“You think it’s going to be a bed of roses, that being out of the army will cure all your problems.” – A recently discharged friend who came back to post for a visit. “So you finished your education recently then?” Asked Agnes. “Yes, relatively, four years ago.” “What did you do in the meantime?Continue reading “Chapter 12 A Bed of Roses”
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Chapter 11 In Case of Riot – Break Glass
Fort Monmouth 1970 By winter 1970 I was back to my home duty station and the snows of New Jersey. All winter I huddled by the steam radiators in our office. Miss Yen was right, I had left them in Saigon but Saigon had not left me. The surrealism of my time in the bushContinue reading “Chapter 11 In Case of Riot – Break Glass”
Chapter 10 – Go Ask Alice
Cabin 6 “I suppose that after all this time it wouldn’t hurt to tell you a bit about My adventure up-country. I would have thought that story would have filtered back to you. Most things did, it seems.” “I know a little and I’ve guessed at more but I’ve been waiting almost two decades forContinue reading “Chapter 10 – Go Ask Alice”
Chapter 9 – Part 3
The Recon Base Later, the second afternoon, I stopped by Capt. Fiori’s office to continue our discussion about extra help with the waveguides. “Specialist Allen,” he said as though that were the end of the sentence. He paused a second then said, “I’ve been thinking. Have you seen the handicrafts the Montagnard women make?” “I’veContinue reading “Chapter 9 – Part 3”
Chapter 9 Goin up the country –Part 2
Cabin 6 “It was all so long ago,” said Agnes, staring out at waves breaking on the beach and the ocean beyond. “Sometimes the ocean brings me memories of things that were and sometimes the surf roars of things that might have been; things that might have been but for the war and things thatContinue reading “Chapter 9 Goin up the country –Part 2”
Chapter 9 Goin up the country –Part 1
Goin’ up the country — paint my mailbox OD green Friday afternoon came. I’d spent every night this week with Agnes at Su lin’s apartment. In the morning, I’d told her that I wouldn’t be back for a week or so and I was going up country to make a house call for Col. Suel.Continue reading “Chapter 9 Goin up the country –Part 1”
Chapter 8 – Rifles for Halftrack
The Palace “We have a friend who would like to meet you,” said Virgil toward the end of a Saturday of drinking beer at DB’s hooch. “Next Saturday.” Weeks earlier, Virgil had alluded to “friends in high places.” I had no idea why I would be interesting to friends in high places but Virgil assuredContinue reading “Chapter 8 – Rifles for Halftrack”
Chapter 7 — Saigon Roulette
Slumming A month or so after Virgil’s Suitcase Sunday I went for Sunday dinner at DBs. I was coming to really enjoy these visits. They were a nice break from the Dai Nam mess hall or the NCO club. I’d taken pictures of neighbors and their children with the new lenses Virgil had helped meContinue reading “Chapter 7 — Saigon Roulette”
Chapter 6 (cont.)
Down to the River Money One Sunday when visiting DB, we were standing in the yard when Virgil came bumping down the alley on his brand new Honda twin-cylinder motorbike. It was blue and chrome and he’d added a luggage rack since I’d seen him last. It was spotless except for some mud spattering fromContinue reading “Chapter 6 (cont.)”
Chapter 6
Down to the River Cowboys Most weeks, the neighborhood got together mid day for Sunday dinner. In the afternoon, the men lounged about in tank tops, shorts and flip flops, drank sometimes homemade whiskey and smoked homemade cigars, not always tobacco. DB invited me one week and I asked if I could bring my camera.Continue reading “Chapter 6”
In The Belly Of the Beast 