9 August 1970

Sunday
9 August 1970

I’m sitting in the airport at Danang waiting for my flight to Chu Lai.  I had to spend last night here in Danang.  After getting back to Danang it seemed unbelievable that I had just spent a week in Hawaii!  It seemed like a pleasant dream, and I was just waking up!! 

I didn’t realize how much I liked the new clothes I bought in Hawaii, until I got back here and had to put on my awful jungle utilities.  Man what a change.  I’ll be glad when I can wear fashionable clothes all the time and never have to wear a uniform.

I’m anxious to get back to Chu Lai because I have a monthly report due tomorrow and I just know no one’s started it!  I suppose that’s my negative attitude!  Ha.  Also I’m eager to learn if there has been any change of plans about going to Hawaii in September.

It’s just to much to hope that the Marine Corps would let me go home in September instead of staying in Hawaii for that last month, but I’m still hoping.

Sunday night

I got to Chu Lai at noon today.  And there was no new word about our leaving Vietnam.  Still the same plans.

I had one letter here, and it had been in that plane crash!!!!  It’s been wet, and the ink is all smeared - but I could still read it.  The envelope is all messed up and had come open, of course, but it had been sealed back with a special seal and has a stamp on it saying damaged in aircraft accident on 27 Jul 70.  I’m going to keep this letter as a souvenir - because it’s not everyday I get a letter that’s been in a plane crash.

The squadron is flying very little now - so I may not be able to get 200 missions.  It won’t be the end of the world if I don’t - but it would be nice.  Since we’re going back to Hawaii, we’re giving our good planes to the other squadrons in exchange for their bad planes.  Kind of encouraging that we’ll be flying the worst planes in Vietnam all the way to Hawaii!!!

Just as I thought - that report that is due tomorrow - was far from ready!  So I had to work on that this afternoon.  I also wrote the flight schedule for tomorrow - and still had time to go to the movie tonight (Midnight Cowboy).  It was a weird movie - but very good all the same.

Only 70 days until I get to go home!!  Maybe less...(I hope).  I just hope these ten weeks don’t pass as slowly as did the ten at platoon leaders class.

Photo - Poolside at the Ilikai Hotel, Oahu, Hawaii