2 FEB, ’66

Hi Mom,

I’m not going over the hill now. I’m going to stick it out, even if these idiots don’t know what they’re doing. They’re really making it hard on us. I have to catch myself to keep from telling these corporals and sargeants off.

They finally made me a gunner. My squad leader said I might make L/Cpl. pretty soon. I heard we have promotions coming out Wednesday. I don’t think I’ll make it though, not this time anyway.

I mailed that stuff home today. It’s coming Parcel Post.

Some of my buddies are leaving tonight and tomorrow one is going to Wisconsin, so if he steps in, help him out. His name is Anagastopoulos, Mike, but we call him alphabet. He may need a place o stay so just help him out. Don’t tell Sal or anyone about him tho.

Before I sign off I’ll tell you what’s in the bag.

2 FIELD JACKETS
1 FIELD JACKET LINER
1 SHORT SLEEVE KHAKI SHIRT
1 LONG SLEEVE " "
1 GREEN TROUSERS
1PAIR CIVILIAN TROUSERS
1 MAGAZINE (M-14)
1 MAGAZINE (.45 CAL. PISTOL)
1 PISTOL MAG. POUCH

David and Donnie can wear the field jackets, but make sure they keep the liner and one field jacket in good condition. I think thats all I had in there. Well theres nothing else to say.

Love,

Arnie

P.S. we’re leaving soon sign missing movement papers tomorrow.

12 APR ’66

Dear Mom

Here’s some pictures I took APR. 9 There isn’t much else going on since the last letter I wrote. I just wanted to mail these pictures.

I hope you are keeping an album of them. I’ve got my other sea bag with the pictures of Hawaii. All I hope is that they turn out. If not, I’ll get negatives from some of the other guys and have them developed.

Love,

Arnie

P.S. Alphabet has pnumonia. He caught it up here in the cold.

17 APR, 66

Hi Mom,

There’s not much going on here. I’m aboard the USS Tom Green County going back to Okinawa. We go to N.T.A. for 10 days of counter Gurilla warfare training.

I’m going to send all my color film home to have you develop it because it cost $5.00 to have it developed here. I’ll mostly take B&W pictures. 18 APR, ’66

We’re sitting off Okinawa now. We’ll pull into port tomorrow morning.

Sgt. Lebeau said I made L/Cpl. That means about $20 more a month. Maybe I can make Cpl. Before I come back. I doubt it though.

I wrote Tom a letter but I haven’t got one back yet. I wonder if and when he will make Lance. They don’t usually worry about promotions there. He’ll probably get it when he gets to Okinawa. Let me know if you hear anything about Tom.

Lights are about to go out now so I’ll quit now.

Love,

Arnie

30 May, 66

Hi Mom,

We’re sitting in Subic Bay again. We got back from that problem a few days ago. Boy it was hell. If Vietnam is anything like that I don’t want to go.

We were in rice paddies for jus about the whole time, quite often with water up to our necks. The water was foul. There were water buffaloes fertilizing the paddies and dead rats floating in the water. Sometimes the mud was so bad that you could hardly move through it. On top of that it rained for the whole 3 days we were out there. When we were out came back abroad ship it quit raining and the sun came out. Somebody up there hates us.

We only had slight trouble with the local population. They sigged a water buffaloe on us and it trampled one guy. Old Tex McKee. Decided to bulldog it and started doing his rodes stunts. When he got a firm grip some other guys started beating it severely about the head and shoulders with their rifles. Finaly it broke lose and started heading for the distant hills as fast as it could go. Two pistols were stolen on the second day. I slept with mine in my hand and a round in the chamber. If anybody wanted mine he’d have to take it over my dead body. We stopped at a village and a pair of queers kept bothering me and Weber until I pulled out my .45 and told them to get or I’d blow them away. They left and went by little squad leader. That made me extremely happy.

I’m going to enclose the rest of the pictures from Okinawa. I have 20 color meg’s that have to be developed yet from the problem.

Going to sign off now.

Love,

Arnie

P.S. got newsletter from church. Pastor had wrong address in there. Also send foot powder, 16 mm for minolta camera (instamatic like 104); cookies, candy, a couple pair of white socks 10 ½ cushion sole, also at least Dad’s address. lost address book & all the addresses I had. Stace ought to be happy about some of them.