To Dave Savidge, my dear friend for years
This is the memoir of my arrival in Viet Nam. just from present memory. I have written about this before, but now is the time
Background. I was so afraid to be killed in RVN but I was drafted in January, 1967, five months before my college graduation. Uncle Sam wanted every possible rifle.
We flew to the war in this big jet, passenger aircraft, hundreds of us. it was the day bobby kennedy was murdered. My closest companion, a badass black [explative deleted] Sgt. who was to start his second tour. He rocked big time. The jet stopped in the Philippine islands, and the crew let us all out. I got a barber’s shave but I couldn’t eat. Then my skin was on fire.
When we set down in Viet Nam, I knew I was a dead man, but my black super sergeant friend encouraged me. I never saw him again.
As the passenger jet taxied to a stop, I could see the heat
rising from the tarmac. We stopped. They told us to exit. It was like a 110 degrees.
Then I observed countless soldiers who would not look anyone in the eye. Each of them stood by our aircraft ready to take off again. They each escorted a body bag in a formation that
was being loaded to return to USA everywhere.
Whata[explative deleted]waste
I love my country. I love you guys,
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
50 years late