Thursday night
20 Nov. 1969

It seems like the weeks just fly by over here, but the months drag! I can hardly believe that tomorrow is Friday.

General Walt, the assistant commandant, visited Chu Lai this morning for about thirty minutes. I saw him drive by in a jeep and that was all. He presented a squadron here, VMFA-314, with a trophy for being the best fighter-attack squadron in 1968. The guys in that squadron really think they’re hot stuff. But we do just as much in 122. Gary Fabrizio is in 314.

Flew my 20th mission this afternoon, a TPQ. It wasn’t very exciting at all. Just “old-hat.” I’ve finally done some straightening up in my room! I’d been living like a pig, because I thought I was going to move soon, but no. (To another hooch.)

The laundry is really bad over here! The base has a laundry service that is free, but everything seems to come back dirtier than it was, literally! And it smells worse! But it’s free. One of the Vietnamese waitresses at the o’club has a private laundry service, but it costs money. So far, I’ve only sent one set of utilities there (cost 40 cents) but if my clothes get any worse, I may have to send them to her. I haven’t sent any of my civilian clothes to the laundry because I’m afraid they’ll ruin them.

I bought a knit sport shirt and two pairs of shorts while I was in the Philippines. One of my neighbors in this hooch left today for home. He’s going to Longview, Texas then on to Beaufort. [Marine Corps Air Station at Beaufort, South Carolina] Boy, I can hardly wait until I leave for San Juan, Texas! But I hope I don’t go to Beaufort.

It’s so strange not knowing or having any idea at all where I will live next! Always in the past I sort of knew. I sure would like to go to Glynco, I think. [Glynco Naval Air Station, Glynco, Georgia]

I understand that the astronauts are on the moon, but the radio reception has been so bad today, I haven’t been able to listen to any news at all.

Photo - A pilot and a RIO in deep conversation.