October 20/21 1967 Misc letters

October 20 1967 postmark Bobby to Gayle

Friday Oct.20
Dear Sweetheart, How are you today? I am pretty
good. I've just come back from checking the guards.
Everything is alright, except that I want o see you
so badly. We had another practice alert tonight. The
have them about every other night. It keeps people
on their toes which is good.

I want to see you so bad. I miss you so very much.
I guess you get tired of about the same thing in
each letter, but honest darling it's the truth. I
love you so much.

We had the I.G. inspection in the company today
and we got a satisfactory rating on it. They only
give satisfactory and unsatisfactory ratings on
it. I slept all the way through it. They can't
say anything though because I had worked all
night. Lord, I wish they would hurry up and end
this thing. I want to come home so bad.

I sure hope I get some mail today. I should be
getting some anytime now. It sure is lonesome
around here with no mail. I hope it will make
it better when it finally starts coming in.

The typhoon that was supposed to hit here has
turned the other way. And now all we are supposed
to gee is rain, but it hasn't started raining yet.
I sure hope it doesn't start raining. We haven't
heard any artillery going off around here tonight,
but it could start anytime.

About me coming home when our baby is born. If Dr.
Demos says I am needed I can come home I think. But
ZI don't think it is a good idea for us to use
Bill Brock or any political pull to get me home.
Because it could get me in bad around here and
I don't think that would be good. I slept real
good yesterday morning because it was so cool.
I had to use a blanket. It's been pretty warm
today and tonight so far. But every morning
has been rather cool. There are the strangest
looking bugs around here. I wonder what kind
they are. There are a lot of rats around here
too.

I haven't been able to eat real good since I've
been here. About all I've been able to eat has
been meat. I just wonder how much weight I'll
lose while I'm over here. I would like to lose
about 30 pounds. At least I can lose that much.

When I come home I'll be landing in Seattle
Washington and I want you to try and meet me
there. So please try to be there when I come.
I just want to see you so bad. Everyday seems
so long over here. I am so homesick. I hope
this won't last the whole year. But I do know
that each day I'll be missing you more and
more. I just sit and stare at your picture
all the time I can.

Well, I'd better go try to get some sleep now.
I'll write again tomorrow. ZI love you very,
very much. ....More than anything. Please
take care of yourself and Little Bit. I hope
to see you soon, and I love you. All my love
always, Your Bobby

October 21 Postmark Bobby to Gayle

Friday
Dear Sweetheart, I'm sorry I haven't had time
to write you until tonight, but I didn't get
any sleep last night. And when I got up today
I had to meet the new company commander. Then
it was time to eat supper and come to work.
When I got here I had to start looking for
some light bulbs for this guard station. We
had to find 300 watt bulbs, which the depot
didn't have. We rode around the depot for
about an hour and half looking for them.

Last night the reason I didn't' get any sleep
was because a company here in the depot burned
down. They think a stove exploded. Anyway
most of the barracks were tents and the whole
company burned down in about 15 minutes. I
felt so sorry for some of those people over
there because a lot of them were going home
tomorrow and they just got out with a tee
shirt and a pair of shorts.

Please see if Dr Demos can get me home for
when our baby is born. I really do hope that
I can I pray every night asking god to let me
be able to come home when our baby is born.
This letter won't go out until tomorrow morning,
but I'll write you again tonight s you will
have 2 in the mail.

Martha Ray was here at Qui Nhon today. I
didn't get to see here because her show was
at 8pm and I go to work at 7 pm. I guess I
won't be able to see many shows here. I
sure hope that I get some mail tomorrow. I stand
by the mail room everyday hoping I will get
some. Some should be coming anytime. I sure
hope I get some tomorrow. I sure am lonely
here. I hope it will get better when I get some mail.

Well I'd better go now. I'll write again later
tonight. Darling I love you very, very much...
...more than anything. Please take care of yourself
and Little Bit. I love you very, very much. All
my love, always, Your Bobby

October 21 1967 Bob's mother to Bobby
Saturday

Dearest Bob, You've no ideas how happy we are to
get your letters. Every day when the postman
comes, I'm waiting at the mail box. I've been
down helping Gayle paint this afternoon I'm
going down Monday or Tuesday and help her get
thing put away and the nursery straight.

We are going tonight to see UC and Xavier play.
I guess Gayle told you her daddy's buying the
yellow ford, so it will still be in the family.
Elaine and Jim got started on their den this
weekend so needless to say they are all excited.
We should get our plans back from the architect
the first of the week so we can get started on
the fireplace before the weather gets too bad.

I'll be glad when your mail catches up with you.
You'll have enough to last you a week. You
should have some by now. We got a kick out of
your Hell's Angels Sergeants. I'd sure keep on
the good side of them.

Bob, I know, I REALLY do, how easy it is to
become bitter about those who are running from
what you are doing. I've fought it and I've just
about overcome it for the bitterness we feel
doesn't hurt them, it just eats into us and
eventually could destroy us. If the Fathers of
our country and men like Patrick Henry had
hidden behind desks etc. we wouldn't have the
country we have. You Bob, can be VERY proud of
what you are doing and in the future I know God
will bless you for doing what you are. After
all, you can live with yourself and I wonder if
they will come to the time when they find it
hard to live with themselves. Of course,
you'll be more respected than they.

I pray every day that God will you the strength
and endurance to see this year through. I
think He would like for YOU to pray for it
too. He won't fail you. You have no idea how
many people back here ask about you and you are
on just about everybody's prayer list so I know
everything will work out fine.

You and Gayle have had some bad breaks, so I see
nothing but happiness ahead for the two of you
when you come home because everyone, sooner or
later has some bad luck and disappointments.
So- keep your chin up. By the time you get this
we'll be in the forties [week wide] instead of
the fifties. I'm sure by the time you come home
you will have reevaluated many things- you'll
know what's important and what isn't and that
will be good.

Be sure and tell me if you don't get the paper.
It was ordered and paid for 2 weeks ago. I must
go now and fix Fret some dinner. We love you
VERY much. Mother

PS Janice had their baby last Thursday night
and was back in school on Wednesday. They have
a "marvelous" nurse to care for the baby 20
hours a day. Thank God you have a wife who
will put being a wife and mother ahead of
everything else. "Gayle will be a SWELL mother.


October 21 1967 Postmark Bobby to Gayle
Saturday evening
Dear Sweetheart, You just wouldn't believe how
busy I've been tonight. This is the first chance
I have had to sit down since I wrote you the first
letter tonight. Right now its 2:30 and I've been
out of the office since about 12. I wish I could
write good letters. I know just about every letter
that I write you has the same thing in it. I guess
it sound like a broken record. But I'll keep
writing you the same things because when I write
you it seems I'm talking to you and that you are
right here in the same room with me.

Tonight we were driving along and about100 yards a
big dump truck came out of a side road and it lost
its brakes and flipped right over. The driver wasn't
hurt but it sure scared him pretty bad. To tell the
truth it scared me, because if we had been about 15
seconds sooner it would have hurt us. I don't know
if the monsoons are going to start because we had
about 2 days of rain and then the past couple of
days it's been real pretty. I sure hope it doesn't
rain much.

These 3 weeks I've been gone from you sure have been
hell. I miss you so very, very much. I'd give just
about anything to be able to be on my way home now
to see you. Lord, I love you darling. Every day I
just keep loving you more and more. Just like we
say=- more than yesterday and less than tomorrow.

Please see if Dr. Demos can get me home when Little
Bit comes. If he says I'm needed they will bring me
home. I have to get a hair cut tomorrow. My hair
is getting so long. And, with it long it stays
dirty all the time. This has got to be the dirtiest
country in the world. I wish I could describe to you
how dirty it is. When the military was able to have
their dependants over here, I don't know how the women
stood it. I would no more think of bringing you over
here unless it was absolutely necessary, because I
wouldn't want you to live in a cesspool like this.
You just can't realize people live like these people.
Their houses [shacks] are made out of card board boxes
or pieces of wood. I'll try to get some pictures of
them and send them to you. The slums at home are
mansions compared to these places. Words just can't
describe their country.

There was a big battle about 10 miles away from here
tonight. We could see the lights from it. The was
bombing and everything hit was at a place called
Pha Cat [I think] They say there was a brigade of
Viet Cong there. I don't know but there sure was
a lot of firing coming down from helicopters and
other type planes over the area.

I just can't believe how much I miss you. It's
really bad. ...Just a big empty feeling in me all
the time. I don't think I'll be able to get rid
of that until I get home to my mouse again.

I'd better try to get some sleep now. I love you
very, very much......more than anything. Please
take care of yourself and Little Bit and I love
you. All my love always, Your Bobby


October 21 1967 Postmark Bobby to Gayle
Saturday
Hi Sweetheart, I just go up. I'm so nervous today.
I don't know why. I'm just so jumpy and worried
about everything. I don't know what is causing it.
I sure hope I get some mail this afternoon. I want
to hear from you so bad. Lord sweetheart, I'm going
out of my mind over here. I know there has been a
change in me already. I just hate to see what I'm
going to be like when I get home. I miss you so much.
I don't know how I can live without you. This is
terrrible over here.
I feel like I've lost about 15 pounds already. I
haven't been able to eat since I left you. If I
could I would write you all the time I'm awake.
I've been thinking about TeTe' a lot lately. I
still can't believe that she is dead. But I still
see her the way she was in her bed right after
she died.

Please tell Dr. Demos to get me home for when our
baby comes. I don't; think I could stand it over
here when that happens. It's bad enough as it is
but that would just put the topping on the cake.
They say Martha Ray made a statement last night
that brought the house down. It was," Those
demonstrators back in the states couldn't even
shine our boots." This is true. When I get back
I'd better not see my cousins. I know I'm going
to hurt some people's feelings when I get back.

Sweetheart, I love you so much. I want to come
home to you so bad. I really do. Please try
to get me home. I'm going crazy without you.
I love you so very, very much. ....More than
anything. Please take care of yourself and
Little Bit and I love you. Please don't forget
that. All my Love always, Your Bobby
Thought today: It's unfortunate that swelled
heads aren't painful.
Hint today: To avoid scrubbing burned edges of
a casserole dish, sprinkle Epsom salts over the
mess and let sit for 10 minutes. It will cause
the pieces to flake off. Then a quick scrub with
the abrasive salts will remove any remaining
stuck-on food.