Rick Holt's Adventures in Vietnam
Letters Home from Vietnam, 1971
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Da Nang
April 27, 1971
Tuesday
8:45 pm
Dear Folks,
The mail clerk was on the ball for once. Got four letters and some magazines today. Really enjoyed all those pictures you sent. If I remember I'll enclose those Ft. Dix pictures with this letter.
Charlie didn't let us down last night. Had another rocket attack about 3 in
the morning. They hit the POL dump down near the end of the runway. It was still
throwing up big billows of black smoke at five this morning. The POL dump is
where they store all kinds of oil and gasoline.
Too bad you bought that fan. Guess I can always sell one of them or I could use two fans. One for my head and one for my feet! The one I have now is a Sanyo three speed oscillating fan.
Spent the day between here and the PX's. Been looking for a clock. All I can find is a clock radio for 31.50. No sense in getting that one since I already have a radio. Ain't no clock worth 31.50. Went to Freedom Hill PX this evening with a couple of pilots. They each bought a portable tv. It must be nice to be rich. I didn't get anything.
Glad to hear you enclosed an extension cord with the fan you sent. I can always use one of them.
I think I'll get a cassette recorder tomorrow if we're still up here. I've got about $110 left. I loaned Duff $50, so that's actually $160.
I should be getting over $300 a month with flight pay and everything as a SP/4 if finance ever gets it straightened out. With the big pay hike that's supposed to come in May the base pay for SP/4 is over $300 so with combat and flight pay I should get over $400 a month. Not bad at all! But then look what I've got to put up with.
Yes, keep the toilet paper coming. No need to send a special package or anything but when you send a package just drop in a a roll. It's not so scarce at Long Thanh. We can usually get it from supply but it's always nice to know I've got my own 'roll.' Those malaria pills on Monday morning sometimes make Tuesday a pretty busy day.
Hope George enjoyed his five hours of testing. I got my eyes out for patches as soon as I find some I'll send them.
We're still on yellow alert so I guess we can expect to roll out of bed again tonight.
The RPI was closed again for inventory today. I think they're having trouble balancing the books. They came up a couple hundred dollars short. Hope they get it straightened out by tomorrow. Hate to go another day without my cokes. Had a nice 'picnic' lunch today at the Air Force mess hall.
I guess that's the good news for today.
Rick