Arnold's Letters Home: #1

Hello Ma and Dad,

Sorry I haven't written in so long a time. We have been very busy. We're on an operation for 5 days now out by Cu Chi. I don't have so much time that I can't write at all it's just that when I did I got some sleep instead. I'll keep in touch more often now. We had a mortar attack two nights ago but no one was hurt. 

I'm getting short now, only five months left here so there will only be a few operations left. We're in Hobo Woods now. Jets have been bombing all around us day and night. When it's dark we see big flashes from the bombs and the ground feels like it's ready to cave in. There are lots of Cong in this area. This operation here will be one of the major operations of the war. In this area somewhere is Viet Cong headquarters . There are 3 or more other Divisions with us, 25th, 1st, 1st Cav. 5th mech.

Well that's the scoop on the war as I see it. 

Did you receive the money orders I sent? Let me know OK. One is for $100 and one for $90. I'll be sending on average of $100 or more at the end of each month. The last roll of film I sent was pictures of Martha Ray, she came to our base camp at Christmas time. She was funny but only stayed for about 45 minutes. 

Audrey told me you all had a wonderful Christmas. I was glad to hear that Randy came home too she said. I hope he turned himself in. Did he say why he went AWOL? The longer he stays away the harder it will be for him when he gets caught and he can't get away forever. I don't like the service either but we have to serve our term so he may as well get it over with. 

Right now some small single engine spotter planes are dropping leaflets and talking on a loud speaker in Vietnamese to the Cong. They are trying to make them come out and give up or we will continue to bomb and tell them they don't have a chance. Sometimes it works, I hope it works today for it will save a lot of lives.

Well that's about it for now. I'll keep in touch more often.

See you all in 5,

Arnold

Letter #2 will be published on Nov. 13th, 2014