Letter home from Vietnam
Dispatch: 1 apr 70:

Folks,

Just when I thought things were getting cool around here all hell broke loose.
Last night at about one in the morning we had an alert and everyone thought it
was a practice but it wasn't. A ammo dump and a tank farm - both about 1/2 mile
away from us got hit - we had heavy casualties and they only got 6 V.C. We got
reports of heavy V.C. acitivity all around us and camps were getting hit right
and left.

Well for the first time I was scared. We stayed at our posts for the rest
of the night. Two jets made a sweep in our area and brother they did some
damage. The V.C. that were there got a mouthful of lead.

I'm sure the papers will be full of it. As far as you could
see the sky was lit up with flares - it seemed like all of a sudden
the V.C. just opened up. So far they haven't tried for our camp. If
they did hit us - in about 10 minutes there would be 20 choppers jumping
dead in their program. That's one good thing about working here.
The choppers can't afford to lose this place and if they want to they
can do some damage. I think the V.C. know it.

I just got a new report saying last night was the most action over here since last August.
I knew something was happening.

It's about 9 o'clock at night now and I'm getting ready to sack
out. I hope I get a full nights sleep tonight. If they start that shit
again tonight I might just get mad.

I know you're going to worry - well so am I. I wouldn't have written
and told you all this but I know what the news is going to be like back
home. I thought if you got it straight it would be better.

I'm okay - I think the reason I was scared was all the noise and knowing
they were their. Now I know I'm in a war and instead of being scared I'm
tired. I swear if they wake me up tonight I'm going to be one mad G.I.

Well I'm going to try and get some sleep. Say a prayer.

Mark


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