The good Chaplain said 'It will take you several months to settle in.' His advice was sound. Still, I didn't have a clue what it really meant being in a War Zone. If you can imagine M*A*S*H* encampment you'll get the idea.
Loud speakers blared at Camp LBJ (Long Binh Junction) directing us to our permanent assignments.
There were thousands of GIs coming and going. As we all were bedecked in OD fatigues we had one identity: An employee of Uncle Sam! Hey, what the heck..make the most of it! My assignment came and we flew in a Caribou over the lush green forest to the port city of Cap St. James.
I recall distinctly the words of Captain David Kitchen, our CO:
'YOU HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED TO THE BEST PLACE IN THE WAR ZONE!" The OD tents and Quonset Huts bedecked with sand bags were our welcome mats. In our hooch mosquito nets hung around each bunk. This was now my home...10,000 miles away from real home!
It seems all war zones beckon support troops. This was no different.. from Army engineers to men of the Signal Corps we existed in unison to our assigned details. I was an Army Medic trained to zap soldiers! All of the disciplines of the Medical Corps were represented working at the 36th Evacuation Hospital. Casualties were flown in, either to be treated in Vung Tau or Med-evaced to Japan or the States.
The American Red Cross was represented in my compound. Eleanor Koop, Vivian Oliala and Ann James were befriended by yours truly and made my daily trip to the chow hall fun! It was Vivian who had been to Australia on her R&R tipped me off "Stay at the Wentworth Hotel, Sydney,Bob." I did.
As the months went by I learned the ropes.. from dealing in the Black Market to being a spokesman on Venereal Diseases to our troops! I, too, was a Mail Clerk for my group of 16 soldiers.
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| Mother was very upset when I told her "VIETNAM!" |
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