January 15, 2009
Today is the 40th anniversary of one of the biggest days in my life and I remember it so very well and wanted to share it.
On January 15, 1969 I began processing to leave the Republic of South Viet Nam and it was both an exciting time and a nervous time. Back then, as you got close to the end of your period of service in VN you were known as a Short Timer and you began to be very careful about where you went and what you did. I was so damn happy to be leaving that place and yet so damn nervous about running out of luck in my last few days.
I was in Quang Tri Province close to the DMZ and would fly out of Da Nang towards America but first getting to Da Nang was problematical. I rode a truck about 20 miles to Dong Ha (land mines?) where I caught a C-130 with no seats (you sat on the floor boards with a lot of South Vietnamese and their various animals, even pigs). Da Nang was about an hours flight from Dong Ha and every bump made me think "was that a friggin'rocket?".The flight went great though.
I bunked overnight at Da Nang airbase, finished my paper work, turned in my uniforms and gear and was issued dress khakis and a field jacket to fly home in. I waited only a couple of hours before my plane was ready for boarding and I could almost relax.
Holy cow! The plane was a civilian 707 with real damn stewardesses and real food! We took off with no problems, refueled somewhere in Japan and landed at Ft Lewis, Washington about 14-15 hours later.
It was raining, dark and cold in Washington State but America looked and felt and smelled so great that I actually knelt and kissed the pavement. Finally I could relax. Like most of us over there then I had had some close calls but I made it home with no holes or missing parts. I know its PC to say that either your marriage and/or the births of your children are the most important days of your life but this day is just unforgettable for me and I still get the chills when I think about it. Nothing I have ever done can compare with those emotions and feelings.
As a huge bonus, the next day was also my last day in the Army as I had finished my obligation to Uncle Sam. I am really proud to have served my country and I wouldn't take anything for my time and experiences in VN but I never want to go back. They can keep the place. Do not want.
PS I still have that field jacket and it almost fits. I had lost over 30 lbs in VN.
I'll try to get some pictures up later-
