My Father
Jack Dale Roberts
by A.E. Roberts
My father was born in 1944, THE war was still on. Francis E. Roberts was his mother. I am not completely sure how he grew up, but I have a few tales to tell. :)
First off if you had to hire an actor to play him, it would of course be Charlie Sheen. His band of friends; Dave Hammerick, Ronnie Cubit, and Sean Penn. That gets us started into our journey.
First off he grew up in the Mid-Atlantic, America, Home of the Free, between D.C. and Fairfax. Looks like a great place for a youth to me.
He had great friends by age 5, and he managed to hold onto them throughout his Life. (I am a bit jealous of that.)
Despite having a loving mother, and a compassionate, hardworking father, he had no TV. Absolutely no TV in the house. That was probably for the best. They don't call it an idiot box for nothing.
Despite growing up in a presbyterian nuclear family. He went to Catholic school. Sometimes it's about the quality of an education, other times the cards just land that way.
He did pretty good in school, maybe even straight A's. The Teachers had a lot of trust in him. But he kept trying to un-button their blouses with his mind. Oh well that is how young boys are.
For his high school years 7th-12th, he went to an other private catholic school. I learnt most of what I learnt about that from his school year books. by those years mostly male monks taught, and experience I've never had personally.
He tried to work, his way through collage at Bechtel and George Washington University. But he only completed a year or two before joining to Family Company. That is when he started calling the "old man," they OLD MAN. with a presbyterian boss, I do not blame him.
Then he went to Vietnam, which I know tons about, thanks to all his sharing of experiences, perspectives, and photo-slides.
Then sometimes, I believe 1964 my Dad was drafted by the Selective Services. Not to bad for a 20 year old to get out of the house and go to Basic Training. Then a Tour of Duty OVERSEAS in the Vietnam JUNGLE, which is something I've wanted to experience myself.
Originally my Father was selected as an 88D, Combat Driver. He was too smart for that, they die a lot. So he went to the Signal-Shack and knocked on the door. He was then accepted, as a 25U, Signal Corps. That was more to his talents. Then he was attached to the Air Force.
The Bonus of being detached to the Chair Farce is you get to live near and Improvisational Base. His life in Vietnam included very few work days, 2-3 days per month. Only worked when the radios went out. Not a bad gig.
He spent most of his off time lounging in the creek on a floatie, or playing house in his 10' by 10' tent. That is the Life.
He had a lot of fun on the Government's Dime. He did spend sometime avoiding CHARLIE, and trying to comprehend the Buddhist. But I am sure he Mistranslated a word once in a while.
His one combat mission went as follows:
FIRST OFF HE WAS CALLED TO THE RADIO TOWER. UNFAMILIAR TERRITORY FOR ONE USED TO LOUNGING IN THE RIVER OR, FLYING AROUND IN CIRCLES.
THE MARINES WHERE OUT TO LUNCH, SO THE PROTECTIVE FORCES WHERE DOWN. HE WAS IN THE TOWER WITH A FEW OTHER MATES.
WHEN THE VIET-CONG ATTACKED ALL THE OTHER CORPS MEN (SIGNAL CORPS) SCRAMBLED FOR THEIR CAMERAS. BUT THE TOWER WAS UNDER SIEGE AND ATTACK. JACK WAS THE ONLY ONE SMART ENOUGH TO GRAB AN M1A RIFLE. THE REST I KNOW, EVERYONE SURVIVED, EVEN THE ENEMY. AFTER-ALL THEY ARE JUST PEOPLE TOO.
END COMBAT SEQUENCE
Jjinpang Mandu
