18 June 1970

Thursday
18 June 1970

Today was pretty much a usual day.  Hot, long, boring.  My replacement still has not come - so I called division this morning.  They said they didn’t know who or when my replacement will be here - but that he should come 5 days before I leave - which would have been day before yesterday - as I’m leaving Sunday.

I mailed a roll of film off today for development, and have started on a new roll.  I’m taking color prints instead of color slides this roll.  The roll was give to me by a friend here.

You know, I didn’t even know when Father’s Day was.  That’s how out of touch I am with the real world.  Over here we just seem to be living in a nightmare world - losing track of time and events.  I forget many things.

Enclosed are some news clippings.  I took a picture of that market place which is shown in the picture, several days before the attack.  Also - when I was at the village the day after the attack, I saw the dwarf that the other article is about.  He walked by me as I was taking pictures of the damage.  I remember him distinctly because it was s odd to see a Vietnamese dwarf.  I don’t suppose there were more than this one in the village.

I heard something very disturbing about the attack on the village.  Some Marines claim they heard the mortars being fired about 400 meters from their night position - and also heard voices. But they didn’t report it at the time!!!  I don’t know if they were afraid, or to lazy.  I just couldn’t believe it.

We have a real problem with our young Marines over here doing dumb things.  Last night a Marine woke up in the night saw someone moving about 25 meters away and opened fire (after he was told not to) with his M-16 rifle.  Result - 2 Marines dead - one dying!!  You see - he shot some members of his own unit.  This is not the first time - in fact I think it’s the third time in about the past month something like this has happened.  Then this morning that same unit tripped a booby trap - killing one Marine and wounding two.  Six  casualties because of carelessness.  I think we lose more this way than to the enemy.

Top photo - shop alone the roadway

Bottom photo - market square