Years ago Colonel Lang, with Alan Farrell’s permission, made Alan’s book of poetry available on his blog “The Atheneum.” I provided the link below. Enjoy.
I find most of his works very Viet Nam War specific, but I can truly relate to this one. Back in that time and place, Special Forces used the AN/GRC-109 as the primary radio. When I was in 10th Group, we used the AN/PRC-74. It was an improved, solid state rather than tube radio. But it still was Morse Code communication and used many of the components of the AN/GRC-109 or Angry 109 as it was called. The leg key, the spring-loaded burst device and the generator were the same. We experimented with the Angry 109 in support of our wartime mission because of the many ways to power it and the fact that it can load a tin roof.
Much later when assigned to an SMU known as the Secret Army of Northern Virginia, we used satellite radios. They were far smaller, far lighter, battery operated and capable of voice and data communication, not CW. But cutting the antenna to the right frequency, cranking that generator and tapping out code on that leg key deep in a European forest AND MAKING CONTACT was supremely satisfying.
TTG
https://turcopolier.typepad.com/the_athenaeum/2007/05/expended_casing.html
https://people.ohio.edu/postr/bapix/GRC109.htm
I was one of the saps that pushed-to-talk on that POS Prick-25. Range was way too short, three miles maybe in flat earth Kansas but more like zero miles in rough terrain beyond Charlie Ridge. My back still feels the load 58 years later of packing in that extra 30 pounds and backup batteries plus rifle, ammo, rations, and three canteens.
My fave Farrell poem was ‘Blaming of Parts’ where he vilified “that piece of shit M-16 we fuckin’ tol’ you wouldn’t work didn’t”.
His second best ‘Jungle Chocolate IMO sounded familiar also. In that he recounted when a resupply helo dumped
“34 cases of Charlie rats no goddam water
Plus 12 cokes for 137 guys you wanna see a real fight
An’ four cases of .30 carbine of which we ain’t carrying any”
He was definitely the laureate of viet vet poets.