Marine Wrote “Battling Boys of Benghazi” Poem-Authorship Confirmed!
Summary of eRumor:
The Truth:
It’s true that a man named John Edwin Roberts, who identifies himself as a former Navy SEAL, wrote the “Battling Boys of Benghazi” poem.
The poem first appeared in San Diego Beach Life Magazine under the title “Battling Bastards of Benghazi” shortly after the attack on the American consulate in Benghazi in 2012.
It was inspired by a poem written during World War II. Frank Hewlett wrote “The Battling Bastards of Bataan” about American men who died while being held prisoner by the Japanese at Camp O’Donnell. The poem goes:
“We’re the battling bastards of Bataan;
No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam.
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces.
And nobody gives a damn.
Nobody gives a damn.”
Emails with the “Battling Boys of Benghazi” poem usually say that the author is unknown, or that it is by Col. William Bauer. Both of those claims are wrong.
John Edwin Roberts wrote the poem about two former Navy SEALS who were killed in the Benghazi attack. Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were working as SEALs contractors in Libya at the time and rushed to defend the consulate, CNN reports.
John Edwin Roberts also wrote an editorial about Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty which was appeared in San Diego Beach Life Magazine.