Thanksgiving night
1969

Thanksgiving day is over, here. I had as good a birthday as possible! I got four birthday cards, two packages and a bill, today. One package was soap, razor blades, candy and books. And I got another package that also had soap, razor blades, and books and candy! So I’m pretty well stocked up on, believe it or not, soap, razor blades, books and candy!

I also got two Navy Times. We had a real good thanksgiving dinner here today. The turkey and gravy was delicious. I finally got to fly again! I flew a TPQ this morning at 0300, so my night’s sleep really got messed up. I slept some this morning, fitfully, so I didn’t get much rest. The weather got a little better, so I didn’t get to divert (rats). Everyone who’s come back from Ubon talks about what a good time they had and it makes me green with envy. Although the weather is not as bad, we still had rain almost all day.

This day was climaxed by the light bulb in the movie projector burning out in the middle of the movie and they had no spare!!

Radio reception is bad as ever! I try to listen to music at night and it’s impossible to get one station for more than a few minutes! The only stations I can get, clearly, are short wave and they fade in and out. Also about half the time the announcer talks in English and talks in some foreign language the other half. Most of the guys buy expensive tape recorders and listen to music on their own tapes. That equipment costs a lot of money.

The time I was shot at was like this: the FAC (forward airborne controller) who was controlling our flight said he was being shot at when he flew over the target to drop smoke on it to mark the target for us. He was flying a small, slow, propeller airplane. Since he was shot at, we naturally assume that we were shot at also, but we were flying so fast (three times as fast as the FAC) and higher, that we didn’t actually see anyone shooting at us! But I’m sure they were. If I was down there being bombed, you can bet I’d be shooting back.
Anyway I was in no real personal danger. A lot of planes do come back shot up. The Air Force lost two F-4s up by Danang about a week ago. Both planes were shot up so bad that they couldn’t land, so the crews ejected. Most of these planes are shot up outside of S. Vietnam.

I’m listening to a news conference with some senator concerning that Army lieutenant who supposedly had all those civilians killed! A shocking affair, if true, but I wasn’t there so I’m not jumping to judge that guy. Funny things happen in war, and only those who’ve been in war can fully understand them.

All the self righteous, peace loving people that rile me, can merely speculate. That’s why I hope to get off this base more and see for myself.

MAG-13 has a civic-action officer who supervises the civic action projects among the people that is being financed by U.S. Navy. He is a lieutenant who was in 513 and I know him real well. He goes out amongst the people almost everyday, and I’m going to try to go with him sometime. I will have to get written permission from my CO to do this. A big part of winning this war is this business of civic action to help the people build schools, hospitals, wells (water), bridges, etc.


Photo - me with orphan, enhanced by a reader.