For Roy C. Raisor, the word brothers meant much more than family. During his time in Vietnam, the men serving beside him became his chosen family. They lived together, fought together, and depended on one another when situations became difficult.
Roy explains that fighting side by side created a bond he never expected to have with people who were not part of his family. The men watched over each other because they understood that everyone was trying to make it home. When one man was hurt, everyone felt it. When someone died, the loss belonged to all of them.
Carrying a Fallen Soldier
One of Roy’s earliest experiences in Vietnam showed him what looking after his fellow soldiers truly meant.
During his first time in the Ho Bo Woods, the company came under enemy fire. The point man ahead of them was killed. After the fighting, the soldiers went forward to where he had fallen.
Roy helped carry the soldier back through the jungle. Four men placed him inside his poncho liner and carried him by the corners. Because the helicopter could not get into the thick jungle, the men had to walk for at least two and a half hours to get him out.
For Roy, this was one of the moments when Vietnam stopped feeling like something he was simply preparing for. He realized that men around him could die, and that he could die too.
No One Was Left Alone
The responsibility of caring for wounded men continued throughout Roy’s experiences. During combat, the soldiers did not simply leave their fellow men behind.
Roy describes how the company responded when soldiers were wounded. Men helped get the wounded out, and helicopters were called in when they were needed. During one night of mortar fire, several soldiers were killed or wounded, and a dust-off had to be called in to remove the wounded. The men also tried to gather their supplies and personal belongings so they could go with them.
These moments show why the word brothers became so important to Roy. The men were not only fighting beside each other. They were also responsible for one another.
Helping During the Tet Offensive
Roy experienced another powerful example of this during the Tet Offensive. After he was wounded, he was waiting for the helicopters to arrive for the dust-off.
When the helicopters finally came in, Roy helped one of the wounded men. He put the man’s arm around his shoulders and headed toward the helicopters. Other soldiers carried some of the dead men to the waiting helicopters.
Roy was still frightened and dealing with his own wounds, but he focused on helping another soldier get out.
Once he had placed the wounded man on the helicopter, Roy believed that he was not badly hurt and could wait for another helicopter. The sergeant ordered him to get on immediately, telling him there would not be another one. Roy followed the order.
Thinking About His Brothers
As the helicopter lifted away, Roy looked down and saw his friends below. He thought of them as his buddies and his brothers, as close to him as his own family.
At the time, he believed he would return to them in a week or two because he thought his wounds were only superficial. He did not yet know that his time as an infantryman was ending.
His injuries eventually meant that he could no longer return to the field. He was placed on light duty and transferred to Longben for reassignment.
That separation was extremely difficult for Roy. He realized he would not be with his Wolfhound brothers again and would not even have the chance to say goodbye. As he left, he felt that he was losing contact with his friends and losing the honor of being a Wolfhound.
A Bond That Remained
Roy’s experiences show that being brothers was not about how long the soldiers had known one another. New men could arrive and become part of the group almost immediately. If one of them was wounded or killed, the others felt the loss.
The dedication of Roy’s book reflects how deeply these relationships remained with him. He writes about his Vietnam brothers-in-arms and describes it as an honor to have served beside them. For Roy, those men would forever remain his brothers.
The stories of carrying the wounded, helping men reach the helicopters, and staying together through difficult moments reveal one of the strongest parts of Roy’s Vietnam experience. Even when the fighting separated them, the memory of his brothers remained.
For more about Roy’s story and latest updates, visit his official website: Roy C. Raisor.
Get your copy of his memoir here on Amazon: Boy to Man in 365 Days.
