A lot better than Viet Nam! Im in Thailand during the war, 1966-67 A Difficult Year Ahead Written, May 12, 2010 Looking back now, as I do so often (obviously), let me tell you! I cannot overstate how well Kay and I would get along. Just looking at her would leave me breathless, seeing her smile at me, I would melt. She was stunning, absolutely gorgeous! (in my eyes) Her laughter, her playful way, shed walk up behind me, her arms around my waist, a little squeeze, then to rest her head on my back. Id quickly shift around to face her, and wed just hold each other, no words, just a moment or two knowing, even then, we would always belong to each other. Thats not to say there were never any potholes in this road, rough edges here and there, but we never yelled, never to raise our voices in anger. It just didnt happen between us. I think we both hated any level of tension, and, to this day, either from her mouth or mine, its always.....please, hon.....lets not fight. Life is too short, and so uncertain. Thats just the way its been, and skeptics with the little eye-roll trouble me not. :o) I remember once stopping to get us something to eat, (at the Creame King) so many years back it was.... Rarely, an actual sit-downrestaurant, It was our way to just eat in the car. I always felt the need to be protective of her, but, from a distance, you know? Not so obvious, certainly never stifling. I would park the car, in a position I could see everything from inside and through those huge plate glass windows of that carry-out, she was clearly visible, the overhead lights at the side of the building shining into the car, right on her. As I gave my order, and waited.....two other girls, employees there, in conversation...one casually pointing toward the window.....Look, how pretty she is! I would have proudly announced, Yes, thats my wife, (grin) but I could only smile, confirmation through anothers eyes,....how lucky a man I am. I think it rare, perhaps....to find such a one....so pretty on the inside, and not know, see, or even acknowledge her outward beauty. She dont know shes beautiful........a country song so fitting, and the way she saw herself. When I returned to the car, I told her of their observation of her. She just....kind of turned her head, in silence, looking out the window......but I saw her smile. :o) Kay will be 66 (69 now) come June. She sits right at my back watching TV in a big old lazy boy. Me in my little corner here, writing, within reach of a few favorite gadgets. I swivel around slowly to pretend Im watching the program with her, careful, trying hard not to let her catch me. Looking at her is still my favorite thing, though I see deep brown hair that has turned to silver. Yes, I see the years etched in her face, though time has really been kind to Kay, her beauty still there. I look closely, and still see the Kay I remember from the start. Busted! She catches me. (How can she not?) Robert, what are you doing? If those same two girls could see her today, they might say.....Gee, that is one really pretty Grandma! :o) Oh, one more thing for the record: She still takes my breath away, yes, she does! (grin) So then, there we were, back in those days (September, 1965) , a measure of fear focused primarily on the mailman. Greetings, you have been selected, geesh, like I won a great prize or something? First, a physical, a bus to depart from 10th and Charles, in front of the Post Office. Destination was a Federal Building in Pittsburgh, about 30, or so, of us from Brooke County. The atmosphere was somber, reasonably quiet, somewhat apprehensive. Viet Nam, now shifted into high gear, casualty numbers climbing. Draftees with a 2 year enlistment: best hope, INFANTRY, ground pounder, jungle bunny, 90% of the time, yes...ending up in the thick of it all. Very serious conversation now....between Kay and I, to consider alternatives. Options included, maybe, enlistment in another branch of service, to include, even a 3 year stint in the Army. Volunteers (enlistees) could pick what they wanted to do. Hey, I was reasonably intelligent, and might find myself useful in something other than toting around an M-16 rifle. How long did I have? The draft board clerk informed me.......The second week of November. I would go with that months draft, very near my 22nd birthday. Wonderful! (Not) :o( The Army Recruiters name I still remember. Sergeant First Class, David Riffle (in Weirton). Im pretty sure he put brother David in the Army too, I dont know about John. Yep, all three of us spent our time in service to the USA. :o) I would become a Communications Center Specialist, my enlistment would eliminate the draft, and I could remain at home for the holidays. Kay and I would savor each day together even more, then would come a day most grey, even seeming a bit surreal....January 10, 1966. By thanksgiving, our little apartment was gone, empty. I had quit my job, and we moved in with Kays mom and dad, and younger sister, Donna. I didnt want her to live alone while I was gone, and, considering my starting pay of $64.00 a month, plus a little extra as a married man, it wouldnt have been possible, even if she had wanted to. Kays mom was ecstatic to have her daughter back home, even though she came with baggage. :o) She would be with her longer than any of us could have anticipated. All was settled and peaceful now, at least on the home front. You bet it was hard, so hard, that morning I left. She said, Please, dont say goodbye. We agreed to, Ill see you in a little while. It would be 8 weeks basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, before we would see each other again. Keep in mind, we had been inseparable. Never even one day apart, now 2 years married, and all that time before, going steady, exclusive to each other. I walked down that road, my head in a fog....one foot ahead of the other. I had to coax them to keep walking away. Am I really going to do this? Looking back.....well, there was no reason. She wouldnt be there, we couldnt bear it. Just keep walking. A bus to Pittsburgh, a long train ride south. It took forever, and all potential GIs on board, fresh meat, as we were referred to. Oh, the civilians in charge of us on the train, treated us very well. It was on arrival, and, just as youve seen in the movies and documentaries, it was a shock to the human system. There are no words to describe the reception center at Fort Jackson. It was pure hell! I actually believe there was a handful of cadre there who had crossed the line, somewhere along the way, into sadistic behavior. They seemed to find great pleasure in frightening another human being beyond comprehension into utter confusion, even to the point of the bladder releasing, to suffer shame on top of ridicule. Yes, I saw it! Cruelty! Monsters, they were! How they could even maintain their vocals, after a day or two, with that decibel level of yelling and screaming? Finally, away from there, and assigned to a training brigade, and a more patient group of leaders. Drill Instructors, most already Viet Nam Vets, Combat Badge holders, all, with focus on teaching, more than harassing. We want you to survive over there! (over and over) A thought so alien to my peaceful world, now turned topsy turvy. I knew it was all (sadly) very real. I would surely pay attention! I did really, really very well. Physically, I was in good condition going in....and won runner up (2nd) to the trainee of the cycle. Yes, I was proud, I had worked very hard. There was special recognition, and you must understand Military Ceremony, its pomp, its precision. Big Brass all around, and me, goose bumps galore, promoted to the next higher grade before them all. (all of six months early) To our left though, and just off the parade field, two rows of some 50 or more Greyhound Buses. I knew one of those would take me home. We were a bus load of newly trained GIs, crisp new Class A uniforms, the atmosphere exciting, electric! We were on our way.....to points north. Again, a long, long ride. Well, that was, and still is.... Greyhound. :o) Kay, with her mom and dad, would meet me at Wheelings Bus Terminal. Of course, and, again, just like in the movies (LOL) we ran into each others arms, I lifted her off her feet, we hugged, we kissed......and oh my, she felt sooooooo good, and certainly belonged there. (giggle) Ten glorious days, thats all we had together. Then, more torture, and I was off again. This time, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 12 weeks, Signal/Communications School, a highly classified, in a corner of the base, fenced in, guard towers, crypto, crazy stuff. Good thing I had 2 years typing classes in high school. It served me well, really did. How many guys, in 1966, would already know how to type? None! Not in my bunch anyway. Outside advice to me was: Never volunteer for anything! Wrong!! My typing skills would get me excluded from those highly intensive (and dreaded) duties......like KP, Guard Duty, and a few others. Get Yaussy, he can type. I was borrowed, lent, sent here and there, sometimes, I felt, excessively so. I had school to complete, and some took advantage. I certainly had no voice, but a Major saw what was happening and stepped in to save me. :o) Finished up there, finally, again, doing well. I was allowed phone home time, it was 10 minutes....the lines waiting were staggering! Of course I would wait just wanting to hear her voice. It was so much better than basic, less restrictive, relaxed. The food was excellent, the mess halls like huge cafeterias, and all you wanted, requests for seconds never rejected. White and chocolate milk dispensers, good stuff. Im still a milk drinker. :o) Ravenous appetites came with the territory. We were on the move constantly, physical training still a part of the whole. Sleep came easy too. Exhausting days....hitting the pillow.....and gone. :o) Personnel was a large, open space, few cubicles here and there, buzzing with activity....interviews, endless lines of humanity, all finished training, awaiting assignment orders. Have a seat, Yaussy That was his specialty, a personnel Sergeant, a desk jockey, my folder already in front of him. See that gold star right there? That means you are in the top 5%, your battery of test scores are outstanding! For a brief moment, while feeling good about myself, it was taken away, neutralized in an instant. Your orders assign you to Southeast Asia, Viet Nam!!! He mentioned the specific military base, but over my head it went. All I heard was Viet Nam! Stunned, my whole body feeling a rush.....of something! Dreading it enough, yes, and even fearful, yet.....oh, oh, oh.......I would have to tell Kay, the thing I most dreaded of all. How? Would somebody please tell me how to tell my wife? On top of it all, there was no leave. Normally 30 days allowed before going overseas, anywhere overseas. None provided in my orders. High Priority, and the key word, Quickly needed, and the day after tomorrow, TWA to Oakland Army Terminal, just across the bay from San Francisco. I cant remember ever feeling so out of it. Now, even blaming myself and such a ridiculous notion: Had I known my future, I might have stayed away, never married. I knew it was nonsense, but still I was reaching. This thing hanging over me was a killer, a possible death sentence, and I knew it! There was no way to put it off, no time for delay. I drew the courage from somewhere.....Sweetheart Im going....over there. I couldnt even say it to her. She knew, there was no doubt. I heard her, oh my, oh my.....almost like a screech......Nooooooo! Then sobbing. She couldnt stop. I waited a bit, knowing it was pointless....others behind me, waiting their turn. It was just awful, tore my heart off its hinges. Ill call you tomorrow, babe.....OK? OK, she replied. Oh, how tempted to just run to her, just go. Whatever kept those thoughts in check, I dont know, I just dont know. Fear, reputation, the consequences, what else? Duty, Honor, Country.......it all sounded like so much bull____ Those moments, the hardest of my life, bar none. And there were so many more to face, with just one really bright spot that would change so much to reduce the fear, and some of the worry, at least. It would make it easier, for Kay. And for that, I would be willing to go through anything. The next morning, I was being paged. Yaussy, you are wanted Where? They need to see you in Personnel. What now, I thought.....Am I leaving today? Same guy, same station, same chair.....sit :o) The most wonderful news possible.....You cannot go to Viet Nam I cant? You have a brother there right now, two members of an immediate family in a combat zone is against regulation. It is? OK, great news....now what? New orders being cut right now. Guess where I was going? Bangkok, Thailand!! Mission would be in direct support, but not a combat zone. Now this was good news, and I could hardly wait to tell her. Are you sure, Robert.....dont be just trying to make me feel better. When? Tomorrow, 3pm, still the same flight, same destination.....Oakland. Ill call you, as soon as I can. I love yous, back and forth.....please be careful, and I promised. I knew she would be safe, but she wasnt sure about me yet. Id gather the best info I could. It was better, but still not so good, not yet. It was the unknown.....ahead. Hey, Ive been up all night, its 20 after 6 in the am. Kay is in the kitchen, getting her lunch together for work. I ask her....do you remember what you felt when I told you about Viet Nam. Her agony....was: I didnt think I would ever see you again, and the fear of that was terrible, paralyzing. Just as I was tempted to go to her, she would have considered a trip to Fort Gordon, Georgia. Said she would have, had I not called with the better news that next day. bob
Posted on: Mon, 21 Apr 2014 19:53:36 +0000
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