When Mildred Harrison first went to Vietnam to entertain U.S. troops, she realized that she could be risking her life. But she had no idea of the risk that she would really run, as told in her autobiography, Mildred Harrison: First Black American Woman Imprisoned in Vietnam.

If you are now thinking of a North Vietnamese prison camp, think again. This book tells the story of her ordeal, her arrest and imprisonment in South Vietnam, without arraignment or the assurance of a trial. The author's story provides an uncommon view of our erstwhile ally, the Saigon government. Certainly the bombings and gunfire almost seemed to be the lesser of evils.

This is the story of one woman's courage — a testament to the triumph of the human spirit over all odds.

Mildred Harrison O'Neil performs as a concert singer several times each year. She last appeared on TV in the series "Frank's Place." One of nine children, the author studied voice in New York City, where she got her start before moving to Hollywood. She continues to reside in California, acting and singing at theaters in Los Angeles. This, her own true story, is her first published work.