Orange Faced Seiko

I purchased this Seiko watch at the Subic Bay Naval Exchange in 1972 and I wore it during my two Westpacs in the Tonkin Gulf during the Viet Nam war.

My Seiko stayed wrapped around my wrist for many years before it broke. I was unable to have it repaired because parts were no longer available.
When I started writing Viet Nam Body Count, I took my Seiko to a local jeweler who luckily had some spare parts that could replace the worn-out ones in my watch. My watch worked well during the time I wrote the manuscript for Viet Nam Body Count. I am grateful for this watch whose tic-toc helped to remind me of events onboard the USS Trippe in the Gulf of Tonkin.

Oddly enough, or perhaps fittingly, my Seiko stopped working again after my book was published. It worked magic, assisting me with recalling memories. It helped ground me when the memories were too hard to bear at the moment.
If my Seiko has a spirit, I am grateful to it. It served me well while I wrote the manuscript. I keep this watch in a dresser drawer so that when I open the drawer, I see my orange-faced Seiko. Sometimes I pull it out and wear it, for old time's sake.
The following is an excerpt from Viet Nam Body Count:
Our Mk-42 cannon, two decks above me, fired at a target. My back muscles tensed, my breathing sped up. After a few more shots, then silence. The second hand on my orange Seiko watch resumed its slow march around the dial. My five hour battle station watch ended at three in the morning. I had an hour before my sounding and security watch. My arms were sore from transferring the ammo. I wanted to sleep. But I knew that in forty minutes, the sailor who was currently standing watch would attempt to wake me and that would only piss me off.