“Dear mom, dad, and Sue, Got your letter of the 14th yesterday. I’m judging the time of my letters – remember I don’t usually mail my letters on the same day I write them. I can’t always, but I try to as often as possible.” I couldn’t think of any particular way to introduce this letter, so I started with the letter itself. Sometimes I have difficulty making sense of the things I write. That happens several times in this letter.
“Thanks for the pictures. When you get the ones I sent you developed I would like the pictures with me in them to be sent over here. If you want them too, then I suggest you get prints made.” Duh, of course they were going to get prints made. “This is, of course, that the pictures turn out ok. I have negative knowledge on where you’ll find the negatives. I think most were thrown out.” What a strange sequence of the last three sentences. I wish I could explain them, but I can’t, so make of them what you will.
“The sugar cookies turned out well and I would like more of them. I’m sorry I gave you the impression they turned out badly.” I don’t believe I mentioned sugar cookies in any previous letter which makes me wonder if one is missing. But based on the dates, I don’t think so. Are you ready for a treatise on orange Kool-Aid? Then read on.
“Orange Kool-Aid is ok back in the states, but the water we get here doesn’t get cold enough and with the orange flavor or lemon and lime also – they seem to taste bad.”
“Since we’re close to Siagon, why don’t you listen for the Siagon temp? I thought that dum dum on Channel 4 used to give it. The temp in Siagon seems to hang around 93 degrees. Pretty hot, but not unbearable. I’ve seen worse and am pretty much accustomed to the heat. Well, we’ve been hit the last 2 nights in a row. On the first night we got one gook and last night we got seven. 3 from our company have been wounded – none very seriously. I wasn’t involved at all in the action night before last since our platoon was separated from the company. Last night we were split up in three elements. The first platoon was hit first and hard. They killed all the gooks and had 3 wounded. About an hour later we were hit with rockets and small arms. No one was hurt as we were ready for them. This morning when we buried their dead (usually we don’t bother) and policed up their gear, we found some Communist propaganda leaflets. These are the first I’ve seen and I’m enclosing some samples. Actually it’s pretty convincing.” These leaflets were in English and intended for us. Mom didn’t save the samples so I don’t have them.
“Did I tell you I made Specialist 4th class? I think I did. Same pay grade as Rob. Since we did the gooks such a job last night – I don’t think they’ll mess with us much anymore while we are in this area. In a couple of days we go back to LZ Terry for another 5 days. In 9 more days I will be a third of the way through my tour in Viet Nam. There will be bad memories when I come home, but there will be some good ones, too. I just hope things don’t get much worse. We’re a good company and we’ve got a pretty good CO. He uses his head. We’ve had two men killed since I’ve been with the company and that shouldn’t have happened. The vast majority of us will make it – and I’m sure I will be one of them – so I’ll see you next December. This will be one year you will actually hope Christmas comes early and quickly, right? See you soon, love Dave.”
I sat and looked at this letter a long time, thinking about some of the things I said and hoped for. The next letter, which I have not read yet, was not sent home. Instead I sent it to my brother, Rob. When you and I read it, we will know why. See you next Monday.