Lt. Roy Boehm, “Father” of the U.S. Navy SEALs, Wishes His Mom a Happy Valentine’s Day from Vietnam—the “Damndest Crazyiest War” Ever

“You can get yourselves another wife and have more kids,” Lt. Roy Boehm repeatedly told his men, “but you can never get another Team.” Unapologetically blunt, profane, and hotheaded, Boehm volunteered for the navy in April 1941 and, as one of his first assignments, dove into the waters of Pearl Harbor to recover munitions and corpses from the USS Arizona. He survived the sinking of the USS Duncan during the Battle of Cape Esperance in October 1942 and went on to serve in Korea and, covertly, in Cuba during the cold war. In 1961 Boehm was selected to develop, select, and train an elite, special operations commando group that could “go any place, any time, any where to do any thing.” Within a year it evolved into the U.S. Navy SEALs (for SEa, Air, and Land), and under Boehm’s leadership it would become one of the most effective and lethal fighting forces in the world. Boehm was sent to South Vietnam in November 1963 to advise troops battling the Communist Viet Cong, nicknamed “Charlie,” trying to conquer the south from within. (Ho Chi Minh’s troops in the north were referred to by servicemen as both the People’s Army of Vietnam [PAVN] and the North Vietnamese Army [NVA].) Over three months later, the forty-year-old Boehm sent a handwritten letter to his mother explaining what he and his men were up against. (Polly was his wife; John was his stepfather; Roy, Katy, and Bob were his children; Weege was his aunt; and Tom was his cousin.)

14 Feb 1964

Dear Mom:

Hello Sweet heart, no Valentines card for Mothers Sons Daughters or Sweet hearts to be found. I did find one for Polly. This and also your beloved Dad’s Birthday I know has made you go back over the years. Well Sweet heart I am busy losing the war in Vietnam My frogmen, although not to my satisfaction upon my arrival and some what lacking here, improved by leaps and bounds, and are completely loyal and devoted to me if not the cause. I have repeatedly been in action since my arrival and my status has improved from the $50 reward on my head by the Viet Cong to $450,000.I am now on the same level as the Junk Force—if given the equipment we need the price should half itself again.

The Viet Cong are either sniping at us or bombing us A Captain Copeland that lives here in Vung Tau was killed in the bombing of the theater in Saigon along with four or five others. 25 dependents including children pretty much maimed Honest this is the damndest crazyiest war I ever fought A farmer lays down his tools picks up a gun shoots at you and when you chase him he stick his gun in a hole pick up his tools and claims imunity because he is only a poor farmer but I guess thats the name of the game.

To-night is the 18th as in the middle of your letter I had to leave, this is also my Christmas as Pollys package just arrived and my check which I sent off to Polly so we can pay you back and thank you ever so much I have three pictures of my son and one of my Polly in front of me the pictures make me long to be with them.

Well old gal hear your knees are going. I sure hope you and John have weathered the storm as for me I came limping in with that right knee that had Polly waiting on me hand and foot I kind of busted it up again jumping into a rice paddy of all places had to come in a little hard to miss some anti personell stakes the V.C. put in. and as I limped in my counterpart was loading he said Ah Mr Boehm the team is yours

I leave an operation and thats the way it has been so against all regulations I find myself in command of my loyal little group as we only have one Vietnamese officer and beloved friend Mr Ninh. Well Sweet heart I owe my God child a letter little Tom and Weege not to mention Roy Katy & Bob and of course Polly Baby so I’ll sign off wishing you good health. and please don’t fear for me as my frogmen are devoted to me as I to them and protect me as if I were something sacred although they continuously steal my ciggaretts and think that they are fair game. I wonder why I always wind up with rogues, Highwaymen, and rascals.

Good health and I’ll add peace of mind to you and John

your loving son

Roy

Boehm returned from Vietnam in October 1964 and retired from the navy, after thirty years of service, in 1971. He has not, however, lost his sense of adventure; Boehm regularly drives race cars, pilots a private plane, and has learned aerobatic flying. At the age of seventy-six he began ultralight parachuting—but, he admits, it was partly to spite his wife, Susan, who had taken away his motorcycle.