28 February 1970

Saturday night
28 February 1970

Another month down and ? to go.  Our most persistent rumors still point to June or July pull-out.

I wrote tomorrow’s flight schedule and I really like doing it.  We get a “frag” from group that has mission numbers, ordnance loads, and target times.  I fill in all the names to fly the missions.  It took me about two and a half hours but I should be able to cut down the time after I get used to it.

I was told today that I am going to FAC duty next month for 90 days!!  I should receive my orders tomorrow and will know the exact day.  It will probably be during the last two weeks of next month.

Going FAC will mean the mail situation will be really bad.  I understand sometime they go without mail for up to two weeks.  Even longer without showers!

At any rate I’ll get my chance at being a Grunt!  I’m looking forward to it in a way, and it’s not anymore dangerous than flying over here.

I didn’t get any mail today.

When Mike Breeding had his accident, and since they are missing, we had to have a detailed investigation into the accident.  As a part of the investigation I was asked to write a statement about Mike, his activities during that day, and what I thought of his flying.   The statement will become part of the official investigation of the incident.

I understand the search for them has been completely abandoned.

The squadron is having a beach party tomorrow for all hands.  It will be in the afternoon, so we’re only flying tomorrow morning.  However, we’re flying as many missions in half a day as we would in a whole day.  That made writing the schedule a little harder.

(Picture taken in summer, 1967, before reporting for four years of active duty.)

27 February 1970

Friday night
27 February 1970

I really can’t think of anything to write.  Every thing is the same here, as usual.  Each day just like the day before, with the only difference being the day changes on my watch.  Someone was saying this morning that if we were back in the states, we would be happy tomorrow is Saturday, but here it’s no different.  It’ll probably take a couple of months to get used to having the weekends off!  Ha.

Only flew once today.  I’ve quit “sniveling” hops, as we call it, which means getting yourself on extra hops your not scheduled for.  The way I see it, every hop I “snivel” is one more chance of
getting shot down.  I think I’ve flown 40 missions this month, which is more than any month since I’ve been here.

We’ve played bridge the past two nights, for want of anything else to do.

26 February 1970

Thursday night
26 February 1970

I got mail today.

Today was our last day on the hot pad, and I spent 12 very long hours down there.  I did get two scrambles this afternoon!  On our second scramble we got a real good BDA. Thirteen bunkers destroyed, one secondary explosion and one secondary fire.

Yesterday, one of my hops got four KBA (killed by air).  Seems like our BDAs have been better lately, than they were when I first got here.  Also, we’re bombing in a different area, mostly, than a few months ago.

25 February 1970

Wednesday night
25 February 1970

Three days now without mail.  I didn’t write last night because I was on the hot pad all night, and didn’t have anything to write anyway.

I flew twice yesterday off the hot pad, and three times today.

Since I got my 100 missions, I’ve lost count of how many I have now!  Ha.  Just like I said.

The most prevalent rumor is that MAG-13 will be out of South Vietnam by the end of June.  I hope so, needless to say, and it would be nice if 122 goes to El Toro, eh?

23 February 1970

Monday night
23 February 1970

Nothing new here, just the same old routine day after day after day.  No mail today.

After I wrote last night, I was called down to the hot pad because “they” thought we would be scrambled.  Seems “they” had found about 150 VC somewhere.  Anyway, we did not get scrambled and we had to spend the whole night on the pad.  Consequently I didn’t get a good nights sleep, and I’m more tired than last night.

I was on the pad all afternoon and did get scrambled once.  I hate the hot pad second only to being away from home.  And when I hate anything that much, it must be bad.

We played bridge again today, as that’s the only way to pass the time down there.  I really do like the game, but can’t play well at all!  I play bridge about as well as canasta!  Ha.

The movie tonight was one we had here about three weeks ago!  Now that’s really bad when we have to watch reruns!


Photo taken at Marine Corps Birthday Ball, November, 1967.

21 and 22 February 1970

Saturday night
21 February 1970

I didn’t fly yesterday at all.  As everyday goes by it looks more and more as though MAG-13 will be out soon (the next 3-4 months).  The big question is where we’ll go.

I flew a TPQ tonight, my first mission in over 48 hours.  There have been only two days this month when I haven’t flown, and yesterday was the second.  We start hot pad duty again tomorrow and it just doesn’t seem possible it’s already been 10 days since we were down there last.

I received a package of about 10 candy bars!!!  Hersheys, Almond Joys, Mounds, and Butternuts.

Sunday night
22 February 1970

I’m very tired tonight, and I haven’t done a thing all day.  I didn’t fly, and was on the hot pad all afternoon.

We played bridge for over five hours straight, with not one hot pad scramble.  I’m on the B pad tonight which doesn’t mean anything.  I’m sleepy, so off to get some sleep.

19 February 1970

Thursday night
19 February 1970

I now have exactly 8 months remaining of 12!  The 19th is my date to return in October.  Actually I’ve been over here about 17 - 18 weeks.

No mail for me today - but I didn’t expect any since I got mail yesterday.

I flew only once today.  We bombed an enemy headquarters, supposedly.  I really doubt some of the targets we get!

Ever since I was assigned to fly with Kurt, he’s the only one I’ve flown with, and I really like it - flying with a lieutenant all the time.

I’ve worked out for two straight days now!  I played four very strenuous games of handball yesterday, and played tennis for an hour today.  I don’t know if I’m losing weight, but I do feel better - getting exercise and not eating as much as I had been in the past.  I’m not interested in getting “muscular”, I’m to lazy for that!  Ha.  I just want to slim up a little.  There was a time when I wished I weighed 175 lbs!  Now that I do, I wish I weighed 160 lbs.  Never happy I guess!!

We had a good comedy for a movie tonight.  A Peter Sellers movie - “The Party”.  really hilarious!  I wish we could have more movies like that to help cheer us up.