THE WALL OF FACES

I may have been the last person to see Harvey alive. The riverboat I was on as engine man/gunner was tied up to a repair ship in the middle of the Mekong river waiting for our turn to receive new engines. Routine maintenance for riverboats. While lounging in the well deck on a hot as hell Vietnam day Harvey popped his head in and asked if I had anything to read. All boats carried a variety of torn up, shabby, much abused magazines and paperbacks. We shot the shit for awhile and Harvey left with an assortment of crappy reading material. A few minutes later PA systems started screaming "Man Overboard, Man Overboard". I found out later that it was Harvey that went in the river. I do not know what happened to him and do not recall anything about his recovery. The last I saw of him he was lean (c-rations diet did that to us all) and was extremely well tanned, as was I. Harvey and I had collaborated previously on a perfect suntan lotion mixture. A combination of Mercurochrome and engine oil. Suntanning and reading were a great day wasting pastime. I think about Harvey often and wonder what happened to him.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

As long as you are remembered you will always be with us....

Harvey will always be missed and never forgotten. I was the Gunners Mate on T-131-8. RIP

Harvey was the coxswain on Tango, T-131-8, RIVRON 13, RAD 131, of the MRF.
He is missed dearly. RIP!

Petty Officer Second Class Harvey Lee Basco, Served aboard Armored Troop Carrier 131-8 (ATC-131-8), River Assault Squadron 13 (RIVRON-13), Task Force 117 (TF-117), United States Naval Forces Vietnam (USNAVFORV).