Dear Mom & Dad,
Greetings once again from Vietnam. I realize that it has been some time since I
have written. I don't want to cause you any unnecessary worry. I am fine and
doing quite well. It is just that I have been so busy I haven't been able to write.
Let me tell you what has been going on. We have just completed our AGI (annual
general inspection). We have been trying to cram one year of improvements, cleaning
and construction into two weeks. Our pre AGI was on New Year's Day and our major AGI
was on the 7th.
I have been getting very little sleep these past two weeks. To top it off, our
Mess Sargent went on R&R the 31st to the 8th. So, I was the acting Mess Sargent
for the pre AGI and the major one too. Actually, we did quite well. The mess
hall got three "gigs" - two of which were not my responsibility. As a
result of my efforts, their is a possibility that I may make Staff Sargent (E-6). I
will have to wail and see. I am working in an E-6 slot at an assistant Mess Sargent
so there is no reason why I shouldn't be promoted.
I've inquired about another R&R and the First Sargent has screwed me out of it.
I am not too disappointed, however. I will use the $400 I would save to buy a
new car. I would however like to get a three day in-country R&R to Vung Tau.
It would be less expensive and much nicer, I think. Vung Tau is on the beach
and it would give me a chance to go swimming - something that I haven't done for a long
time.
Oh well, the AGI is over and I can get back to my regular routine. We will now go
out to the field again. From what we understand, we are suppose to go back to the
same operations we were on prior to coming to base camp. This means we will again
set up a trains area either at Long Binh or Bien Hoa.
The operation is suppose to last for well over 100 days. So this means that this
is my last time at base camp until I rotate. This will be my last operation and
their is a good chance that I may not go to the field on this one. We have enough
cooks to go to the field that I may not have to. However, this means that Dave will
probably have to go out so I will probably volunteer to go out myself.
It really isn't that bad out in the field. The troop will be operating in some
pretty dangerous terrain. There will be quite a few mines. This is the same
area that my buddy Bob Press was killed in. I don't
particularly like this type of operation. It's too much work. I would much
rather travel with the troop but I won't miss going to Long Binh for 93 days. It
won't be long now.
About the money you have been sending me - I have received the $50 you sent on the 4th
of December, only. It was about one month late. I have also received the $450
checks and have already ordered my tape recorder.
Here is what I ordered:
An Akai tape recorder
Two Akai speakers
A Sony Portable TV
A Sony Rechargeable Battery
A Sony AM-FM Radio
The total cost was $474. Look for them in March or early April. Keep me
posted about when they get there. They should get home before I leave here. I
am straight on my money. It also looks as if my mail is back to normal. For a
while there, I hadn't gotten any mail for about two weeks. Then I got mail over a
month old but in the past two days, I have been getting my mail all right. Boy, this
mail is really screwed up. It's too bad that the government couldn't offer better
mail service to us here than what they do. The mail is pretty fouled up. I
have probably received only about one half of my mail. Oh well, in 93 more days I
won't have to worry about it. I'll be home.
All in all, things are going well here. I'm happy and content. Oh yes, and
"short", too. Well, I will say . . . .
By for now!
Love,
Bob
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