It’s a rainy, chilly Monday here in Fort Worth today and I’m getting closer to the completion of my one year tour in Viet Nam. It’s a time when I’m in and out of hospitals with malaria and I can’t seem to keep my temperature down long enough to be sent back to the field which the reader by now knows that I’ve been hoping doesn’t happen. So, I’ve been sent to Cam Ranh Bay, a lovely sea side town and base on the east coast of Viet Nam. I’ll bet it’s quite the tourist trap today, but I have little desire to return. What was it like on Oct 26, 1969? Let’s find out. This letter home was actually written on a typewriter to which I evidently had access. I start it with a negative comment directed at the Marines.
“Dear Mom, Dad, Rob, and Sue, Oct 26 Cam Ranh Bay
Rob, I don’t think much of your Marines. We’ve got a few here at Cam Ranh Bay and are they ever thick. Real gung ho slobs. They honestly make me sick. Last night we were shown a captured North Vietnamese propaganda film. It really made us look like the bad guys. It showed Marines and Army troops killing civilians, destroying homes and villages, and wreaking general havoc about the countryside. Then it showed the NVA shooting down our planes and clobbering us in ground battles. I have to admit it was an impressive film. After that we watched a comedy horror film called ‘The Vampire Killers’. It was a stupid movie, but it had its moments. Other than that there is not too much happening around here, same old routine.” I wish I could remember that “same old routine” so that I could share it with you.
“I’m feeling much better now, almost up to strength. I’ve got a slight cold, a couple of blotches of ringworm and that’s about all. I should be in pretty good shape when I come home. I try to spend some time on the beach every day to get my tan back and a little color. So except for my loss of weight, I feel fine. Today I’m CQ (Charge of Quarters) at the company orderly room, and that’s why I have access to this crummy typewriter. I’m a little out of practice anyway. I should be returning to my unit in a couple of days. I don’t know whether I still have leave or not. I’d just as soon not take it and save money. I’d still like to get a decent pick-up truck and I’d like to get a bigger engine for the boat. I intend to use it quite a bit when I come home for the summer. I’d like to get in some fishing this summer. That means I’ll have to get the boat rigged up with decent lights. Maybe dad would like to get some fishing in this summer also. I’m really serious about it. The CO just noticed me typing here, and may get me a job over at the motor pool as a clerk for my remaining 36 days in country. I couldn’t ask for a better break than that. No more war for the kid, and I wouldn’t have to go back to Tay Ninh, except to sign out of the company. He’s going to check on it and let me know a little later today. I guess it’s a pretty sure thing, but maybe not. I hate to get my hopes up on anything because you never can trust these army jokers. I’m still planning on a short stay in Texas before I come home, but that may change too. Everything, and I mean everything, is up in the air right now, and the only thing I’m sure of is that I’ll be on my way home in 36 days, and that’s all I’m really concerned about. I imagine that that’s all you really care about also.
“Do we still have a ping pong table hidden away in the cellar? If we do, is there any way you can get it set up downstairs? It’s not all that important, but it would be nice to have if there’s room for it. I guess that’s about it for now. Love to all, Dave”
There is a picture of Peni in the next letter that is from a newspaper. I’ll try to reproduce it for that letter. I wonder how many readers I’ve lost along the way. I know I lost Jim, a guy who works out at Vigor Active the same time I do. He showed me a picture of a ‘38 Packard Limousine that he has in his garage. The car looks to be in mint condition. Pretty impressive. I won’t be posting next Monday because it’s moving day. Somebody said to me today that it’s good I’m leaving here because he saw a news report about a body being found in a dumpster in an apt complex just off Avenue J, which is where I live. No bodies in the dumpsters near my apt, but I’m looking forward to joining a 55+ community. A guy I met there while unloading my car a couple of weeks ago asked me if I played pool. And I do, so after I move in totally, I’ll show him a thing or two about playing pool. See you a week from Monday, I hope. At least those who are still with me. Be good to yourselves.
The bright spot in that letter was 36 days to go and the chance to spend them in the motor pool. Certainly showing you guys a NV propaganda film had the potential to be traumatic for those who have been inundated with hellish conditions for months. I’d guess your dad was happy that you wanted to have him as a fishing companion! I can’t help wondering why you “lost” Jim, owner of the ’38 Packard.