30 May 1970

Saturday
30 May 1970

Well, another week and month are just about over.  Time is beginning to fly by now.  I have less than four weeks left with the grunts, and less than five months in Vietnam.

Only 8 weeks ‘til R&R and then 10 weeks after R&R!  So just about over this miserable year!

The little operation I went to Danang to brief, was yesterday.  We dropped 40 barrels of napalm from a helicopter, attempting to burn out a bamboo thicket.  Well - 16 of the barrels landed in the river next to the thicket, and the other 24 missed the thicket to!  So the whole business was a big waste of time!!  The helicopter pilot got some practice dropping napalm - and I got two free trips to Danang - and it did break the monotony of life.

I expect to go back to the bush in about two days  as Ron will be back from R and R.  I’ll probably stay out about 11 days - until Ron leaves, then I’ll come back to Baldy for the rest of my tour.

I received a Lubbock newspaper and it had all the pictures and stories about the tornado.  That was really some storm.  I’m glad we weren’t there.

I guess you all are starting to make preparations for the wedding.  Sure wish I could be there for it.  Just doesn’t seem possible that kid brother is getting married.

When I get back to the squadron I’ll be the top RIO for a PAR trip to Japan!  So maybe I can manage two trips to Japan during the next 5 months!

The temperature here is really becoming hot.  Each day the temperature is about 100 degrees in the shade - and this isn’t even the hot season yet!  I can imagine I’ll be most uncomfortable for the rest of my FAC tour.

I bought this pen I’m using in Danang the other day - on impulse - and I can’t decide if I like it.  It writes so heavy the page looks cluttered!

Chocolate from the world to really great to get.  The candy we get in our c-rations has a funny flavor and just doesn’t taste like chocolate.

Photo - A viet cong prisoner, a Korean Marine and one our Marines.