Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam Page #5

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your eyes either.

Oh, God, it must be awful

for them out there.

Love always, me."

"Dear Mom and Dad,

and everyone...

oh, I had my first baptizing

with Saigon tea."

"This is the usual approach

of a bar hog.

You walk in and sit down

at the bar.

Before you get to order a drink,

a girl will be sitting next to you

and she'll begin with...

'Hello, what is your name?

Would you like a drink?'

You order one.

Then she'll say,

'I've not see you here before.

You're very handsome.

You look young.

How old are you?'

They usually like you to be 21 and 23,

but I tell them 19.

Then they say,

'You baby-san!'

Which means, 'Have you ever been

to bed with a woman?"'

"A baby-san's a virgin.

Ha, come on!"

I wish I could report to you

that the conflict is

almost over.

This I cannot do.

We face more costs,

more loss,

and more agony,

for the end is not yet.

I cannot promise you

that it will come this year...

or come next year.

Our adversary still believes,

I think, tonight

that he can go on fighting

longer than we can,

and longer than we

and our allies

will be prepared to stand up

and resist.

Roger. If they come up

to where you are,

I'll be going at them

in the same direction.

I want to try

to flank them.

That's why I'm asking

what direction you're firing in.

It sounds to me like

you're firing east. Over.

This is Elmo, did not copy.

Repeat, over.

What direction

are you firing in?

- Come in on the other flank. Over.

- That's affirmative.

You can fire that way.

Negative! Don't fire any way.

We're surrounded by friendlies.

Return incoming fire

from there!

- Returning fire, sir!

- What did he say?

Escort platoon, they're trying

to overrun these woods.

"Dear Madeline,

it's good to have someone

to tell your troubles to.

I can't tell them to my parents

or Darlene 'cause they worry too much,

but I tell you truthfully

I doubt if I'll come out of this alive.

In my original squad

I'm the only one left unharmed."

"In my platoon there's

only 13 of us.

It seems every day another young guy,

18 or 19 years old

like myself,

is killed in action.

Please, help me, Mad.

I don't know if I should stop

writing my parents and Darlene or what."

Come on!

"Oh, and one more favor,

I'd like the truth now.

Has Darlene been

faithful to me?

I know she's dating

other guys,

but does she still

love me best?

See if it's God's will.

I have to make it out

of Vietnam though,

because I'm lucky.

I hope.

Ha ha.

Love, Ray."

Okay, watch out.

Okay, up!

I've got it.

"Dear Doug,

we were cut off

from our base

and requested a helicopter

evacuation with a priority.

We were

all in sad shape now.

I know that at one point,

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