Vietnam Diary of Rick Holt, 1971, "The Little Green Book"

My letters home were verbose, but in stark contrast the daily notes I kept in my little diary book were little more than snippets of thought. This mundane little book has an entry for just about every day I was in-country since it was also my way of knowing just how many days left I had to spend there. Each day if there was something worth recording it made into the little book as a brief note and each day I counted down the days to till I was headed home. For what it's worth here it is 'as is,' maybe worth little to anyone but me, but I share it here as an insight into the mind of a 20 year old draftee doing his duty for his country, serving his year in Vietnam. Looking back I find it interesting that the latest movie or show I saw, the mail I got, the missions I flew, the special assignments, the rocket attacks, the red alerts and the comings and goings of my fellow GI's all received equal and matter of fact inclusion in the 'little green book.' Also provided here are links directly to the letters home I wrote on the date of the diary entry.

Rick's handy guide to abbreviations and stuff in the diary.

Da Nang = Da Nang Air Base and the city of Da Nang. I usually stayed at the 37th Signal Battalion compound
Long Thanh North = Army airbase of same name and home base of 2nd Signal Group Aviation Detachment
Phu Bai = airfield
Nha Trang = airfield
Quang Tri = airfield
Tuy Hoa = airfield
Long Binh = airfield and military base
Nui Ba Den = Mountain area
Pleiku = airfield
Saigon = Saigon
Vung Tau = town near the coast
China Beach = Rest and relaxation center on coast near Da Nang

Personnel mentioned
Duff = radio relay operator
Kelm = radio relay operator
Paulson = radio relay operator
Kadremas = radio relay operator
Obrient = radio relay operator
Claybough = radio relay operator
Beckman = crew chief
Sylvester = radio relay operator
Harrelson = crew chief
Currin = crew chief
Cheney = crew chief
Skoog = crew chief
Seacord = radio relay operator
Kinzel = pilot
Bevins = pilot
Moss = I forget whether he was a Radio operator or crew chief.
Sgt. Davis = Sgt. Davis
Deskin = not sure what he did but he bunked with me for a while

Terms
MAFC = Main air force compound at Da Nang
club= enlisted man's club on base
RPI= Rice Paddy Inn, club on base in Da Nang
Gunfighter Village = Air force compound in Da Nang
Mission = flight on U-21 or chopper, may be DCA(I think this stood for Direct Combat Assist and was basically a taxi flight), RR or RRT (Radio Relay or Radio Relay Telephone which was our primary mission and were considered combat assault)
Banks = radio banks, a shelf like unit that contained a couple radios and associated electronics that functioned as a relay unit. Three of these could be installed side by side in the plane.
Rigged = installed radio relay equipment in aircraft in preparation for mission
CA = Combat assault mission (radio relay)
KP = Kitchen patrol, working in the mess hall
Detail = doing grunt work just about anywhere
Headcount = Checking in GI's at meals at the mess hall, a gravy job for short-timers
Avionics = working in the Avionics shop at Long Thanh North
Standby = planes ready to fly with radio relay racks in place and personnel on call.
Rocket Attack = refers to enemy 122mm rockets incoming. Sirens blare, and occasionally things get blown up. Scary.
Satellite XXX = refers to various U-21 aircraft used and maintained by our unit. The three #'s (000, 013, 038, etc.) identified the aircraft and were the last 3 digits on the tail fin #.
TDY = Temporary Duty, we got paid extra when we stayed at another city and ran our missions from there.
SP4 = rank of Specialist 4th Class
PFC = Private First Class rank
Keyed guns = set codes on radio encryption devices
CO = commanding officer, the big cheese
PATC and ATC = info on the Appalachian trail
ARCOM = Army Commendation Medal
USAFI = US Armed Forces Institute, correspondence course.
APC = Armored personnel carrier
HF = High frequency radio

Click the image above for a flight chart of the Long Binh/Bien Hoa/ Tan Son Nhut Airspace. Will open in a new window.

Tuesday, Jan 26, 1971 Bien Hoa (Letter Home)
Arrived Bien Hoa, Vietnam 10:30 pm

Wednesday, Jan 27, 1971 Long Binh (Letter Home)
In-processing at Long Binh till 3 am, on detail at supply till 3:30 am

Friday, Jan 29, 1971 Long Binh
Left 90th at 10:30 to 2nd Signal Group headquarters

Saturday, Jan 30, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
By truck to Aviation Detachment of 2nd Signal Group, Long Thanh Airbase, to work in radio relay on planes

Sunday, Jan 31, 1971 Long Thanh North
Wasted time
Live show at the club tonight

Monday, February 1, 1971 Da Nang
Shipped to Da Nang
1 mission - 5 hours, up at 6 pm

Tuesday, February 2, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5.5 hours, up at 10 am

Wednesday, February 3, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hours, up at 10 am, put on standby

Thursday, February 4, 1971 Da Nang
(Letter Home) (Letter Home)
We started flying this morning at 1 am, put back on standby at noon, I didn't fly as I was scheduled for 1 pm

Friday, February 5, 1971 Da Nang
(Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Off standby at 8 pm yesterday, scheduled for a 1 am flight but cancelled just before takeoff,
live band at the Rice Paddy in at 6 PM

Saturday, February 6, 1971 Long Thanh North, Tuy Hoa
(Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Flew back to Long Thanh this afternoon
stopped at Tuy Hoa

Monday, February 8, 1971 Long Thanh North
(Letter Home)
On detail building hangers out of cement tinker toys
should get flight pay and PFC

Tuesday, February 9, 1971 Da Nang
(Letter Home)
Back to Da Nang
Left 0800 this morning
1 mission - 4 hrs. 15 min.

Saturday, February 13, 1971 Da Nang
(Letter Home)
Went to China Beach, used roll of film coming back through the villages

Sunday, February 14, 1971 Da Nang
(Letter Home)
China Beach today, got a whole stack of mail today

Tuesday, February 16, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Took a roll of slide film to Gunfighter PX

Wednesday, February 17, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw "Love Bug" at the RPI tonight

Saturday, February 20, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Package due today, didn't come
Whole day at China Beach

Tuesday, February 23, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw "Boatnicks" at RPI
China Beach Noon - 4 pm
Supposed to go back to Long Thanh tomorrow

Wednesday, February 24, 1971 Tuy Hoa, Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Arrived Long Thanh 3:30 pm via Tuy Hoa
Got package today

Thursday, February 25, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Got 28 letters today

Saturday, February 27, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Sat in Avionics shop today
Got a package of 'goodies'

Tuesday, March 2, 1971 Long Than North (Letter Home)
Sent $100 money order home
Supposed to ship to Da Nang tomorrow

Wednesday, March 3, 1971 Qui Nhon, Da Nang (Letter Home)
Arrived at Da Nang this evening, stopped at Qui Nhon on the way up.

Thursday, March 4, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hours, up 3:30 am in Satellite 038
Mess hall got hit by rocket this morning about 4:30 am while I was gone
Put roll of slide film in Gunfighter PX

Friday, March 5, 1971 Da Nang, Phu Bai (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hours 15 min, up at 11 pm yesterday till 4 am today on Satellite 000
Add 1 mission, stopped at Phu Bai
Band at RPI tonight
On standby

Saturday, March 6, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw movie "the Adventurer" at Gunfighter
No mail
Still on standby

Sunday, March 7, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Send slides home(18)
Saw 'Tell me you love me Junie Moon'
Finally got mail

Monday, March 8, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Moved to new hootch behind personnel building

Thursday, March 11, 1971 Da Nang
Mission kicked off
standby at airfield 3 pm to 7 pm
never took off

Friday, March 12, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw "Grasshopper" at main compound

Saturday, March 13, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Put radios in Satellite 027 this morning,
picked up three pants from tailor, put two in

Tuesday, March 16, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw "Support your Local Sheriff" at main compound

Wednesday, March 17, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hrs. 45 min. on Satellite 061
Saw "Airport" at main compound

Thursday, March 18, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Got pictures back from Montgomery Wards

Friday, March 19, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Got stuck in traffic jam going to Red Beach
Saw 'Bob Whites' at RPI

Saturday, March 20, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw movie 'the Great Bank Robbery' at main compound

Sunday, March 21, 1971 Da Nang
China Beach
Saw 'Rascals' at RPI
Saw 'Graduate' at main compound

Monday, March 22, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Put radios in plane that came up
Will start flying one radio check mission a day

Tuesday, March 23, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Keyed crypto guns this morning
no mail
Mailed film to Wards

Wednesday, March 24, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Keyed guns
Saw 'Dirty Dingus McGee' at MAFC

Thursday, March 25, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Supposed to fly radio check but didn't
keyed guns

Friday, March 26, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Keyed guns, played pool and pingpong
Kelm and Harrelson left today

Saturday, March 27, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Keyed guns, put floor mike switch in 061,
finished roll of slide film

Sunday, March 28, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Got 2 packages today
Put cables on two planes going south today

Monday, March 29, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
2 rocket attacks early this morning
Paulson and Duff flew to Quangtri for briefing
start flying tomorrow night

Wednesday, March 31, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hours, Satellite 013

Thursday, April 1, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
mission cancelled for tonight
Paulson went back to get payed
no mail and no pay yet

Friday, April 2, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Got payed and got 22 letters
Kelm came back up

Saturday, April 3, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Went to Freedom Hill PX and bowling alley today

Sunday, April 4, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw 'Alices Restaurant" at MC
Band at RPI
Keyed guns for mission starting 6 am

Monday, April 5, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Got pictures back from Wards and mailed them home
Mission put off till tomorrow

Tuesday, April 6, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Bowling at Freedom Hill
Mission kicked off, I fly tomorrow morning

Wednesday, April 7, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 5 hrs 15 min. on Satellite 000
Got slides back from PX and mailed them home

Friday, April 9, 1971 Da Nang, Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Flew back to Long Thanh this afternoon, didn't log it

Saturday, April 10, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Found out I'm on flight orders today
Mailed film to Wards.

Monday, April 12, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh (Letter Home)
Got materials for USAFI course today (oceanography)
Turned in TDY orders at Long Binh

Tuesday, April 13, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Sat in avionics shop all day

Wednesday April 14, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh (Letter Home)
Went to Long Binh to pick up TDY pay, $148.38

Thursday, April 15, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Checked relay banks all day

Friday, April 16, 1971 Long Thanh North
Checked the rest of the relay banks this morning
Sgt. Davis took them to Phu Loi this afternoon

Saturday, April 17, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Had a little OJT today. Installed FM controller head, transponder and ???? and switch in chopper control stick.

Sunday, April 18, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Hot, Pool closed, game of Monopoly this evening
Had lunch and supper at the club

Monday, April 19, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Duff and Kelm went to Da Nang this morning

Wednesday, April 21, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Was supposed to go north today but Kelm and Duff came back down
Mission never started
Practice alert this evening

Thursday, April 22, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Played a game of horse shoes and Monopoly this morning

Friday, April 23, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Paulson left this morning
Worked morning, off afternoon, worked night.
Radio banks back from Phu Loi

Saturday, April 24, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Got one set of banks working
Supposed to ship to Da Nang tomorrow morning
Got SP4 today
Got pictures back from Wards

Sunday, April 25, 1971 Long Thanh North, Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 2 hrs, Satellite 000
Flew to Da Nang
Rocket attack

Monday, April 26, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
China Beach today
Rocket attack

Wednesday, April 28, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
China Beach
Saw movie "Norwood" at RPI

Thursday, April 29, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
China Beach
'Duh Hornets' band at RPI

Saturday, May 1, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Rained all day
Saw movie 'The last Day of the War' at the MAFC
Expecting typhoon tonight

Sunday, May 2, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 1 hr., Satellite 073
Supposed to go to NaTrang but turned back

Wednesday, May 5, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
China Beach for a while but too windy

Thursday, May 6, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Drizzled all day
Supposed to go back south tomorrow

Friday, May 7, 1971 Da Nang, Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Duff and Currin went south this morning
Kelm and I came back at 2 pm, left Da Nang, stopped at Marble Mountain

Saturday, May 8, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Bought a couple of casettes today

Sunday, May 9, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Worked on Satellite 679 and061 this morning

Monday, May 10, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Put in for TDY pay
Had picture taken for flight record
Put 2 mike cords in choppers

Tuesday, May 11, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh (Letter Home)
Went to Long Binh for TDY pay, got two pair of nomex and gloves

Wednesday, May 12, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Off this afternoon
Got two sets of nomex liferized today
They took our M-16's away from us today

Friday, May 14, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Replace radars in two planes

Saturday, May 15, 1971 Long Thanh North
Mission kicked off this evening
Worked till 3 am Sunday on Satellite 038 and 000
Didn't fly, standby

Sunday, May 16, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Worked on Satellite 000 radios
Hooked front bank as middle band with 3rd as spare

Wednesday, May 19, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Off today
Alert 5:30 pm - 11 pm

Thursday, May 20, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
On detail this morning moving timbers
Electric off in hanger all day
Took a jog to back gate

Friday, May 21, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Put UHF control head in 009

Sunday, May 23, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Took banks out of 000
Put C-1611 in 013

Monday, May 24, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Put FM control head in chopper and FM in another
Got magazines
Put banks in conex

Tuesday, May 25, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics
No mail
Burm detail

Wednesday, May 26, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Seacord on detail
No mail
Put radar in 001, took Loran? out of 027

Thursday, May 27, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics
Duff off
Got mail

Friday, May 28, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Pulled guard from Noon to 6 pm on conex

Saturday, May 29, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Half day work
Guard midnight Saturday to 6 am on Sunday morning
Band at club

Sunday, May 30, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Guard duty midnight to 6 am

Monday, May 31, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Guard duty 6 am - Noon for Duff
Got payed

Tuesday, June 1, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Rained at 1 pm
Printed a few more pictures

Wednesday, June 2, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Guard duty midnight to 6 am

Thursday, June 3, 1971 Long Thanh North
Rigged 013, 038 and 073 for mission up north
Supposed to ship Saturday
Guard duty 6 am - noon

Friday, June 4, 1971 Long Thanh North
Supposed to ship to Da Nang
Re-rigged 038, 013.
073 sprung a fuel leak

Saturday, June 5, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Seacord to Da Nang in 013
Me to Da Nang in 038
Rocket attack just before landing
Rigged 073 before I left
1 mission DCS, 038, 2 hrs. 30 min.

Sunday, June 6, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Standby till Monday
Deskin drunkerrrrr!
Rocket attack midnight

Tuesday, June 8, 1971 Da Nang, Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Flew south, 038, 1 mission 2 hrs. 30 min.

Wednesday, June 9, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Took apart CO's air conditioner
Guard duty noon to 6 pm

Thursday, June 10, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Guide-on practice till noon
Noon to 6 pm guard duty
Not feeling well

Friday, June 11, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Guard duty 6 pm to midnight
Did PM on CO's air conditioner

Monday, June 14, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Sent $500 home
Ordered slide projector and stuff from PATC and ATC

Tuesday, June 15, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Went to parade practice by chopper
Went to USO show

Thursday, June 17, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Was guide-on bearer for change of command ceremony
Duff says me and Seacord are on his ARCOM orders
Checked banks

Sunday, June 20, 1971 Nha Trang
Shipped to Nha Trang
Radio Relay
1 mission DCS 1 hr 000
1 mission CA 4 hr. 000

Monday, June 21, 1971 Nha Trang (Letter Home)
Would not release us to go south
Stayed overnight at the 21st Signal Transient barracks

Wednesday, June 23, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Cleaned orderly room
Checked radio banks
Moss moved out
Duff left this morning
De-rigged 061

Thursday, June 24, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Checked radio banks all day
Completed lesson 2 of USAFI course

Friday, June 25, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
R&U detail building APO (post office)
Put radar antenna in 061

Saturday, June 26, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Checked radar in a couple of ships

Sunday, June 27, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh
Went to Long Binh, got a ride on an APC
Put HF in 001

Monday, June 28, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
R&U building APO
Guard duty

Tuesday, June 29, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Half day off
Got soaked working after 5 pm

Wednesday, June 30, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionic and checking radio banks
Got payed $348
De-rigged 071
Rigged 027

Thursday, July 1, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh (Letter Home)
On ammo detail to Long Binh

Friday, July 2, 1971 Long Than North, Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Took 5 banks to Vung Tau

Saturday, July 3, 1971 Long Than North
Avionics - radar in 038
Col. Dickinson came for inspection
Guard duty

Monday, July 5. 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Supply detail till 11:30 am
Checked set of banks for cipher
All but middle ok, no xmit

Tuesday, July 6, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Found good set of banks by using by using three rear banks plus parts

Saturday, July 10, 1971 Long Thanh North
Burm detail laying concertina wire
Guard duty

Sunday, July 11, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
OFF
Practice alert 9:30 pm

Monday, July 12, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail in morning
Avionics afternoon
Checked banks in 027, ok
Going to Vung Tau tomorrow

Tuesday, July 13, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Arrived Vung Tau
Checked banks, need new KY-28

Wednesday, July 14, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Found voltage dropped with 2 banks (KY 28 trouble)
No good banks yet

Thursday, July 15, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
By 4 pm had two banks working secure

Friday, July 16, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Those two banks didn't work this morning, blew fuses in 6 RT's
Power supply not working right

Saturday, July 17, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Stayed at shop till 10:30, left
still didn't have power supply

Monday, July 19, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Got 220 line, also got rectifier from Long Thanh
Still a lot of problems

Tuesday, July 20, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Got 2 banks working
Need HYL-3
Asked for my mail today

Wednesday, July 21, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Got 3 banks working
Got HYl-3's and Ky's but didn't get mail
Kinzel and Bevins came with stuff

Thursday, July 22, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Found problems in xmode connectors on Cont. amps
Attempted repair
Status still questionable
No mail

Friday, July 23, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Got 3 new bad banks today
Sent two fixed ones back
Got 20 letters today

Saturday, July 24, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Civilians didn't show today
Fixed 3 banks myself
Got 4 RT's and 3 more Amps

Monday, July 26, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Need batteries
Could not get through and they didn't call me

Tuesday, July 27, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Wasted day
No plane with supplies
Repaired two amps (pin pulling out - blue wire)

Wednesday, July 28, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Got all but one bank working
Got batteries and mail

Thursday, July 29, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Sent three banks out got three more

Friday, July 30, 1971 Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Returned to Long Thanh to get payed

Saturday, July 31, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Rigged 000, 013, 061 for Relay standby to Da Nang
Put radar in 013 and 061

Sunday, August 1, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
De-rigged 013, rigged 027
Put HF in 001

Monday, August 2, 1971 Long Thanh North, Can Tho, Binh Tuy, Vung Tau (Letter Home)
Went to Vung Tau by way of Can Tho and Binh Tuy to pick up 3 radio racks

Tuesday, August 3, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Shipped to Da Nang
Arrived at 10:30, 1 mission 2 hrs. 30 min. 000
027 sabotaged
Standby at 7:30 pm

Wednesday, August 4, 1971 Da Nang, Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Hot at 5 AM, mission terminated at 11:30 am just before I was due to fly
Back to Long Thanh, 1 mission, 2 hr. 30 min.

Thursday, August 5, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Took radar out of 061, de-rigged 013 and 038
Supposed to be on burm detail but cancelled
Slept instead
Davis mentioned E5 board

Friday, August 6, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Reparied mike cord on 420
Put tags on relay banks

Monday, August 9, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics till 9 then on detail picking up pre-fab bunker at Long Binh

Tuesday, August 10, 1971 Long Thanh North
Found out I had guard on bunker 2 at 9 pm, walked out

Thursday, August 12, 1971 Long Thanh North, Vung Tau (Letter Home)
To Vung Tau, returned 7 pm

Friday, August 13, 1971 Long Thanh North, Vung Tau (Letter Home)
To Vung Tau, returned 4 pm
Brought back two banks
Rigged 073 and 009

Saturday, August 14, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Band at Club
Supposed to have a mission tomorrow AM to Da Nang or Binh Tuy

Sunday, August 15, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Arrived Da Nang
1 mission DCS 2 hrs. 30 min.
Up 9:15 am, 1 mission RR 4 hrs. 20 min.073

Monday, August 16, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission 4 hrs. 20 min. 009 up 1:30 am
1 mission 4 hrs. 45 min 061 up 5:30 pm

Wednesday, August 18, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission 4 hrs. 45 min. 000 up 2 AM
1 mission 4 hrs. 30 min 073

Thursday, August 19, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
1 mission 4 hrs. 15 min. up 1:30 PM 061
Put on standby 9 pm

Friday, August 20, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Went HOT 9 am, on station 10:30 am
Back on standby just before I was to take off

Saturday, August 21, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
No fly, standby
1 ship to leave tomorrow with Kadramas and Claybough

Sunday, August 22, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Standby
Claybough, Kadramas, Obrient, Cheney, Skoog went south on 009 and 061
038 and 073 still left here

Tuesday, August 24, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Standby
Saw 'Some Kind of a nut' at MAFC

Wednesday, August 25, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw 'A new leaf' at MAFC
Saw ' Danger Diabolic" at RPI

Thursday, August 26, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Washed clothes at officers quarters
Saw 'Barefoot Executive' at RPI

Friday, August 27, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Went to see 'Move' at MAFC
Got called out, Beckman and Sylvester went south with 073

Saturday, August 28, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, 3 hrs 038 up 8:45 am
Saw 'How to commit marriage'
Beckman came, Murphy left

Sunday, August 29, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw 'Joe' at MAFC
Finished reading 'Earth Tool Kit'

Monday, August 30, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Berry and Schenning left
Carlson and Krieder came
Saw 'Raid on Rommel' at RPI

Wednesday, September 1, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Got pictures from Wards
Saw 'The body stealers' at RPI

Thursday, September 2, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Spent most of day at 12 Grp. Marble Mountain
Beckman went to party at German Hospital boat tonight

Friday, September 3, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Returned to Long Thanh, 1 mission DCS, 038, 2 hrs

Saturday, September 4, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh
Went to Long Binh and put in for TDY to Nha Trang, Vung Tau and Da Nang

Sunday, September 5, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Caught some rays on the bunker, OFF

Monday, September 6, 1971 Long Thanh North
Picked up TDY to Vung Tau and Nha Trang
Didn't get payed
Guard duty on Tower 45

Tuesday, September 7, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Off morning, Col. Dickerson to come inspect tomorrow
Checked out radios in 027
Supposed to go to Vung Tau tomorrow

Wednesday, September 8, 1971 Long Thanh North, Vung Tau
Went to Vung Tau and hit beach
Red Alert 11:30 pm
2 mission DCS 30 min. each

Thursday, September 9, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Off morning
on detail cleaning M-16 magazines in afternoon
Worked evening in Avionics
Started night shift today

Friday, September 10, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Off morning
Rigged 027,038,061 for radio relay to Da Nang
Due take off 10 am

Saturday, September 11, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission DCS, 038, 2 hrs. 15 min. to Da Nang
Arrived Da Nang 2 pm
On standby supposed to standby at Quang Tri during day

Sunday, September 12, 1971 Da Nang, Quang Tri, Hue/Phu Bai
Saw 'Paint your wagon' at MAFC
061 1 mission to Quang Tri at 6 pm
7 pm stopped at Hue/Phu Bai

Monday, September 13, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Saw "Paint your wagon' at MAFC
Got some sun on the bunker outside

Tuesday, September 14, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
Saw 'How to Frame a figg' at MAFC
Saw 'Makenzie Break' at RPI

Friday, September 17, 1971 Da Nang (Letter Home)
1 mission, practice, 061 5 hrs. up 2 pm
MACV club

Sunday, September 19, 1971 Da Nang, Hue and AO, Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
3 missions 061 to Hue and Ao and Hue to Da Nang 2 pm
1 mission 061 returned to Long Thanh 2 hrs. arrived 8:30 pm

Monday, September 20, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
off morning, Avionics afternoon
56th fixing control amps
night shift cancelled

Tuesday, September 21, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Got amps back from 56th
Checked some more problems with racks
Quit 6 pm

Wednesday, September 22, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail building bunker 1

Thursday, September 23, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics
Got papers for drivers license
Had rain all afternoon

Saturday, September 25, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
off morning
Company party
Beckman says they will mail TDY money

Monday, September 27, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail, may try to get permanent tower guard

Tuesday, September 28, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail
Asked Skaggs about permanent tower guard

Wednesday, September 29, 1971 Long Thanh North, Nui Ba Den
Tower guard 6 am to noon
1 mission 027, 3 hr 45 min. RR to Nui Ba Den

Thursday, September 30, 1971 Long Thanh North, Nui Ba Den (Letter Home)
1 mission RR 009 5 hrs. Nui Ba Den

Friday, October 1, 1971 Long Thanh North, Nui Ba Den (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
1 mission, RR 027 4 hr. 30 min.

Saturday, October 2, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Took off morning, avionics afternoon
1 hr. RR standby
May have practice mission tomorrow

Sunday, October 3, 1971 Long Thanh North
Off
De-rigged 061
Kadramas flew 009 test flight, unsuccessful, bad pushes

Tuesday, October 5, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail
Flew test flight 009, still unsuccessful, Saigon no answer
1 mission 55 min. 009, down 5 pm

Wednesday, October 6, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Burm detail building bunker 46
worked through lunch so afternoon off

Thursday, October 7, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Test flight 009 for pictures
Went to Long Binh took rack to have pictures taken
1 mission 009, 45 min.

Sunday, October 10.,1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
OFF
USO show in afternoon
Zip band in evening

Monday, October 11, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
on detail building ammo boxes

Tuesday, October 12, 1971 Long Thanh North, Nui Ba Den, Tay Ninh
9 missions, 009, 1 hr. 30 min. RRT Successful
1 mission 009, 4 hr. 30 min. up 7 pm
Nui Ba Den, Tay Ninh

Wednesday, October 13, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
1 mission 009 5 hr 10 min. up 7 am
Log one extra, stopped Sanford for fuel, Long Thanh no power
1 mission, 009, 4 hr 45 min. up 7 pm

Thursday, October 14, 1971 Long Thanh North, Bien Hoa (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
2 missions 027, up 3 pm, 6 hr. 10 min.
Stopped Bien Hoa for fuel
Mission on standby

Saturday, October 16, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Checked radios in 038 OK

Monday, October 18, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night shift Avionics

Tuesday, October 19, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night shift Avionics
De-rigged 038

Wednesday, October 20, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night shift Avionics
Lots of work on 061

Thursday, October 21, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Quit 7 pm

Friday, October 22, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Quit 7 pm

Saturday, October 23, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
OFF, rode shotgun on truck to Long Binh
Rigged 009

Sunday, October 24, 1971 Long Thanh North, Pleiku (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
1 mission, DCS, 013 1 hr. 15 min.
Arrived Pleiku

Monday, October 25, 1971 Pleiku (Letter Home)
1 mission, 013, 3 hrs.
Departed Pleiku, returned to Long Thanh

Tuesday, October 26, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Had day off till 6:30, worked till 10:30

Wednesday, October 27, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night shift Avionics

Thursday, October 28, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Friday, October 29, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
2 missions, DCS,038 to Vung Tau to pick up HYL-3's, 1 hr.

Monday, November 1, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Missed USO show at 5 pm
All girl zip band at 8 pm
mailed film to Kodak

Tuesday, November 2, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Quit 7:30 pm

Wednesday, November 3, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Thursday, November 4, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Saturday, November 6, 1971 Long Thanh North
OFF
Company party to celebrate new hot water heater

Sunday, November 7, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
OFF
Special services show twice at club

Monday, November 8, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics
Quit 8 pm to club see Japanese Band

Tuesday, November 9, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Wednesday, November 10, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Thursday, November 11, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Friday, November 12, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night Shift Avionics

Saturday, November 13, 1971 Long Thanh North
Worked Afternoon and till 11:30 pm

Monday, November 15, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics nightshift

Tuesday, November 16, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Avionics nightshift

Wednesday, November 17, 1971 Long Thanh North
Send letter to gran
nightshift avionics
Quit 7:30 pm

Wednesday, November 18, 1971 to Saturday, November 27, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
(no diary entries) (It was on the 18th I found out I was getting a 30 day drop and would be leaving Vietnam around Christmas Day, and a few days later I also confirmed that I'd be getting a 179 day Christmas "Early Out" which meant not only that I'd be leaving Vietnam, but getting out of the Army too! I guess my head was spinning. I continued to write home about the news but for some reason the entries in the diary stopped for this period and there was just a big X thru each date)

Sunday, November 28, 1971 Long Thanh North, Cam Ran, Nha Trang, Quin Nhon, Marble Mountain, Hue/Phu Bai
Flew CE on 000
7 missions, 7 hr. 15. min
Stopped Cam Ran, Nha Trang, Quin Nhon, Marble Mountain, Hue/Phu Bai

Monday, November 29, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Night shift avionics

Wednesday, December 1, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Started this evening as headcount

Saturday, December 4, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Headcount
mailed package home

Monday, December 13, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Headcount breakfast and dinner
Off rest of day

Thursday, December 16, 1971 Long Thanh North, Long Binh (Letter Home)
OFF
Took Urin test at Long Binh

Friday, December 17, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home)
Got shots at dispensary
OFF

Saturday, December 18, 1971 Long Thanh North (Letter Home) (Letter Home)
Got clearing papers
Cleared Dispensary, Re-up NCO, Supply

Sunday, December 19, 1971 Long Thanh North, 10,000 ft. above Nui Ba Den Mountain(Letter Home)
OFF (Though I didn't record it in this diary I actually flew the first radio relay flight for a mission to Nui Ba Den on this Sunday morning. Unbelievable since I had already started processing out.)

Tuesday, December 21, 1971 Long Binh
Signed out
Had to hitchhike to personnel
Capt. Bevins gave me a ride to 90th

Thursday, December 23, 1971 Da Nang
Left 90th by C-130 to 510th Replacent in Da Nang

As I recall I finally left Vietnam on the day after Christmas and was home and mustered out of the Army within a few days.