The following is a pretty accurate description of our observations, activities and locations during my 12 month tour. I gleaned these details from letters I sent home:
04/14/1969 Landed at Bien Hoa AFB after 18 hour flight in an Air Force C-141A.
05/08/1969 Sent $225.00 money order to my wife.
05/11/1969 Monsoons begin in about one week. Beautiful sunsets.
05/19/1969 Location: Go Dau Ha, adjacent to Song Vam Co Dong River.
06/04/1969 Moved from Go Dau Ha to Tay Ninh base camp.
06/21/1969 Mascot had 3 puppies.
06/24/1969 Moved from Tay Ninh base camp to FSB Washington.
07/01/1969 Moved to FSB Crook.
07/07/1969 Moved back to Tay Ninh base camp.
07/12/1969 Started building a new bunker.
07/22/1969 Moved into new bunker. It leaks.
07/31/1969 Still working on new bunker.
08/04/1969 Moved to Ben Keo. Received new tower from engineers. 84 feet!
08/11/1969 Heard rumors 25th Infantry Division is going home. False!
08/18/1969 Still in Ben Keo with Special Forces Advisors. Got in some volleyball.
08/22/1969 Drove back to Tay Ninh base camp for supplies.
08/29/1969 Received a new-fangled cassette recorder from home.
09/10/1969 Moved to ARVN Basic Training camp near Ben Soi. Temporarily acquired convenience generator.
09/13/1969 Wife working at local movie theater, propositioned by girlie magazine, declined.
09/24/1969 Moved to ATSB Tra Cu via CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
10/12/1969 Moved back to Go Dau Ha.
10/30/1969 ARVN’s stole my poncho liner. Prepping for E-5 promotion board.
11/16/1969 Eight engineers are busy expanding base with bulldozers.
11/23/1969 Promotion board delayed 21st and 22nd to 23rd, so got some much needed sleep! Meanwhile, team moving again. Got see the New Christy Minstrels at the EM club. Ace’d the promotion board, finishing number 1 out of 25 applicants! Returned to new location near Loc Giang.
11/25/1969 Our small camp near Loc Giang is an abandoned Green camp base. Now living in a tent.
12/04/1969 Got to swim in pool at the Cu Chi base camp!
12/10/1969 Picked up certificate from CO to send money order home.
12/19/1969 Awaiting arrival of VIP General at camp near Loc Giang.
12/20/1969 Promoted to E-5 Specialist 5 today, retroactive to 12/07/1969.
01/04/1970 R & R in Tokyo, Japan!
01/10/1970 Returned from R & R.
01/28/1970 Received Plague and Cholera shots. Sent $500.00 money order home.
02/02/1970 Radar system in for repairs. 12 to 14 hours a night for months creates much wear.
02/17/1970 Radar system still on Long Binh, undergoing major overhaul.
02/23/1970 Received brand new radar system. Mark and I picked it up. Long drive through the boonies.
03/01/1970 Complained to HQ about our worn out radar generator. Complaint fell on deaf ears.
03/21/1970 3 weeks left! Training new replacement.
04/01/1970 The big day, received orders for home! Mark, too!