Alone in Vietnam - Robert B Boyd Jr Photos

Photos:

Along with your stories, feedback, comments, we also welcome any photos related to the stories in Alone in Vietnam. Here are a few photos:

1968: Rob with group of soldiers and martha raye

ROBERT BOYD WITH GROUP AND MARTHA RAYE

Martha Raye with a group of soldiers at LZ Center (40 miles southwest of DaNang in I Corp) in 1968 including Robert Boyd Jr. (standing in the back on the right). His friend "Beard" (front left) is sheepishly holding his helmet upside down for good reason - Maggie spotted the words "F*** THE ARMY" written on it. She is smiling so we are guessing that she took it good naturedly. Rob submitted this photo to the website colonelmaggie.com where the the soldier to Martha's left was identified as Clarence W. "Cheif" Stoneroad from Oklahoma. If anyone can identify the other men please contact us.

Photo UPDATE: Steve Bingen contacted us in 2011 and identified himself at the very left. Steve was team leader of the squad and in his 10th month his tour and in the 2nd week of November 1968. Everyone else in the photo was in their 5th or 6th month. He also identified Beard as Paul Beard from St. Louis MS. Steve says they all called Rob by his home state "Connecticut". He says he can't remember everyones names and adds: "We were Infantrymen and it was typical for us to remain detached fraternally from the people that we served alongside. It was a defense mechanism for better or worse."

This photo is also used for the profile picture for Martha Raye's facebook page.Martha Raye was an actress and singer who traveled during three wars to entertain American troops. Among Vietnam veterans she is known as Colonel Maggie. In 1968 she recieved Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Academy Award in 1968 for entertaining troops in Vietnam. In 1993 she was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She died in 1994.

Martha Raye - click the image to go to her facebook page

in the jungle

Robert B. Boyd Jr. in the Jungle of Vietnam 1968-1969

This is a photo of Rob humping through the jungle carrying his M60 machine gun (weight 23 lbs). According to Rob's sister the photo was taken by the soldier marching behind Rob. We don't know the soldier's name* but he kept hitting Rob in the back until he turned around so he could take the picture. The soldier's parents hand sent him the camera and the young man would then send the undeveloped film home to his parents, they would develope it and send him the prints! Pretty remarkable considering the circumstances. He probably took the photo of Rob that appears on the book's cover.

* If anyone knows the photographer's name please let us know.

photos Of Rob and other unidentified FeLLOW Soldiers during his Tour