21 April 1970

Tuesday
21 April 1970

Got a letter today!

I may go back to the bush day after tomorrow with C Co..  They are here at Baldy now for a few days rest.  Ron Boehm, the other air officer, has been out in the bush 3 days and he’s ready to come back!  He earned his combat action ribbon last night - and I still don’t have mine.  I talked to Ron today when I was out at B Company’s position.  The Col. went out there on the C & C helicopter, and I had to go along.  Ron actually prefers to be at Baldy - and I prefer the bush!  I just can’t put up with all the nonsense which goes on back here.

There’s no doubt in my mind that by the end of July I’ll be out of Vietnam.  President Nixon’s speech today reemphasized the troop withdrawals - and there are a number of indications that most of the Marines will be out in the next 3 months.  I expect the 7th Marines will leave before the end of June.

I said Ron had earned his C.A.R.  He is with B Co. right now, and they were ambushed last night.  Ron said he was in his hole and the bullets were really flying!!  Luckily no one was hurt.

A lot of our injuries come from booby traps.  The way booby traps are placed, most of the injury is to the lower half of the body.  As a result a lot of legs are blown off.  But something else - in most cases the man’s testicles are severely injured!  Something a lot of people wouldn’t think of.

Photo - Vietnamese cemetery.