Casualty of Peace

BODY SURFING THE GULF OF SIAM GOING TDY  -  UP COUNTRY We worked twelve hour days at Detachment 1, but there were exceptions. Because we were  so near the equator, at elevation degrees north latitude, on the hottest days hard physical  work was called off. We were free to relax for a few hours. The next time that happened, Charlie took me to the beach a short walk away. Once  outside the gate, with beach towels and M16's, we hiked through scorching hot sand  dunes. You had to wear boots. If you tried flip-flops you’d end up with blistered feet.  We followed a path through the sand dunes to the white sandy shore of the Gulf of Siam.  We didn't find out till after the war that that area was probably defoliated with Agent  Orange. We arranged our weapons, upright in a triangle, and we waded into the gentle lapping ocean  waves. Charlie went first, he showed me how to catch a wave. I watched him swim out a  ...

Phu Quoc Island Paradise I was nervous as a cat on the ride to the in-country air terminal. Only mid morning, already 100 degrees the asphalt was soft under my feet. The packed terminal was a steaming bedlam of humanity, but at least my flight was on schedule. I'd be flying with the Royal Australian Air Force, flight 007. They called themselves "Wallaby Airlines."  The twin engine C7a Caribou was built for short airstrips, like where I was going. Passenger seats folded down along the sides, and ran the length of the cabin.  I belted in as the back ramp shut closed. The engines revved up and we taxied to the end of the runway. After a smooth take off we climbed above sweltering Tan Son Nhut Air Base. Within minutes we got into into cooler air, my sweat soaked uniform gave a chill. We turned south west, but it wasn't long before we landed at the first stop. This was going to be a milk run, for passengers and mail. After two more landings at increasingly...