Richard Joseph Flynn

West Point, 1968

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Dick Steiner on April 18, 2010:

The Flynner and I spent our first three years at West Point in companies B-2 and C-2 respectively. Firstie year we both ended up in the new D-2 after the reorganization of the battalion. Not only did we become company mates, but we were roommates. And what a great roommate the Flynner was. We really hit it off and had some fun times. Firstie year of course meant getting off campus a lot and I remember some of those weekends like it was yesterday. We spent quite a few weekend leaves in New York City and on the Jersey Shore especially in the Spring of Firstie year when we were able to drive our cars off post. And after graduation we were two of the three classmates at Jeff and Carlie Rogers' wedding in Alabama. The Flynner also stayed with me and my family in Minneapolis during graduation leave. One Saturday night Firstie year was spent on Governor's Island off the southern tip of Manhattan. The Flynner loved the quiet and quaint sanctuary available only to military personnel. He loved the old fashioned lampposts and the cobblestone walkways and the spectacular view of lower Manhattan. That was one of the Flynner's attributes. He was a glass half full type of guy who truly appreciated the beauty of God's earth. While we all complained from time to time about the rules and regulations at West Point the Flynner could nevertheless enjoy gazing up the Hudson River from Trophy Point. He was an optimist, he was philosophical, he was introspective, and he was always in awe of the natural beauty of West Point where he is now laid to rest. The Flynner wasn't a smoker. Not really. But, he would always smoke one single cigarette just before he went to bed and he would listen to one song on the record player while he smoked that solitary cigarette. It was usually a different song although "Both Sides Now" by Judy Collins got some top billing. So that was part of his introspective nature. From my upper bunk I could see the glow of the cigarette in the dark and hear the soft music as the Flynner contemplated his day. The Flynner and I were big baseball fans. I cheer for the Twins and he was always a diehard Red Sox fan. In the fall of '67, senior year, the American League pennant came down to the final day with the Twins playing the Red Sox at Fenway for the right to go to the World Series. We had a $5 bet on the outcome and I lost because the Twins couldn't stop Yastrzemski. So the next morning at Propulsion class I presented the Flynner with a five dollar bill wrapped inside a photo of the Yaz. Over the years we would call each other when our teams were going well. We both shared a love for the oldies but goodies and I surprised the Flynner about a year ago with a couple of CDs that I felt comprised many of his favorite songs. He was thrilled and told me I was spot on. I have a trivial memory so I remembered many of those one cigarette songs from over 40 years ago. As befits an English P at West Point and a high school English teacher for 18 years the Flynner was an excellent letter writer. We wrote back and forth several times for three or four years after graduation. I rediscovered his old letters and would like to share his thoughts in his own words. This is an excerpt of a letter written on 28 October 69 from Vietnam: "Right now I'm sitting in my little FDC bunker, made of ammo boxes, high atop hill 641, overlooking the South China Sea and Phu My coast on one side and miles and miles of beautiful rolling hills and valleys as far as you can see. Actually, quite a beautiful place, looking out onto the long stretch of beach, and whitecaps spraying in the wind and the unique, distinct hills that seem to crop up out of nowhere. I'm sure you'll know what I mean, and be able to really feel it better than my meager description can convey, if you get sent up here somewhere in II Corps. Seems sad that an anxious feeling always has to be in your bones to keep you from really exulting in so much natural beauty, but, that's what a war and 6 months in the boonies will do, I guess. It's night now, and as I was sitting here listening to AFVN playing all the "oldies", Steins just hit my mind (especially when they played "I'd Like to Get to Know You") and I figured I ought to get out my flashlight and write this long overdue letter... Well, over 6 months gone already, and pretty soon I'll be able to yell 'Short... what I'm doing way up here in my FDC bunker (almost freezing of all things, as the Hawk talks and the rain drives down) has to do with the fact I'm now the mortar platoon leader in ol chargin' Charlie Company... yeah, guess I'm almost a veteran now... I'm senior platoon leader since all the other guys have Derosed... still out here in the boonies, but at least I don't have to worry about booby traps, I've got a defensive perimeter with fortifications and wire, and keep the ol rucksack hung up most of the time... the ol Flynner is in the Infantry!! God, it almost seems natural now.... I can't really say now, that it's coming to a close that I've hated it or it hasn't in many respects been a really worthwhile and educational experience.. I've lost about 40 pounds, been cut one time or another on just about every part of my body from the jungle, and through that and some frightening and saddening experiences, seen my own platoon perform like one helluva team... I don't know ..living like you do, and under touch and go experiences you can really grow close to the troops... and at times be about as proud as can be...as much as I was relieved to be leaving the line, I really felt kind of a tinge of sadness on leaving those damn guys of mine I'd lived and fought with so long". Here's an excerpt from another letter written on 19 January 71. "You'll get a chance to meet my ol Pal Jane. I didn't really broadcast the fact we were getting married 'cause, to be honest, I guess it was really no surprise to me. I guess ever since that Friday night in the winter of Firstie year that I chatted with her in the Firstie Club I always had eyes for her. She wrote to me a lot while I was in 'Nam and that's the main reason I wanted to come back to this area. She's a great little kid and really nice to be with. She must be crazy to hang around with the likes of me, but she seems to like it, so why wonder." I'm happy to say that when I found these letters about a year ago I sent them off to the Flynner and he was excited to receive them. Our philosophical and introspective friend had fun looking back on his thoughts from so long ago. One of the Flynner's all time favorite songs was called "Those Were the Days" by Mary Hopkin from the fall of '68. The refrain went like this: "Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day. We'd live the life we choose We'd fight and never lose For we were young and sure to have our way Those were the days, oh yes those were the days." Those indeed were the days and we're going to miss sharing the memories of them with you, Flynner.

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