But author Rick R. Garcia, the only son born to Hispanic parents, got caught up in the 1969 lottery draft.

Pop Smoke, Birds Inbound chronicles Garcia's story as he was shipped far away to "the land of Hush-a-bye" to fight in the most controversial war in which the United States ever participated. He was inducted into the US Army on August 20, 1970, and after the completion of eight weeks of intense advance infantry training, he was issued orders to report to Oakland Army Base, gateway to Southeast Asia. Eventually, Garcia was assigned to Blackfoot Platoon, Company Bravo, Second Battalion, Eighth Regiment, First Cavalry Division.

Pop Smoke, Birds Inbound narrates a factual account of one soldier's triumphs and failures between firefights—a story of survival, from living to loving. It presents a unique glimpse into the life of a grunt, from combat to drugs to sexual exploits, along with incisive portraits of those individuals who fought in a war the United States would never win.