A Minnesota PBS Initiative
A Life of Hell
I started worrying about the draft in grammar school, In 1966 I had to register for the draft at 18. I thought the war would be long over before they could draft me. I was wrong in 1969, my mother got a letter from the president informing me to go to this induction center; I was drafted.
Basic and infantry training at Fort Ord, now this was scary. I just know I was going to Vietnam, and after 10 weeks of training, that's what my orders read. I just got married, had a good job, and was so much in love I forgot about the draft. December 4, 1969 I was on board this large aircraft headed for Vietnam.
Strange, I wasn't scared, but somehow was looking forward to serving my country.
Basic and infantry training at Fort Ord, now this was scary. I just know I was going to Vietnam, and after 10 weeks of training, that's what my orders read. I just got married, had a good job, and was so much in love I forgot about the draft. December 4, 1969 I was on board this large aircraft headed for Vietnam.
Strange, I wasn't scared, but somehow was looking forward to serving my country.
Thinking they would issue our weapons on the plane, we had to take cover in Cam Ran bay, and head to the bunkers. I was transferred to Pleiku, and still had no weapon to defend myself.
After a month, a helicopter flew me to my unit, Frist Infantry, and finally gave me my weapon. Under heavy enemy attack, I had to jump from this helicopter. Than I was told this was a secrete mission to search and destroy the enemy, and save our POW's; now I was scared. I'm proud to say, we saved over 50 POW's.
I published my book, "A Life of Hell," and now my nightmares have stopped.
I was the Sergeant in charge of my squad, dodging bullets and stepping around booby traps. I now suffer from PTSD, I can't get these battles out of my mind. It was so hard to kill someone, because they believed different from us, and placing our soldiers in body-bags, sometimes in pieces. It's like it was yesterday, I see it over and over. God help me get this out of my head. It has been over forty-six years, and I still get emotional watching someone die, that I had to kill. I live with this every single day.
In my spare time, while I was in Vietnam I write a book and poems mostly to keep my mind right, and focused. I continued writing about my life and my struggles in Vietnam, and published my book, "A life of hell", now my nightmares have stopped. This was therapy for me, and most of my pain is gone, thank you God.
I can't help but think of the twenty-two veterans that commit suicide everyday, or the over 100,000 veterans that are homeless; this is wrong. I pray my book will help save lives, my brothers and sisters should never be in that much pain.
The proceeds of my book, "A life of hell", by Roy Murch goes to disabled and paralyzed veterans of America. I hope every veterans reads this book, and knows that tomorrow can be the happiest day of their life, you must be here to enjoy such a day. God bless all of you, Sgt. Roy Murch, U.S. Army.
Biographical Details
Submitted From: Porterville, CA
Primary Location During Vietnam: Tranquillity, Calif., United States 
Story Subject: Military Service
Military Branch: U.S. Army
Dates of Service: 1969 - 1971
Veteran Organization: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Elks Lodge #1342
Unit: First Infantry, 15th Engineers
Specialty: Infantry, 63B20 truck mechanic
Story Themes: 15th Engineers, Book, Combat, Death and Loss, Draft, Fear, First Infantry Division, Fort Ord, POW, Prisoner of War, PTSD, Read, Veterans of Foreign Wars, VFW
Show Comments