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An up close and personal interview with U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and Togetherweserved.com Member:
Sgt Roy Green U.S. Marine Corps (1967-1973)
PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE MARINE CORPS?
During my senior year of High School, the Vietnam War was going full bore along with the draft. I had no desire to go to 'Nam and I certainly did not want to be a "Grunt." Three months prior to graduation, I joined the Navy's six-month delayed-enlistment program.
One night  shortly after graduation I happened to be hanging with the wrong crowd and I was involved in an unlawful incident. A few days after the event, a friend of mine who happened to be a cop, told me that the law was on our trail and that I needed to get out of "Dodge" ASAP.
The next day I went to the Navy Recruiter and asked if they could take me in NOW! He said that I had to wait three more months. All of the various recruiting offices were located right next to each other so I went to see the Air Force Recruiter. He said that they had a nine month waiting list. I then went to the Army Recruiter and he told me that they could get me in within a couple of weeks. The Marine Corps had never been an option due to their reputation of rigorous training and also knowing that if I joined the Corps, more than likely would end up as a "Grunt" fighting in 'Nam.
Another big factor was that the only Marine I knew was a close friend of my brother. One time when he was home on leave, I asked him about Marine Corps Boot Camp. He told me that on the average, 10 to 20% of each Boot Camp Platoon were beaten to death by their Drill Instructors. Obviously he was jerking my chain, but at the time I believed him.
I walked outside of the Recruiting complex and lit up a smoke. While I was standing there pondering my dismal situation, I happened to notice in the window right in front of me a life-size recruiting poster of a Marine in dress blues. With much hesitation I went in to see the Marine Recruiter. When I asked him how soon they could get me in, he asked me with a sly grin if I was in trouble with the law to which I replied "not yet." He then asked if I was able and willing to leave the next day. At that instant it felt as though all of the blood had drained from my body. It took me a moment or two to answer. I had to ask myself if I was actually willing to go through with this and then the realization dawned on me that it was better to take my chances with joining the Corps as to possibly ending up as a convicted felon and doing time. I told him "yes" that I was ready to go and he gave me paperwork to fill out. I told him that I had previously filled out the same paperwork with the Navy Recruiter. He got a big grin on his face and went next door to the Navy Recruiter and asked for my file. The Navy Recruiter came in and said "you'll be sorry," and the rest, as they say, is history.
After training when I came home on leave prior to going to 'Nam, I looked up my cop friend and he said that when the detective that was looking for me found out that I joined the Corps, he stated that I would be punished enough to satisfy the law.
WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK.
 I spent six years on Active Duty. I was trained as an 0351 (Anti-Tank Assaultman). When I got to 'Nam in Dec of '67 with G 2/3, they made me a 0331 (Machine-Gunner) a position I held for twelve months.
I then transferred into to Battalion Combat Intelligence where I spent four months as the Chief Scout and my last three months in 'Nam as the Intelligence Assistant.
I had put in for another six-month extension in 'Nam when I received orders for Drill Instructor School at Parris Island. I was a Drill Instructor from Nov of 69 to July of 71 at which time my four year hitch in the Corps was up.
After being out for five months, I joined back up for a two year hitch. I went back to Parris Island for a year where I served as an Admin Chief.
I spent my last year at Okinawa with 1/4 as an Armorer with Headquarters and Service Company.
IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN COMBAT OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE ACTIONS WHICH WERE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT TO YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY.
I spent 19 months in 'Nam (Dec. 67 to Aug. 69) and was involved in numerous combat operations of which 3 stand out the most.
 The first one was the Tet Offensive of 1968. My unit, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3) was at that time temporarily assigned to the 1st Marine Division in the outlying area of Da Nang which was referred to as the "rocket belt." In about a 10 day period we were involved in 3 or 4 major firefights during Tet.
A couple of months after Tet, we were involved in Operation Pegasus. This major operation's goal was to break the siege of the Khe Sanh combat base and to reopen Route 9, the supply road to Khe Sanh.
Immediately after Pegasus we remained in the Khe Sanh area on Operation Scotland II. It was during this operation on April 21, 1968 that I was wounded.
FROM YOUR ENTIRE SERVICE CAREER WHAT PARTICULAR MEMORY STANDS OUT?
April 21, 1968 the day I was wounded, I was certain it was to be my last day on this earth. As the day started out, my Platoon was somewhat "skating" as we were assigned to security on one of the several bridges along the supply road to Khe Sanh.  Our "skating" came to an abrupt end when we were suddenly told we had a new and urgent mission.
Several days earlier a Company from 1/9 which were on one of the hills outside of Khe Sanh had been attacked in the middle of the night by a superior enemy force. During the chaos of the battle, one of their Platoons was cut off and isolated from the rest of their Company. They unfortunately ended up getting annihilated. Our mission was to assault the hill in order to retrieve the bodies. Of course the enemy knew that eventually we would be coming for our dead brothers and they were well dug in waiting to "greet" us.
It was late in the afternoon when we initiated the assault. As we crested the hill, all hell broke loose. We immediately sustained heavy casualties and it was total chaos. Aside from small arms fire, they hit us with heavy machine guns and recoilless rifles. They also had the hill zeroed in with mortars, rockets and artillery fire.
My machine gun partner Ron Miller and I, along with everyone, else were running from fighting hole to fighting hole like chickens with their heads cut off shooting at anything and everything. It was during time that we were both wounded by the same grenade. Our CO who had been hit several times called for emergency medevacs for our mounting wounded to no avail as to the fact that we could not establish a "secure LZ".
 As darkness fell, the fighting decreased substantially. We formed a small perimeter with our dead and critically wounded in the middle. We were all extremely low if not completely out of ammunition. I had about 30 rounds left for the machine gun and 4 rounds left in my .45. Miller didn't have any rounds left for his M-16.
Prior to this battle, I had been in numerous firefights and had stared death in the face several times, but that night was the first and only time that I knew I would not live to see another sunrise. Once I accepted the fact that I would soon be dead and there was nothing I could do about it, calm came over me. I was only 19 years old at the time.
The enemy continued to harass us throughout the night mostly with American grenades that they had picked up on the battlefield. We kept waiting on the enemy to launch their final counter attack which of course didn't happen. Why it didn't happen, I will never know. Obviously they didn't know how desperate our situation was or they would have finished us off.
As soon as it was light out, we realized that all but a few of the enemy had withdrawn from the hill. We were immediately relieved by one of our other Companies and the medevac choppers arrived.
Aside from the KIA's that we suffered, that was the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen. Forty-three years later, I still enjoy watching the sunrise and I always think back to that day.
 Historian's Notes: On April 15, Operation Pegasus ended and Operation Scotland II began. The Marines at Khe Sanh Combat Base broke out of their perimeter and began attacking the North Vietnamese in the surrounding area. On April 16, 1968, a Marine company from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines began a patrol near the Hill 689. It wandered into tall vegetation and was decimated by concealed NVA soldiers in bunkers.
Two more companies from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines were dispatched to save them, but they became ensnared in the confusion of battle in which dead and wounded Marines were left behind as the battalion retreated back to Khe Sahn in disarray. This resulted in forty-one Marines killed, 32 wounded and 15 missing in action, of which two were later rescued by helicopters. These were the casualties Roy Green's company was sent out to retrieve. The 1/9 battalion commander was relieved of duty.
IF YOU RECEIVED ANY MEDALS FOR VALOR OR AWARDS FOR SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT, PLEASE DESCRIBE HOW THESE WERE EARNED.
Aside from a Purple Heart, I received a Navy Achievement Medal with V when I was assigned as the Battalion Combat Intelligence Chief Scout. It was for helping to establish and lead a Battalion Recon Team.
In the firefight in which I was wounded, I was written up for a Silver Star of which I never received or heard anymore about which at that time, I really didn't care.
OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, QUALIFICATION BADGES OR DEVICE YOU RECEIVED, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE ONE(S) MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
There are two, my Purple Heart and my Meritorious Mast when I was a Drill Instructor.
WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
Ron Miller. We were tied at the hip in machine guns for my first seven months in Vietnam were many times I thought he would be the last person I would ever see in this world. As mentioned before we were wounded together on April 21, 1968. On July 4,  1968, I was medevaced with malaria. While I was in the malaria ward, Miller was wounded again and his combat days were over. It always bothered me that we never got to say good-bye.
I thought about him often over the years and through the miracle of the internet, we got back in touch with each other in Dec of 2006. He lives in Florida and I live on the other side of the country in Arizona. We have visited each other on several occasions and we stay in constant touch by phone.
In 1977, I lost my older brother who was my only sibling (also a 'Nam vet) and hooking back up with Miller was the next best thing to my brother coming back to life.
As a side note, when I first arrived in Vietnam and joined G 2/3, my Platoon Commander was a young 2nd Lt. by the name of Jim Jones who would later become the 32nd Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Commander of NATO Forces and the National Security Adviser.
In the photo, I am in the middle and Miller is on the right. My friend on the left is George Brondsema who was also with G 2/3 and was also wounded on the aforementioned hill. George also lives in Florida. He wrote a great book titled "Born in the 40's, Raised in the 50"s, Died in the 60's."
CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
There were numerous ones especially during my time on the Drill Field, but none that stick out more than the others.
WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
 I worked for a natural gas distribution company for 29 years. I took early retirement in Jan 2006.
One of my passions is driving my motorcycle around the nation in search of our heritage.
WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
Military Order of the Purple Heart (Life Member)
VFW (Life Member)
American Legion
Marine Corps League (Life Member)
2/3 Vietnam Veterans Association
East Coast Drill Instructor Association/Parris Island Chapter
Disabled American Veterans (Life Member)
The benefit is interacting with my "brothers." Photo is statue located in front of the Drill Instructors Association.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER?
I still struggle with my combat experiences and consequently am afflicted "big time" with PTSD. I attended weekly PTSD group sessions at the VA for about a year and a half. I'm still undecided  as to whether it helped any or just made things worse. Whenever someone has asked me about how I felt when I reached a certain age i.e. 40's 50' and 60's, I would tell them that it doesn't bother me as there were many times when I didn't think I would see 20.
BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE MARINE CORPS?
I am currently in touch with some Active Duty members. My advice to them is to make sure to obtain and keep copies of their service and health records.
I also tell them how appreciative I am of their service and to make the most of their time in the service.
IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.
 Thanks to this outstanding website, I made contact with my "bunk buddy" from Boot Camp (1967), one of my fellow S-2 Scouts that I served with in 'Nam, a fellow Drill Instructor that I served with and one of the recruits that I trained.
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