Combat separates you from everything you knew. It cuts you off from family, home, and your old self. For Charles Quinn, who fought in the Mekong Delta, survival didn’t just mean making it through firefights. It meant holding on to something real in the face of constant fear.
What helped him hold on were letters. Handwritten messages from home, his mother’s updates about Havenwood, his sister’s drawings, and his father’s sparse but steady words. Each letter was more than paper. It was an anchor to his former life, a connection to the people who still believed he could come back whole.
But the most surprising connection came from a dog.
Boston, Tyler’s terrier, became more than a symbol. He became a voice. Tyler had once written letters in Boston’s “voice,” and later, Charles kept that going. At first, it was a lighthearted way to ease the tension in boot camp. But soon, those letters meant something deeper. Recruits passed them around. They laughed. They cried. They remembered why they were fighting.
When Tyler was killed, those letters became sacred. Writing in Boston’s voice helped Charles grieve, helped him remember, and helped others around him feel seen. In this regard, Boston was no longer just a pet. He was a link between past and present, between a fallen Marine and those still serving.
Even something as simple as a mother’s stew recipe, a sister’s drawing, or a dog’s imagined words can provide the comfort of home during a war. These connections did not make the war any easier. However, they served as a reminder to people like Charles and us that there was still a place, that he was still loved, and that there was always someone waiting for them to return home.
If you are interested in knowing more about Boston, Charles Quinn, Tyler, and their connection, which made them endure the war and its many aspects, we highly recommend reading 2 Marines and a Dog.
This book is a deeply personal and moving memoir by Charles Quinn that traces one man’s journey from the coal-streaked streets of Havenwood to the battle-scarred jungles of Vietnam—and through the quiet, unseen war that followed him home. At its heart is Boston, a scrappy terrier whose unwavering loyalty becomes a lifeline through trauma, grief, and addiction. From the brutal transformation of Marine Corps boot camp to the devastating loss of a best friend in combat, Charles’s story is one of brotherhood, resilience, and redemption.
Through powerful moments of connection, letters from home, the quiet presence of a loyal dog, and the bond shared between two Marines, this memoir captures the emotional cost of war and the healing power of love, loyalty, and second chances. Honest, grounded, and quietly profound, 2 Marines and a Dog is a testament to the battles we carry and the courage it takes to keep moving forward.
Head to Amazon to purchase your copy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLLWWZDC/.