Tuesday, October 21, 1969.  Camp Eagle, Vietnam.

 

Dear Reet,

This is going to be short I’m afraid.  It’s still early, but I’ve got K.P. tomorrow which means getting up at 3:30 and going til 7:30.  I’m tired just thinking about it.  I’ve got letters from Dex and Brian to answer.  But they’re just going to have to wait.

Dave M. and I went to the steam bath yesterday for the first time.  Steam bath, hot shower, and massage.  Never felt so clean since I’ve over here.  I was a little leery of the broads giving the messages, at first.  I don’t make a habit of running around in front of a bunch of females half naked.  But I ended up darn near falling asleep on the massage table it was so relaxing.  Then we got all sweaty and dirty on the way back to the company.  You can’t win.

I told you that wouldn’t be too long, and it wasn’t.  This is now Wed, and I’m off K.P.  It really wasn’t bad today.  Tomorrow I’ve got perimeter guard, then I should be done for a while.  I hope.

Exactly when is your folks’ anniversary?  All you said was November in your letter.  You’ll have to take care of the gift end of the deal for both of us, but I want to send them a card too.  (If I can find one.)  Dex and Brian will have to take care of our folks for all of us, unless you’d rather you and I went separately.  Then that would be another gift you’d have to find.

Your Xmas present is on the way now.  I had Dave M. get a money order for me the other day, altho it’s against division regs.  It’s not going to be free tho – you’re going to have to pay for the customs fee when it arrives, which will be around fifteen dollars.  Same goes for other gifts for my family, if I can order them the same way.  They won’t be as high as yours tho.  And as soon after Xmas as I can I’ll order your china (as soon as I get the money).

I got ahold of some mail order catalogues the other day, and I found some of those wear-ever sauce pans.  But it doesn’t give the colors available.  They show a green and what looks like your orange, but I can’t tell for sure.  Are those the only colors they’re made in?  If so they must be the ones.

I haven’t really got any idea from the catalogues on what to get the rest of my family.  There really isn’t much available.  Makes it kind of difficult.

Time for me to hit the sack if I expect to get up tomorrow morning.  Wish I was hitting it with you and the next day was Saturday.  Can’t think of anything I’d enjoy more.   Before long we’ll be able to do things like that again.  I love you Rita, with all my heart!

Forever,

Jeff

151 days – four months and days (sounds shorter than 5 months)