Monday afternoon
10 Nov. 1969

I’m on the hot pad again, this time from 1200-1800! We flew last night and it really turned into a nightmare. We took off at 2140 for B-52 escort. We got back to Chu Lai about 2330, but the weather was bad, we were low on fuel, and the runway was closed because some guy had blown a tire on the runway. So we diverted to Danang and spent the night. Got to bed at 0200 and up at 0600! When we have the hot pad, it’s plenty hard to get enough sleep.

Today is the Marine Corps’ birthday. We’re having a ball tonight but I won’t get to stay for all of it because I have a 2000 brief for a TPQ! I said I wanted to fly when I came here, but I didn’t have in mind such inconvenient times.

Saw Don Mikulka in Danang. He is in the squadron up there that they tried to talk me into getting in! He’s been here nearly 2 weeks and hasn’t flown yet. I understand that John Allen went to Japan. He wanted to come to Vietnam real bad. But I imagine he’ll manage to have a good time up there!

I’ve lost count of how many points I have toward my air medal, but I think I have nineteen points. So I only need one more point to get my fourth ribbon. I’ve already earned combat action ribbon, Vietnam campaign ribbon, and of course, the national defense ribbon. And if I’m here six months I’ll earn another campaign ribbon for five ribbons. That’ll look a lot better than one ribbon!

Some consolation for having to be over here in this miserable place fighting this miserable war, thousands of miles from my loved ones!

Where I flew last night is classified “top secret”, the highest there is.

Photo - officer's club, Chu Lai

Sunday night
9 Nov. 1969

Some of the guys are sitting here (hot pad) and talking about when they are going on R&R to Hawaii. Most of them are going pretty soon and it depresses me to think about how long it is till my R&R!!

I was on the hot pad this morning 0600-1200, and back on tonight from 1800-0600. I haven’t flown yet today, but may get to during the night. If we do it’ll be a B-52 escort while they bomb.

Tomorrow is the Marine Corps’ birthday ball!! I don’t know what kind of party they’ll have, but I hope it doesn’t cost me money!

We usually have charcoal steaks on Sunday Night. But tonight, no!! The steaks didn’t arrive, so we had cold, tough roast beef! Something else to boost our morale!

I’m watching television, half-way, for the first time since I’ve been in Vietnam! The XO left his portable television down here for us to watch. I think we’re watching 21st century.


Photo - bottom - me in my quarters
Photo - top - me at my desk

Saturday night
8 Nov. 1969

Boy, I hit the jackpot today in mail!!! I got four letters, a tape, and a can of bread. I’ve been so busy and tired today that I haven’t had a chance to listen to the tape.

I can say without a doubt, I’m the most tired right now that I’ve been since I got here! I was ODO last night and only got three hours of sleep! Then I had to do some work this morning with Russ. This afternoon I got a little sleep, but had a 1630 brief for a BARCAP mission.

I got back from that mission at 2100, then we had an AOM [all officers meeting] at 2130, that lasting ‘til 2300! Finally I got a chance to read the last of the letters just now and it’s 2330. I got my mail right before the mission brief and had read only two of the letters.

I have been assigned to one pilot. He is Maj. Gibson, the operations officer. We fly together every day and have flown about nine missions together.

Last night the air field was under condition “yellow” which meant we were expecting an attack! However, none came and it was an uneventful night.

Photo -F4B being loaded with bombs.

Friday night
7 Nov. 1969

I received a package of goodies today. I used up my last bar of safeguard today!

Well, they finally caught up with me and I’m going to have to go to work. I’m the ODO all night tonight, 1800-0600, which means I’ll get little sleep. Plus I’m working for S-4 now, with Russ Fyke, and we have to do an inventory of all the wall lockers in the squadron to see how many are serviceable and how many aren’t. So that’ll take up tomorrow morning. Then I’ll probably fly tomorrow afternoon. But I don’t mind the flying! In fact I love the flying over here (I don’t love being here). There’s no “Mickey mouse” training. It’s all work and we’re all aircrews! There are absolutely no students. It’s really great. The flying is the only thing that makes this place bearable. If I were a grunt, I’d go out of my mind.

The thing that is so disappointing is that we fly a lot and drop a lot of bombs costing a lot of money, but we’re really not doing any good. Take today, I flew a CAS mission and our BDA, bomb damage assessment, was one trail cut and two structures damaged! Big deal, huh! Two airplanes, four people and twenty bombs just to destroy what may have been out-houses for all we know. It’s just costing to much to keep F-4s here for what little good we do. I know all this sounds like blasphemy coming from me, the great supporter of our President, but that’s the way it is. I’m only being realistic.

I’ll be going to the Philippines on the twelfth, if the plans don’t change. Of course I won’t get mail there. I sure would be pleased to find a whole stack of mail waiting for me when I get back. I’m supposed to be down there for four days, I believe.

Russ Fyke and I are tied, at the present, with the most missions this month in the squadron. We have eight each in the first seven days. Of course I’ll fall behind when I go to the Philippines. I have fourteen points now toward my air medal. I’m told that after the first air medal, it all becomes old hat and you don’t even worry about how many points you have.
The weather continues to be cloudy and rainy here. The only good thing about this weather is that it keeps the temperature fairly cool and comfortable.

There are no Marine ground troops in this area. This province is the responsibility of the army’s Americal Division. They use a lot of helicopters to move their troops around this area and the army has a lot of their planes here at Chu Lai. They also have a large, well stocked PX, but it’s so far from our area that we can’t walk to it, and it’s hard to get a ride.

Photo - Headquarters building of VMFA-122, Chu Lai

Thursday Night
6 Nov. 1969

It’s been another long day here climaxed by no mail! For some reason there was no mail for the officers and there was very little yesterday. We have such “wonderful” postal service over here! I was reading in today’s paper (Stars and Stripes, the only paper we get) about how President Nixon has been getting so many letters and telegrams supporting his speech. I’m glad to see that a unity is, perhaps, growing amongst that “silent majority”. For the only way we’re going to get out of this stinking mess, is to stand together.

I flew two missions today. One at midnight last night from which I finally got to bed at 0200 this morning, then another one at 1100 this morning. The second one was a CAS, and I flew with the Group XO, a Lt. Col. whom I didn’t enjoy flying with. These high ranking officers live in a world of their own, and I’m certain that none of them was ever a lieutenant! The other plane in my second mission was carrying napalm, that stuff that everyone back in the states thinks is so inhuman. We did virtually no damage at all, and I would say the whole things was a waste of time, personnel, and money.

I hope I don’t sound bitter, because I’m not. Just disappointed at being here for no real purpose. Oh well!

Anyway, I have twelve missions (14 points)!

I still don’t have a job in the squadron, but I’ve heard that I’ll probably work in S-4 which is logistics, materiel, etc. This is the section responsible for supply of the squadron.

Photos - hot refueling F-4B after combat mission

Wednesday night
5 Nov. 1969

I’ve had a long day (another one) and it’s not over yet! I’ve already flown once today and I’m flying again tonight at midnight! I volunteered for this mission because I’m flying all I possibly can!

We had a live floor show at the club tonight which helped break the monotony of life here! It was a rock and roll band from the Philippines, some go-go girls, and a singer from Australia. The whole group was fair, but considering how we can’t be choosy in this war zone, they were o.k.

I’m listening to the news and it sounds as though the “silent majority” supports President Nixon! I support him too. I was just disappointed that he didn’t say more in his speech.

I didn’t get any mail today but maybe I will tomorrow! There’s always tomorrow to look forward to.

I was at the PX today and they have towels for sale now!

The weather was (is) really bad here today. The wind has been blowing so hard that some of our flights had to be canceled. When we landed this morning it was real scary! We only have one runway here that can be used by F-4s and when we have a high cross wind, it’s very dangerous. At Cherry Point we had two runways, so, no matter which way the wind was blowing, we could take off into the wind. It was pouring rain when we got in our plane this morning, so we got pretty wet and it wasn’t very comfortable!

I’ve sent off one roll of film to be developed. They’re all pictures of Okinawa and Chu Lai, and a couple of pictures of the planes I flew in coming over here. I have one more roll of film to take,
then when that’s gone, I’m going to buy one of those fancy cameras. I can get a real good one for less than $50.


Photo - view from the backseat of F-4B.

Tuesday night
4 Nov. 1969

Everyone over here is pretty depressed by President Nixon’s speech. We were so excited about what he was going to say, but when the speech was over we all agreed that he really didn’t say anything at all!
Now we just don’t know what to expect. We don’t know anymore than we did yesterday about what he’s going to do about this lousy war.

I flew my ninth mission this morning, early, and I’ve a total of eleven points. And since President Nixon didn’t announce the cease fire, I won’t have any trouble getting the air medal. We were supposed to fly a CAS mission today, but the weather was so bad, we dropped our bombs on a TPQ. I don’t even know what the letters TPQ mean!

One of the other squadrons is having a stand-down tomorrow, which means we have to take up the slack and fly more to do their share for one day. This means I’ll probably get to fly twice! I sure hope so. I’d like to earn that medal before I go to the Philippines next week.

I’m really tired and I haven’t done anything since 0900 this morning. I don’t like to fly early in the morning because it makes the day seem so long. Maybe after I get a jog in, the day won’t be so bad.

Photo - F-4B loaded with bombs and external fuel tanks.