|
 "These
children do without a lot of the basic necessities that
even our poorest children grow up with. Some of these
children don't even have parents and live in an
orphanage in Bong Song."
-Army Spc. Hugh R. Dougherty
My company has been taking up a
collection to send some Vietnamese children to school.
It doesn't take a whole lot to send a child to school
for one month over here. So far, we have enough to send
about 16 kids. I really believe that this is a
worthwhile project.
Army Spc. Robert A. Elliot of Georgetown at Camp
Holloway, July 12
One of the girls that works on the post broke her
ankle. We had it X-rayed and then applied a cast.
Teaching her to walk with the cast was a lot of fun. The
cast seemed to weigh as much as she did. I think the
greatest enjoyment here is the look on these peoples'
faces when we help them, treat their illnesses and
injuries. It makes [us] feel great and that being here
isn't bad after all.
Army Spc. Phil Johnson of New Castle with the 11th Civic
Action Battalion in Phu Loi, June 9
 Of
the many battle narratives we received in 1968, these
were particularly poignant. First, a serviceman wrote of
an imminent assault on his base.
Right now we are as close to an attack
as possible. All it will take is one sound of that
siren to have us all in the bunker. A battle has been
raging outside our perimeter all day. As we put it,
there are "beaucoup VC" out there, all trying to get in.
Last night they hit Phouc Vinh, Tan Son Nhut Air Base,
Loi Khe, Chu Chi, and Saigon. There was little damage
done. Phu Loi wasn't hit but we all said we were next. I
guess we are. Right now some of us (medics) are out on
the "resupply line" and in various areas to check for
casualties. The rest of us are sitting in the dispensary
— waiting. There is a card game in progress, and nervous
laughter. Somebody has their tape recorder on, low
enough to hear the siren over it. The outside noises are
intense. We hear the "thrump" of mortars and the firing
of rockets and heavy artillery. The most reassuring
sound is the beat of a copter's blades and the staccato
of a gunship. More so is the deafening sound of a jet
making a low pass outside the perimeter. |
