Dear Mom & Dad,
Greeting once again from Vietnam. Well, here we are in another location. We
are about 5 miles from Bien Hoa. Yesterday we came through Saigon. This was my
first real look at the heart of the city. Boy, that sure would be great duty there.
We saw a lot of GIs looking out windows in plush apartment buildings with two or
three girls on each arm. Boy, they really know how to live there.
You probably have been reading in the papers about Charlie's new assault on the cities
especially Saigon. We have been in or around Saigon for the past two weeks and our
troop have been engaged in some heavy fighting. We came across a huge bridge from
Saigon to Bien Hoa yesterday. Charlie took a chunk out of the bridge. It
looked funny as hell - one whole side of the bridge for about 40 feet was gone.
Traffic was only one way.
We have been moving around about every day. I'm getting disgusted. We no
sooner set up and we have to tear it down. We think that we might be here for a
week. This place is located on a high hill overlooking Bien Hoa. It's
desolate, lonely and quiet. Nothing here, not even Charlie.
Things are going good. I'm in good health. Getting a beautiful tan.
The weather over here isn't too bad. Of course it's hot but other than that it's all
right. Time is really flying by. Today marks my anniversary of one month in
country. One down, eleven to go. You know, this duty here isn't bad at all.
Even though we have some of the worst duty in Nam it isn't all that bad. So
things are bound to get better. We should be going back to Blackhorse pretty soon.
We are all looking forward to getting back. Actually, it isn't as great back
there but at least there is laundry service and a PX and a barber shop. When the
troops are in the field for long periods of time their morale has a tendency to drop.
These people's morale is at an all time low.
I received your letter with the piece about Wayne Vetter, Ma. Thanks a lot.
I will write him today. I know where Bear Cat is. He is about 5 miles
from where we are now. Perhaps I might have an opportunity to get over there one of
these days.
Hold on a minute. The mail just came in.
My package was in the mail drop. Thanks a lot. The towels are just perfect
and especially the books. We haven't had anything to read for about 2 weeks.
If you would like, when you first see the new Playboys on the stand would you please send
it along. Out in the woods here we can't get it. Your candy bars were melted
but I ate one anyway. Thanks. You can't possibly know what a package like this
means to me at a time like this. In your letter Ma you said you heard from
Steve. I am so glad he had a chance to go surfing. He is lucky to be where he
is and not over here. I haven't seen a single person surfing over here. I
will have to write him soon. Say hello to everyone for me.
By for now!
Love,
Bob
(Next Letter) (Index of Letters)
Home | Base Camp | Photos | Guest Book | Taps | Contributor's Corner
Honor Roll | Links | Feed Back | Reunions | Search | Site Map
