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From the lilting ballads of the Cornish coast to the acid rock of Viet Nam, to the frenetic rhythms of lower Manhattan, Heart of a Soldier follows the journey of an Englishman who comes to the States in order to pursue his dream of becoming a soldier and a Yank. In the early 60's, Rick Rescorla meets an American soldier, Dan Hill, when both are mercenaries in Northern Africa. From that moment on the two friends form an unbreakable bond and set out on a warrior training course that leads them to Vietnam as platoon leaders. As Rescorla and Hill train their men and themselves to be battle ready, the definition of a 'soldier' comes into question. The ethos of the two men diverge, and Rescorla finds himself defying the powers-that-be within the Army—and when he feels forced to quit— outside of it. While preparedness is his constant mantra, neither he nor his life's true love, Susan, are quite prepared for their belated meeting on an East Coast sidewalk. Throughout the opera, Rescorla's conflict with convention sets him on a path where honor and service outweigh authority. A consummate military scholar, Rescorla applies his know-how to his career as head of security for Morgan Stanley in the World Trade Center. When on September 11, 2001 a passenger jet crashes into the North Tower, Rescorla holds the lives of 2,700 people in his hands. He has trained all his life for this moment.
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