AN EXCERPT FROM A LETTER FROM NAM
My Dearest Sara,
How are you sis? Mom and Dad are all right as well? I miss you sis, but that goes without saying doesn't it. It's getting on towards turkey day although we won't be here to enjoy it.
Looks like we'll be leaving Dodge and going back into injun country about that time; no big deal, wouldn't get shit out here anyway, still it would be nice to have something to eat that we didn't have to kill ourselves. Oh well, such is life here in the emerald green void.
Lost another team a few of days ago, poor bastards were doing one of those shitty BDA's and really stepped into it big time. They never had a chance, the gooks were on them almost as soon as they inserted, lost 3 gunships as well. Ole Blue is getting longer.
I led the recovery , had Jed , Roger and JJ's group as well, what a friggen mess, they didn't leave much for us to bring back. Jed, Roger, JJ and I have been talkin about maybe goin huntin for varmints and such. You know like we used to do back home when the varmints got after the cattle and horses and such. One thing for sure is we damn sure have lots of the nasty little sob's to hunt.
It's a bitch over her sis, not bad for me but for the others who have been here for a little bit it's starting to get to them. Lost a great one-one the other day, he ate his 16 We all knew that he was headin down the tough trail but just coldn't help him. He lost one man too many and was in one AC with a bloody floor too many.
Sis, I hope that you know that you have a major fan club over here with these goofy dorks that I'm with. You are the Sweetheart of this group. The packages that you send to all of us are a godsend for their morale and the pictures that you have sent are plastered all over the hooches. Most folks would think that the pictures would have to be nude, but they would be wrong. The photographer that you used was an ace; he brought out who you really are. Everyone has the one of you dressed in your cerominal dress posted on the walls of their hooch and it's in the team room as well. It is such a beautiful picture of you and for me; I can see your guides in it as well. Thank you Sara for sending them to not only me but the rest of the team(s) as well - most don't get any mail and you pictures made their day as well as mine.
You know that JJ is head over heels for you and has been for years, the dumb terd gets all tongue tied when he's around you. You would think that after all of these years he would be able to tell you how he feels but he just smiles and says as long as she's happy that's all that matters and anyone hurts her and I'll skin the sob alive. He means that last part sis, he really does. Have you ever thought about him that way?? I won't tell him if you have I promise. He's a big boy now and has to learn to speak his own words.
How is your clinic coming along?? Do you have enough money now to keep it going?? If not let me know ok? You have a lot of admirers here and like me they have no place to spend money here.
Hello again Sis, going to try and finish this today and get it sent out. How are things there now?? Has it gotten any better for you?? Are those assholes still coming around like they were?? Let me know sis and I'll put a stop to it one way or another. I have leave coming and I can be home in 8 days if I have to be. I'm so tired of these MF'ers doing this to you just because of who you are. Don't these stupid shits know that you are the only competent medical help within a 100 miles. I hope that their God is fond of them because they are going to be in deep shit when I come home. I'll teach them once and for all what happens to those assholes who bother my sister. Dumb SOB's.
Sis, maybe you should consider moving back over to California until I come home for good, You were happy there in the hospital and you were one hell of a lot safer than where you are now. I worry about you being alone there and what could happen to you and no one would be the wiser. Have you told Pa what's going on?? If you haven't, please do and make sure that you tell him everything!! He'll know what to do until I can get home and get you someplace where you'll be safe.
Let me know about you going back to California and I'll make the arrangements. I really do think that it would be safer for you there, at least for the time being. Sara I have to go now, JJ's team has been hit and we are going out after him. I'll write more later.
Hello again Sara, well we got JJ's team in, didn't lose anyone, but they are all shot to doll-rags. Don't worry about JJ, he's not doin too bad. He stopped one in the belly and has a through and through chest wound but he's as tough as old boot leather. Wasn't for him, would have likely lost most of the team. When we caught up with him, he was runnin drag for his team and was carrying 2 of his Bru on his back while the others went on ahead. Sara you should have seen him coming thru the bush backwards, his 2 wounded Bru hanging on for dear life. Between the 3 of them, they had a 360 degree arc of fire. Damn he's a tough sob.
He looks at me when his Bru told him he had company and says "bout time your sorry red-ass showed up here, where ya been, drinking tea or some other shit while us real men do the work??" He gave me that shit-eatin-grin that he has and then collapsed from loss of blood. He's a man to ride the river with sis, he really is.
Sara, it's time for me to close this for now and get back to doin what I get paid to do. Don't worry about me or the others here, we'll get by. Don't worry about JJ, he's doin fine now. A little stiff and sore but he's up an about and rearin to go again; got him some repos for his team; now he has to train them.
I'll be coming home for Xmas as things stand now and I'll be bringing a couple of these terds with me so that you can fatten them up. I'll have Roger and Jed with me and JJ should be showing up right around Xmas day if he can get out of this little bit of paradise. We are due to stand down and re-organize for a bit so we figured to do it at home.
Please ask Ma to set the table for a few extra mouths and tell her that these boys can really eat when they set their minds to it. Pa will like them as well. They ride straight-up and head-on, not a ridge-runner in the lot.
Sara, please take care of yourself and be careful, I've talked to a couple of ole boys who are going to take up residence at your place and help with the stock and such. More to take care of the such than anything else but you can trust them with your life. They know the program and are ready to dance if it comes to that.
Sis, I love you
Marv
©Copyright 1969 by Grey Eagle
The above is an excerpt of a letter sent from Viet Nam in 1969. Some of you know who it's from and who it's to. To those who do not know, it's not really important, it's just a letter from a brother to his sister who were each fighting a different war. The soldier was my father-in-law.
Alison Two Bears