Thursday, 1 Feb ’68

Sgt. Davies returned today from 30 days in Spain.

I now have the promotion thing straightened out. When the Captain did not show up for the Board Meeting, S/Sgt. Clemens attended it and turned in the names.

Yesterday, the warrants were typed up and the promotions were entered in our record books. All we have to wait for now is the warrants to be handed out. They are in this position and I am a Corporal.

We took about 50 rounds of 120mm-mortars and almost as many 152mm-arty pieces. The Cam Lo bridge was attacked by some NVA today. Fox 2/9 killed 90 and captured 5. One of the girls in the vill, (village) everybody knew her by name, was found out to be an NVA and she was shooting at our men.

To top it off, they found a "gook" floating in the river with a hole in his head. A confirmed NVA, too. He was the barber in Cam Lo who gave me a "Buddha" haircut and a shave. Whew!

Cpl. Alayon says get up when we want, just so we are shaved, gone to chow, clean rifle and bunker clean, so today, Sgt. Davies woke us at 0630.

Sunday, 4 Feb ’68

Midnight to 0600 Radio Watch. I am so short that when I stepped out of the bunk this morning, I nearly drowned in the heavily dewed grass.

About 1300, we caught about 50 – 75 rounds of 120mm-mortars.

Monday, 5 Feb ’68

I filled out a "Fleet - Home - town - news - release" about my making corporal today. I fill one out every time I leave or enter a base and I haven’t had one printed yet.

Col. Donewell came a’visitin today.

Tuesday, 6 Feb ’68

Today, I received my Corporal Warrant. When Sgt. Roberts saw me afterwards, he said, "I don’t know who Worden is, but he shore must be outstanding. He’s so outstanding in the field, why, heck, he got so much backing on making Corporal from his work, he ought to be up for Sargent pretty soon." Sgt. Roberts is a colored guy.

Ever since I have been back in the Battery, we have beer call nearly every night except when we were out, and it will be weird when I don’t got a (free) daily beer at home.

I finally got back to Mass again today. It has been several weeks.

No mail. No body is getting any.

Tonight, I began "distributing" my extra gear to the members of Comm and FCD. I hung a "FOR SALE" sign on my rack.

Midnight to 0600 – Radio Watch. I am so short that this morning I walked outside for a while and looked for a razor blade lying on the ground. When I found one, I just rubbed my face up against it to shave. I hardly have time enough to heat a cup of coffee. I may have missed my plane if I wait that long.

Barnett has not received his flight date.

This evening, "Rich" and I had a photo session. We took some "Short timer" photos.   In preparing for this photo session, we squatted down, and pulled our blouses (Marine for shirts) down over our knees making it appear as though we were only three feet tall. All of our Comm buddies joined in and had a ball with the idea. These photos are dark because they were taken with a 35mm camera after sundown with no flash, for obvious reasons.

Friday, 9 Feb ’68

Noon to 1800 – Radio Watch today. My last Radio Watch in Viet Nam.

Lt. Barclay said we’d leave this afternoon…or tomorrow morning for the rear; probably, the latter.

Johnny Johnson is leaving today to go to Language School. I’m sure he’ll enjoy it.

Saturday, 10 Feb ’68

Last night, about 2130, Gatewood got word that his dad had passed away. He left today for emergency leave.

I left C-2 and am presently in Dong Ha. The first of last steps to going home.

I saw Fred tonight. We carried on quite a conversation.

Sunday, 11 Feb ’68

Some how or another, I got hooked into working. Believe me, I did very little.

C-2 (where I just left) was hit today with about 40 120mm-rockets. Their cook was hit in his foot. A grunt was killed. All of Echo’s people are all right.

Still no work on Grumpy’s orders.

I took a half way worm shower tonight.

Am sending a package home with a few extras…

Monday, 12 Feb ’68

Cpl. Burr, Cpl. Johnson and myself were put on working party today, but we never reported. I got some souvenirs.

I had my final supper at Dong Ha.

Cpl. Burr and I said "good bye" to everybody in Echo-rear this morning around 0830.

At the Dong Ha airport, we met Sgt. Nichols. He was a PFC in Radio school with us in San Diego.

"Would all passengers please have their boarding passes ready as they board the aircraft."

We finally reached Da Nang VIA a C-130 Air Force plane. 

Once we got here, we ran into Cpl. Gerbovitch and L/Cpl. Moore. Both were PFCs in school. Both entered school, a Private, like me.

Tonight, I am sleeping on a mattress that is at least 8 inches thick. Decent!

Wednesday, 14 Feb ’68

I awoke at 0430, ate by 0630 – got tickets – leaving tomorrow morning around 0730, supposedly via Continental Aircraft (Commercial.)

I spent the day at the USO, PX, Snack Bar, Red Cross (They had real, actual (young) female nurses there.)

Sleeping at "Da Nang Hilton" again tonight.

Thursday, 15 Feb ’68

…departed Da Nang at 0830 on a Continental 707 Jet. Due to arrive in Okinawa, approximately 1230.

Arrived-raining. Met Coy and Harris going home.

Friday, 16 Feb ’68

Messed around all day. Got most of everything done. …have to wait…said we would probably leave the 19^th. Three whole days.

I saw a pretty good movie tonight. In the Heat of the Night with Sidney Poitiea. I’d try to spell that again but it’d be worse than the first time...any way, the colored guy who looks like Johnny Mathis. So much for today.

Saturday, 17 Feb ’68

Barnett arrived on Okinawa today. 
(If you were like me, you were probably wondering if he was ever going to make it out.)

I leave on the 19^th about 1500. Rich and I went to the movie tonight…The Appaloosa with Marlin Brando.

Sunday, 18 Feb ’68

I went to Mass today … in a real church, with pews and kneelers and stuff.

It’s raining today.

Monday, 19 Feb ’68

Last night, Richard and I went to see The Way West, a real cute movie.

This is the day! I could be home tonight.

As I was leaving Handsen to go to Kadema, I saw Vernon, Maglya and Argabrite. I just had time to shake hands and leave.

Last night, while I slept, some one relieved me of my "1896" silver dollar and the Zippo lighter Dad gave me on my 20^th Birthday. Fortunately, they overlooked the cameo earrings that were in the same pair of trousers.

Well, I’m on my way home now, aboard a "Flying Tiger" airplane. We left Kadeena Air Force Base at 1500 on the 19^th and we’ll arrive at Norton Air Base, California at 0930 on the 19^th. I’ll be in Savannah by midnight, or shortly thereafter.

I will probably be in quite a tizzy between now and the time I finally get home, so I will close…oh yes, I sat on aisle 13 on the plane.

I will close.

P.S.: I landed in California 7 hours before I took off.  We landed at 0830 on 19 Feb 1968 after we left Okinawa that afternoon at 1530, 19 Feb 1968.

[In my journal] the following six pages will be were left blank in memory of those who lost so much sleep on the flight over…me for one. Now, after 33 years, we have caught up on most of that sleep, so those pages will be fully utilized here.

I’ve been up 25 hours already. It’s 1315 and I don’t even get to Savannah ‘till 0030 so I probably won’t get to sleep before 0300.

Call signs I used as a Radio Operator in Viet Nam:

Pretext Echo Pilsner

Pretext 8Alpha Pilsner 14

Pretext 24 Pilsner 22

Carrottop Pilsner 62

Carrottop 14 Pilsner 63

Carrottop 22 Pilsner Golf

Carrottop 24 Pilsner Golf 3

Bayway Delta Tiger Hotel

Isthmus Echo

Isthmus Echo

Isthmus Echo L-Z

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