It was his first time at a Red Sox baseball game and his first time at Fenway Park in Boston, but George Wescom, 59, was no ordinary spectator.

The former Vietnam vet and St. David's Islander was front and centre carrying the Marine Corps flag along with four other vets to open the Red Sox Versus the Tampa Bay Rays playoff game.

More than 30 years since Mr. Wescom walked onto the battle field to protect soldiers in Vietnam from the land mines, the grandfather of five said representing the Corps was one of his best experiences.

He said: "It was such an honour. I just thought here's some boy who grew up in St. David's on a little island, walking out there. I thought, I joined the Marine Corps to just do a job and here I am out on Fenway Park.

"I was just glowing the whole time. When we started heading back to third base, one gentleman stood up and clapped and chanted 'Marine Corps, Marine Corps'. It was like a wave and they (spectators) all stood up. I don't know about you but I am walking six feet off the ground."

Returning to the stands after opening the game Mr. Wescom and the other Marine Corp members were able to watch part of the game.

Unfortunately he had to leave before the end to return to Gilford, New Hampshire, where the former Mount St. Agnes and St. George's Grammar school student, now lives with his wife, three sons, Scott, Christopher and Matthew and his five grandchildren.

Born to a Bermudian mother, Lavinia O'Connor who is also known as Lee or Sara, the United States has been his home since he was 17 when he moved there from St. David's to continue his education.

The move came during the time of the Vietnam War, which ran from 1959 to 1975, and Mr. Wescom's name was pulled in the US draft.

Rather than report to the Army, however, Mr. Wescom chose to go into the Marine Corps and finally signed up for Vietnam after many of his friends also chose that route.

He said: "I came over here to try and continue my education and the young lady I was dating came up to me and said my number was called up for the draft.

"In Vietnam I was the one that went in and removed land mines and blew stuff up. I worked over there from Da Nang up to the DMZ over to Laos and Cambodia.

"If the Marines were having it real bad I would go in and do more explosives work and then they would fly me back out to the ship. Everywhere I went I had at least four bodyguards because I had 80 pounds of C4 (explosives) on each hip.

"They said I was a walking bomb. When I would jump out of the chopper I would always think 'Am I going to be the one hit?' We would see our mates dying all around. When I got on the chopper and I would see body bags.

"I still can't watch the news now with the war and all of the fighting."

Mr. Wescom suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his days in Vietnam and is now a retired Vet.

He decided to join the Marine Corps League and last year chose to entered the Color Guard after one member stepped down.

Then one of Mr. Wescom's friends contacted Fenway Park to see if they could open a game.

So on a September evening this year in the middle of the stadium which can hold more than 35,000 fans, Mr. Wescom walked with the flag from third base to second base turned to look at home plate.

As the US national anthem played and the Pledge of Allegiance recited, Mr. Wescom stood proud and he may soon be standing in front of another crowd – at a Patriots Football Game.

But for now, Mr. Wescom, who travels to the Island anytime he gets a chance, would also like to reconnect with his friends still in Bermuda.

He can be contacted at bdacb@hotmail.com or 603-568-6081 and added: "Bermuda you are my home and I love you and our people."