Dear Mom & Dad,
Greetings once again from Vietnam. It's raining like hell out. This is the
first rain that we have had in over five months. I guess the monsoons are slowly
creeping up on us. That's a good sign. It's a sign that I am getting short.
For when I came to this tropical paradise a year ago the monsoons had just started.
In a way, it's a welcome relief. Everything is so damn dusty here that it
chokes us every time we breath. To tell you the truth it's great to see mud again.
I wouldn't have said that six months ago when we were asshole deep in mud all of
the time but it's nice for a change.
The reason for my writing more often is that I find that I have more time on my hands.
Things are about the same here with no drastic changes. Dave goes back to
base camp in three more days for processing. I will be going back in a couple of
weeks, myself. If I leave the 8th or April I am going to ask that I go in on the 1st
of April.
Dave and the Mess Sargent exchanged a few harsh words today and Dave almost knocked him
on his ass. Sgt. Blackwell is a changed man from when he first came here. We
noticed a big change in him just after he came back from R&R. When he first came
here he used to help us with the work. Now, all he does is take care of the
paperwork and that's about it. He very rarely every supervises the work. He
leaves it all up to me. Of course, I resent this for the simple reason that I have
never been promoted to E-6, the rank of the slot in the TO&E that I am now working in
(first cook).
I was certain that I was up for promotion as a result of my efforts during the AGI
inspection. Another reason for the way I feel is that I was never given a second
R&R when my First Sargent promised me that I would have a second R&R to Bangkok
before I left country. I can't even get a three day R&R to Vung Tau - an R&R
that I am authorized and suppose to get.
This is the most chicken shit outfit I have ever served in. There was a time when
I could have been proud to say that I served with the 11th Cav. but now, I am ashamed to
say this - especially K Troop. These people are nothing but a bunch of back stabbing
son's of bitches from the First Sargent on down. Our CO hasn't been here long enough
for me to figure out his "bag". This troop is run as about efficiently as
a Democratic Convention in Chicago (editor's note: a reference to the Chicago riots) or
the Bay of Pigs in Cuba. K Troop is really screwed up. It's too bad.
When Captain Longhouser was here the troop was "squared away" but since he left,
K Troop went to hell.
Oh well, I guess that I've got a case of the "ass" because I am short and I
want to go home. These last few days are not going by fast enough. The sooner
that I get out of this damn troop and the 11th Cav the better I will like it.
It would really be great to live like a human being once again even though it will only
be for 30 days. If I come back here for six more months the living conditions at
Vung Tau should be a one hundred per cent improvement over the conditions here.
I visited with a girl down town last night who wants to go to Vung Tau and live there.
I have spent some time with her on several other occasions since we have been here
at Bien Hoa and she and I get along quite well. I really like her. She asked
me to spend the night with her tonight but I have to get up so early in the morning that I
could never get back to the base in time in the morning.
If I should get my orders to Vung Tau she gave me the address of her sister who lives
there and I am to look her up when I get there and she will get word to this girl here to
come to Vung Tau so that we can see each other. I am king of hoping that my orders
for Vung Tau will go through. Well, it's getting late and I want to get to
bed, so I will say . . .
By for now!
Love,
Bob
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