Episode 147: Frank Romeo and a Personal History of PTSD

The Long Island History Project

Frank Romeo graduated from Bay Shore High School and enlisted in the US Army during the height of the Vietnam War. Despite fighting in the Tet Offensive and participating in secret missions in Cambodia, he maintains that his problems really started when he returned home.

Christopher Verga joins us again as we sit down with Frank Romeo to talk about his experiences and struggles with PTSD in the years following the war. Frank found an outlet in art, turning his emotions into striking images. More recently, he walked the length of New York State, staying in homeless shelters and sharing stories with those he encountered along the way. The result is the new documentary Walk with Frank.

This episode is an honest and wide-ranging discussion about war, mental health, and the healing power of speaking aloud what is often kept silent.

With thanks to the Sayville Public Library where this episode was recorded.

Related Research

• Walk with Frank
• The Soldier’s Story
• PTSD History and Overview
• Veterans Resources
  • Joseph P Dwyer Veterans Peer Support Project
  • Long Island Cares Veterans Project
  • Wounded Warrior Project
  • Mental Health Association of Nassau County Veterans Services
• Historical Resources
  • Secret War in Laos
  • Plain of Jars (UNESCO)
  • War Remnants Museum (Ho Chi Minh City)
• Audio Footnotes
  • Agent Orange on Long Island
  • Joe Giannini and the Vietnam War
  • Jack Parente and the Vietnam War