Roy
served with the 3rd Marine Division from September 1967 to October
1968 as an Artillery Weapons Repairman. He traveled throughout the Northern I
Corps, especially Con Thien, Gio Linh, C1 & C2, the Rockpile, Khe Sanh, Camp
Carrol, Cam Lo, Qua Viet, and Dong-Ha firebase-12th Marines where he acquired a
close relationship with the local 105's, 155's, M48 Tanks, 8-inch self
propelled, and the 175-MM Long Tom. His best friends at the time: Wally Tyma
and his M60. Roy spent his time as carpenter, automotive and diesel
mechanic, poet, singer, and songwriter in the Boston area. Roy has been
a big supporter of the Memorial Day Writers' Project and we always feel his
presence. He was a great blues singer and he played a mean slide guitar.
We never lost a
battle
playing war
games stateside....
The enemy we
fought
would never
compare.
No jungle heat,
nor monsoon rains
no terrain just
quite preparing.
Incoming!
What's that?
AK's crack and
rocket's freight train whoosh!
Oh! Yeah baby
we're ready to go.
Rock n' Roll,
Lock n' Load...
All ready on
the firing line.
Shooters watch
your targets.
Delta Med Dong
Ha,
The heli pad LZ
of airstrip matting
Walking wounded
to triage
Take your time
with these boys_
graves and
registration please.
This is my
rifle, this is my gun.
Charlie didn't
think it was funny_
He sure wasn't
in it for the money.
Only hope to
make it honey.
Contact teams
get down to the chopper pad_
Check your
tools and equipment.
Ah yes! Tool
box, M-16, 14 mags,
18 rounds per,
2 canteens, K-Bar, frags,
willie pete,
first aid pouch and C-Rats.
Never rode a
chopper before?
Nothin' to it_
Sit on the tool
box.
Why all the
flak jackets and sandbags?
Fucking new guy
huh!
Contact Team
riding Highway 1!
Tyma man just
me and you bro.
We flip up the
windshield at the main gate,
don't wanna get
hit with flying glass.
Never think of
gettin' taken P.O.W.
We're
invincible us two!
Checkpoint
Alpha, Cam Lo River.
Pontoon Bridge,
Seabee built.
Grunts on the
road mine sweeping.
"You guys got
an all clear to the firebase."
"Okay, thanks
brother, but I'm
still not
taking any chances."
Letters Home...
Don't make em
worry.
Try being
cheery.
Incoming mail,
God bless these folks.
Perimeter
Defense Dong Ha
Can't trust no
one, scared shit
Gooks in the
wire, 4th of July---
Why's he hit,
please don't let him die.
Let's go
Boston, you're night sniper.
Starlight
scoped, eerie glow.
Silhouette's
locked on
Breathe Relax
Aim Squeeze Shoot!
Listening post
outside the line.
Quiet now,
listen up in no man's land.
"Hey Spiderman
did you see that?"
"What? Naw man
ain't no V.C.
That's a grave
man."
"Are you sure?"
Wish somebody
would light up the sky...
Key the handset
"sit rep all secure!"
E.O.D. Security
Platoon.
M-60 extra
barrel and ammo.
Never know they
just might try us.
Dong Ha
Mountain you beautiful bastard,
Stand down and
haul ass.
Burning
shitters black smoke billows.
Like Charlie
needs a reference marker.
Thump, thump,
thump I hear those
Rounds leaving
the tubes...
Incoming! Suck
red dirt,
Get lower than
the ground.
War is hell,
Hell is War....
Don't go in
there,
Slam the door.
Death seems
peaceful,
Surviving's
Hell...
War is Hell...
Don't go in there!
As curfew now
begins.
The silence all
around me,
Excites a chill
throughout my skin.
My claymores
all in place out front?
Bout fifteen
meters out.
Machine guns
locked and loaded
Prepared to
show its clout?
With watchful
eyes and senses keen,
I patiently
await?
My enemy whose
never seen,
He may decide
my fate.
From dusk till
dawn of every night?
Eternally they
pass,
And with this
night I've aged some more,
With nerves
like shattered glass.
In time of
darkness when shadows are gone,
and the wicked
are out seeking prey.
'Tis only at
night when they make their plight,
until the sun
brings the dawn!
Not devils or
demons or witches are they,
and your
questions what might they be?
While only you
walk all alone in the dark,
afraid of what
you might see!
A noise it
sings out in the back of your mind,
and afraid you
quicken your pace.
For alone in
the night with no vision or sight,
to find what's
ahead or behind.
Learning to
mourn, learning to grieve
Learning to
give, learning to receive
Finding friends
after years of desolate isolation
Seeing the
hopelessness and futility of my situation
Praying always
praying, bargaining knowing I
wouldn't hold
up my end of the bargain!
Learning to
hide, learning to numb
Learning after
many years of denial
Found friends
I'd had but never met till now
Like an onion
they peeled me?with love and care.
Gently touching
my soul, one after another they came,
uncovering this
onion layer by layer.
Unfolding
always unfolding the real person inside of me.
My friends, you
are my teachers.
Thanks just
isn't good enough from me.