VIETNAM: AT LAST
I reported to Oakland on March
4th, 1969, a Tuesday, and after filling out reams of forms and being issued
equipment we were bussed to Travis Air Force Base and boarded an elongated DC9
flown by World Airways. We left Friday,
the 7th, and stopped in Hawaii for fuel.
We sat there for hours when it was finally announced that we would
disembark for repairs. It sounded
ominous but only turned out to be a radio relay box. There were none in Hawaii so one had to be found in the States
and flown in. It took 18 hours and we
were put up in the Holiday Inn to rest.
Some of the guys went out drinking and sightseeing but I slept and took
a shower.
Sunday we took off for our next refueling
stop in Guam.
Postcard (March
9): Guam, 78 degrees and humid. Seven
and a half hours since we left Hawaii and my bottom hurts. Five more to Nam.
My watch tells me it's 3:l0 am Sunday to you, 9:l0 pm to me. Get to Nam Monday, Sunday for you.
Long Binh,
Monday Morning (March l0) 9:00 am.
I made it finally and was
sure glad to get off that plane.
My posterior couldn't have stood much more. We got here about 1:15 in the morning and we processed all night so
I haven't been to bed yet. I called Bruce (Pixley) as soon as I got in and he said
everything was all fixed and he'd see me at 10:00 o'clock this morning. He was really tired because of a
rough football game he played last night.
The Helicopters are
flying around overhead all the time - even at night when they turn on
big searchlights and look around.
There were flares and artillery going off most of the night but
it was off in the distance so we didn't pay much attention.
It's really
muggy here, even worse than Hawaii. Especially last night when
there was no wind. It's not
so bad now that a little breeze
has started, but I still feel sticky
all over. The
latrine is really
primitive and really puts out an odor. It's like the "Johns" at the park except that instead
of a hole underneath, there are buckets
which, when half full, are filled with
diesel fuel and set afire to burn up the waste. There are no water
faucets around because the water
is bad, but here and there water bags hang with a communal cup to drink out of.
I guess Pix wasn't so
far off when he visited the slant-eye den of lust. The little Vietnamese girls running around here aren't bad,
in fact they're quite cute.
But don't worry Dear, they only come to my belly button.
The atmosphere
is so casual that you could forget a war was going on if the guys
didn't all carry rifles.
The radios all have an American station (AFN) tuned in so it
sounds like KHJ all the time around here.
I guess I'll go and get me a
coke. I'll write later after I find out where I'm going.
Somewhere in
Vietnam sipping a cold coke by the edge of the pool.
Long-binh (Monday, March l0) I'll get it right yet:
I'm laying here on my bunk
in my skivvies listening to FM radio while I write this. A dust storm is taking place outside but the
wind feels good, it dries
up the sweat. Lousy place to be.
Well, Pix came
by just as I
was coming out of the shower. He really
looked sharp. I think
even you would have admired
him. Tailored jungle fatigues, red
beret and good tan, he looked like some great war hero come alive.
We talked for an hour or so
about everything and he told me of
the setup he's got going for us,
if I get in. He takes his jeep anywhere he wants, including Saigon, only works 8-4, etc. You know Pix!
It's hot!
It's like a hot summer day in the valley. Once I get
used to it, it ought to be nice. The
only thing here is the smell - bad news all the time. The rest of the war seems to be a big
joke. The mama-sans come
in every morning and
clean up the barracks of those permanently stationed here and then
shine their boots, do the laundry, etc. Pix says we'll get that all for free just for being
NCO' s.
I sure hope I go to Pix 's
unit. It was so good seeing him again even though I'd rather be
with you. There's a little ice cream
stand down at the PX that
sells frosty cones but when you buy one you have to sign your
name in case you should contact a sickness from it they can trace all the
people down. Weird!
The PX sells Hong Kong suits and just about
everything else you can get for Blue Chip
stamps. So far
the only thing I've
bought is Kool-aid on
the rocks and a Coke. After eating breakfast I decided I wouldn't eat
more than I absolutely had to from now on. The food was really bad -powdered milk, powdered eggs, raw
bacon, etc. It is just going to be easy to lose weight.
The ashes from the burning crap pots are falling
on me as I lay here, they're gently borne by
the wind with the smell.
Don't write me
at this address.
I won't be here tomorrow.
Long-binh, Tuesday Morn.
(March 11) l0:l0 am:
I just got back from having the filling replaced that
fell out on the plane and I have one
and a half hours to kill. So I'll try and fill
you in on what's happening here.
I got the shaft
last night while I was on
detail. They are sending me to the 25th
Infantry Division instead of
with Pix. I just went down and tried to get it changed but no dice. I have to wait 3-6 months before
I can ask for a transfer.
The 25th
is where it's at right now. About ten miles from Cambodia,
just a little southwest of
Saigon, at Cu-chi. They
took the most
action out of
the last offensive. So I guess I'll be humping it (walking)
for the next little while until I can get over to Pix. Maybe it'll be better this way anyway, I'll
get a little experience under
my belt before I settle down for a desk job.
I swear the Copters fly over
us 24 hours a day.
I just cruised over to the
PX and
looked at the Chinaware for Ron.
I forgot to ask how many
people in a set but
I'll put that
on the envelope when I go to mail this.
The services run from $23.00 to $80.00
with one Gold-lined at
$200.00 but are generally around $50-55 a service. I'll have to get us one before
I come home. It really looks nice.
I slept good last
night since I didn't get any the
night before. I only woke up once, when
my bladder started throbbing. I
dreaded going out to the latrine
because the cockroaches lie and wait for you and attack you at the most
inopportune time. I
survived, however, and retreated back to my dusty, sagging mattress to
try and sleep some more. It took
a while because some Copter was playing the "hover over the
barracks and wake everyone up" game, but
at least he woke up
the one who was snoring so
loud. By the way dear, do
I really snore?
It's technically impossible because I sleep on my stomach, at least when I'm in
a bed I do. Here I sleep anyway I can.
I guess that's all the
gossip I have now. I thought a first
impression of Vietnam might be good for my scrapbook, so here goes.