Vietnam voices: Roy Kirton

Roy Kirton, 58, Amityville, executive director, Safe Harbor Mentoring Program. He graduated in 1969 from what is now known as Walter G. O'Connell Copiague High School, named for a memorable principal whose son, Daniel, was killed in Vietnam two days before the 1969 graduation.

That's what I remember - probably some of the sad things, remembering getting the reports of young men being killed in Vietnam. Hearing that, we had a moment of silent meditation [in school] hearing those names being called. I'm feeling my draft card in my pocket, and I was terrified. . . .

The names were announced during that time when the pledge was announced: "Good morning, we regret to inform you that so-and-so passed away." That's how our mornings went. You heard about these kids, these young people. And then, here you are with a draft card in your pocket, and you're like, "Do I even want to graduate?" That was a very tumultuous time for young people, young men especially. . . .

We did have mixed feelings. We were wondering what would happen; were we going to die? It was a little scary. I look back over it, I'm like, "Whoa." . . .

Here we are dealing with death every day, and the Vietnam War. Prior to this, no one ever sat down and watched the 6 o'clock news and heard bullets. Didn't happen in Korea, didn't happen in the Second World War. All of a sudden, you hear boom, boom, boom.

Here I am, 17 years old. I'm imagining myself in the delta there, watching people die.

The incredible thing is, all the people who went to Vietnam that I knew, maybe one or two, all of them came back with something wrong. When I see them, I kind of cringe, I remember.