It was a very muggy and humid day when I stepped down from a military transport plane at TAN SON NHUT AIRPORT in Saigon, South Vietnam. It was Sept. 3, 1967, and the rainy season was at it it's peak.
Brown puddles of water covered most of the streets and mud was all over my well-shined combat boots. Our group was taken to the TRANSIENT BARRACKS, the berthing accommodations are bare essentials and the meals are nothing to look forward to. I already started to miss the berthing and meals onboard my old ships.
Our American dollars were substituted with MILITARY PAYMENT CERTIFICATES (MPC) which I called "Mickey Mouse" money. The following day, our group was taken to the U.S. Army Headquarters for briefing and to update our personal records, PARTICULARLY our emergency or NEXT OF KIN records. This, at first hand, gave me an idea of what I was in for. This was no longer an IDEA of BEING in war, this was now a REALITY of war.
Each one of us were given our assigned RIVER SECTION for duty. I was assigned to RIVER SECTION 532, homebased at Mytho, South Vietnam. There were no scheduled or military transport going to Mytho, so I had to wait for a convoy from Mytho to arrive in Saigon, and ride this convoy back to Mytho. With this break, I had a chance to look around Saigon, PARTICULARLY the BARS, CLUBS, and the pretty Vietnamese girls in their "audai". This didn't last long, because the following morning I was called to the TRANSIENT OFFICE, and was given my orders to ride with a convoy going to Mytho.
An M-14 rifle was issued to me, and as I held it, all my doubts about being in war were erased. It was a long and tense ride to Mytho. Sitting EXPOSED on top of an OPEN 6 x 6 truck with military cargo is NOT in any way a COMFORTABLE ride. An enemy AMBUSH was imminent at any time. I was truly doing some HEAVY PRAYING as well as calling all the guardian angels and saints I knew to give me a safe passage to Mytho. And it did. After numerous check points, our convoy FINALLY arrived in Mytho safely in the late afternoon of SEPT. 6, 1967. I submitted my orders to the office of River Section 532, and thus began my venture in VIETNAM.
In the office, I was met by LT. FUSCALDO, Commanding Officer of River Section 532. I was given a briefing about our "patrol areas" and the DO's and DONT's of RIVER WARFARE. I really didn't give too much concern about all of these. My mind was focused on only one thing: to RIDE and FEEL my BOAT, PBR (Patrol Boat, River) 142.
The boat was out on patrol at that time, so I had to wait until the following day to meet the boat captain that I will relieve, as well as the crew that will be under my command. The long convoy ride took it's toll on me and as soon as I laid on my back I was asleep. It was the ROOSTER's crowing that woke me up the following morning. I dressed up and walked to the office for the morning briefing. I was introduced to the crew of PBR-142, and soon after we were on our way to the BOAT POOL where the PBR's are berthed.
As I stepped onto the deck of PBR-142, a feeling of warmth ignited within me. It was not FEAR nor JOY, but rather of PRIDE, because I knew that I was now fighting for my country.
Brown puddles of water covered most of the streets and mud was all over my well-shined combat boots. Our group was taken to the TRANSIENT BARRACKS, the berthing accommodations are bare essentials and the meals are nothing to look forward to. I already started to miss the berthing and meals onboard my old ships.
Our American dollars were substituted with MILITARY PAYMENT CERTIFICATES (MPC) which I called "Mickey Mouse" money. The following day, our group was taken to the U.S. Army Headquarters for briefing and to update our personal records, PARTICULARLY our emergency or NEXT OF KIN records. This, at first hand, gave me an idea of what I was in for. This was no longer an IDEA of BEING in war, this was now a REALITY of war.
Each one of us were given our assigned RIVER SECTION for duty. I was assigned to RIVER SECTION 532, homebased at Mytho, South Vietnam. There were no scheduled or military transport going to Mytho, so I had to wait for a convoy from Mytho to arrive in Saigon, and ride this convoy back to Mytho. With this break, I had a chance to look around Saigon, PARTICULARLY the BARS, CLUBS, and the pretty Vietnamese girls in their "audai". This didn't last long, because the following morning I was called to the TRANSIENT OFFICE, and was given my orders to ride with a convoy going to Mytho.
An M-14 rifle was issued to me, and as I held it, all my doubts about being in war were erased. It was a long and tense ride to Mytho. Sitting EXPOSED on top of an OPEN 6 x 6 truck with military cargo is NOT in any way a COMFORTABLE ride. An enemy AMBUSH was imminent at any time. I was truly doing some HEAVY PRAYING as well as calling all the guardian angels and saints I knew to give me a safe passage to Mytho. And it did. After numerous check points, our convoy FINALLY arrived in Mytho safely in the late afternoon of SEPT. 6, 1967. I submitted my orders to the office of River Section 532, and thus began my venture in VIETNAM.
In the office, I was met by LT. FUSCALDO, Commanding Officer of River Section 532. I was given a briefing about our "patrol areas" and the DO's and DONT's of RIVER WARFARE. I really didn't give too much concern about all of these. My mind was focused on only one thing: to RIDE and FEEL my BOAT, PBR (Patrol Boat, River) 142.
The boat was out on patrol at that time, so I had to wait until the following day to meet the boat captain that I will relieve, as well as the crew that will be under my command. The long convoy ride took it's toll on me and as soon as I laid on my back I was asleep. It was the ROOSTER's crowing that woke me up the following morning. I dressed up and walked to the office for the morning briefing. I was introduced to the crew of PBR-142, and soon after we were on our way to the BOAT POOL where the PBR's are berthed.
As I stepped onto the deck of PBR-142, a feeling of warmth ignited within me. It was not FEAR nor JOY, but rather of PRIDE, because I knew that I was now fighting for my country.
NEXT: My First Patrol...
No comments:
Post a Comment