Dear Mom & Dad,
Well, it's another day and another day shorter. ha, ha. A year seems like a
life-time - at least looking ahead. But, when my year is up I will probably look
back and say that it went fast. There isn't too much new. I'm still going to
school. I have about four more days of classes. After that, I don't know what.
The squadron is still in the field. I might possibly join up with them.
I don't know yet.
I'm looking forward to your first letter. We are kind of shut off from the world
over here. I haven't seen a paper in a couple of days. They have the "Stars & Stripes" over here but by the time I
get to the PX they are gone. The radio station here is a good one. They also
have a TV station here which has American
programs. There was a hockey game on this afternoon. On the radio, the White
Sox were playing Detroit. So in that line, we have more here than Germany.
The PX facilities here at base camp are adequate but in the filed there are no PXs.
It would be nice if you could put together a "Care" package while I'm in
the field. Odds and ends. Anything that you think I could use. Don't
send anything that would spoil in the line of food. But things like gum, candy,
magazines, perhaps a newspaper or two. But don't have the "Portsmouth
Herald" sent because it would take too long for me to get it. If you could find
some green towels that match the color of my fatigues I would like some. I can't
seem to find any here. All they have is white and believe me, white towels in the
field is dangerous. Also, send a regular supply of those towelettes that come in a
box. They come in handy when I can't get to some water. It's hard to keep
clean in this country. This is the only place I know of where you can take a shower
at night, go straight to bed and wake up dirty.
The food over here isn't as bad as I expected. We most always have fresh eggs and
milk. Bread is flown in from Saigon. So the food
is pretty good considering we're at war. When people back home say that we could
end the war in a week I sure would like to know how. These guys over here are giving
it all they've got. I don't think that we are holding anything back. These
units here are always doing something. Everybody puts in a full day and then
some. Nobody knows what it's really like until they come here.
No matter where anybody is here, there is always the thought that you might get it
because Charlie is everywhere. There is the thought that you might be at the wrong
place at the wrong time. Of course, this is all new to me and I don't mind telling
you that I'm a little apprehensive as to what lies ahead. Perhaps as time goes on I
will get used to that idea. But deep inside me I just know that I'm going to make it
OK. Hell, if Charlie shoots up the cooks they got nobody to feed them so these guys
here take pretty good care of the cooks. This outfit has never lost a cook yet and I
ain't about to be the first. So, you don't have to worry about me. Just be
thankful you're not the parents of some of these guys over here like ground pounders and
green berets. Those are the guys that are catching hell. My primary function
here is to do one thing - cook and that doesn't include killing Charlie. So I count
my blessings in those respects.
I've got food in my stomach, cloths on my back and a place to sleep and so far, no one
shooting at me. what more could a guy want? One good thing about being a
combat cook in the filed is that you don't have to work very hard. Cooks only
feed two meals a day and sometimes, only one. It's nothing to throw together two
combat meals. I have a lot of free time to do all the things that I like to do like
go to the beach, go to the ball game, play golf - ha, ha.
You remember what I said after basic training Dad - that I could take anything that the
Army threw at me. Well, I think I have finally met the last thing that the Army has
to offer. I mean, like man, this is it. After I get back from here, there is
no more. For this is where the action is. This is where it's at. All of
the training and drilling and testing was for this, the real thing - war. Now I know
what it's all about.
Those eight months in Germany were the best thing that could have happened to me.
For I am doing the exact same thing over here. When I think I left Germany to
get away from this same thing but I don't regret it one bit. In 12 months here I can
save over $2000. I'm sure looking forward to the time when I can come home and spend
it. When I get out of this Army, I will be sitting pretty. Oh well, that day
isn't far away.
Be sure and give me Steve's address when you write. I would like to send him a
letter. I will have to get a letter off to Dick one of these days. I imagine
that Dick is out (of the Navy) by now. If he should move to Nashua, write and give
me his address. If not, I will just write him at home.
When I get home, I will have a lot of catching up to do. There is nothing over
here. No movies, pool, bowling - nothing. Well, enough of that. I think
that I will go to bed now. It's about 9:00 now. I had to break and go help the
1st Infantry Division get settled in our tents. They just moved in and will be
staying the night with us.
Well, I will write again soon. Good night.
By for now!
Bob
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